Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-02
Prisoners Cheeredand Sang
at Midnight but the Ap-
plause Soon Died Out;
Given Work Tomorrow.
LEAVE TRAIN IN
THE PRISON WALLS
Destination Not Reached
Until Daybreak; Ryan
and Tveitmoe May Do
Clerical Work.

thirty-three labor union officials SEN
fenced at indianapolis for completely
in the Mcnamara dynamite plots ar
rived at the federal prison here at 7:15
today. They Immediately were photo
graphed, dressed in penitentiary
clothes and formally enrolled as con-
victs.
AS Frank M. Ryan, president of the
iron workers international union; Olaf
A. Tveitmoe, the Pacific coast labor
leader; Herbert S. Hockin, John T.
Butler and the others stepped from
the special train which brought them
from Indianapolis they were taken in
charge by the prison authorities. New
Years day thus found the labor lead.
ers beginning in the federal pen1
tentiary here punishments for theil
connection with crimes for which the
Mcnamara brothers, confessed dyna
miters, are serving terms in the state
prison at San Quentin, Cal.
Enter Prison on Train.
The prisoners were taken by rail
directly into the prison grounds. Their
first view Of the interior was from the
windows of the train Within an hour
after the arrival each man had been
subjected to- a heir .e,itsand garbed Sfr
the prison uniform.
On account OF 1t being holiday
the details of assigning the men to
work was delayed until tomorrow.
Most Of the new prisoners are iron
workers and it is understood the war
den is to put them on the construction
of buildings.
Tveitmoe, who is secretary of the
California building trades council, is
the only one of the convicted men not
affiliated with the iron workers union
and 1t is expected he will be given
clerical work. Ryan may be given
similar work because of his age and
his apparent feeble condition.
It was memorable trip which
brought the prisoners over the $40
miles fror7 INDIANAPOLIS on New Years
eve. OneS started, United States
Marshal Edward Schmidt detided not
to reach Leavenworth before day
light SO that almost twenty hours were
passed on the train.
The train was guarded at windows
and doors as rolling adjunct of the
penitentiary, all the curtains being
drawn and no one being permitted to
give out any word as to the happen
ings within. "r'
The trip across Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri and into Kansas was to have
been kept secret but at every station
crowds greeted the train as the "dyna'
miters' special" and cheers and cheers
and singing at midnight showed the
disposition of the prisoners toward a
New Year which for them was to be.
gin with imprisonment.
Higgins Became Ill.
At midnight, while passing Jefferson
City, Mo-, Marshal Schmidt passed
around coffee which was drunk from
tin cups Each prisoner was permit
ted at that time to write out New
Years messages to members Of his
family. Beyond that outburst of cheer
it was a long monotous ride for the
men, each of whom was required to sit
throughout the night facing an armed
guard. r. J. Higgins of Boston, former
New England organizer for the iron
workers union, became unconscious on
the train and was placed in a physi
clans care. He is sentenced to serve
two years.
. When the prisoners registered IT
was found that Ryan, agd So years,
was the Oldest. and Fred Sherman, %,
the youngest.
Charles Wachtmeister Of Detroit
with eight children, has the largest
family. He is sentenced to two years
Tveitmoe Asks About Library.
Almost the first question asked by
Tveitmoe on entering the penitentiary
was about the library.
Among the treasures which he ask
ed to be allowed to retain was a book
Of Latin verse inscribed BY Anton
Johannsen, another San Francisco la
Dor leader, who has been indicted in
Los Angeles.
Asked whether he intended to re-
alinquish any of his affiliations on the
Pacific coast, Tyeitmoe replied abso
lutely none.
Near Kansas City the prison train
passed within sight of the railroad
bridge across the Missouri river which
Ortie E. McManigal confessed he blew
up.
1t had not long been daylight when
the train pulled into the penitentiary
yards The DrisoressSs last view of the
outside world was 4 placid expanse OF
,fsS. u JDr,,r q u