Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-09

Confession Results in Arrest OF
Uri0n's Secretary.
RYAN is FURTHER ACCUSED
"O'DonneIi," Who Figured in Dyna
miters' Trial, Confessed to Blow
ing Up Buildings Throughout
New ENGLAND.

New YORK, Oct. f.-GeOrge Il. Davis,
alias George Mcdonald, a member Of
the International Structural Iron
Workers union, was arrested in this
city Thursday and in confession to
the authorities revealed a series Of
remarkable dynamite plots
Davis was the George O'Donnell
who figured in the trial at Indianap-
oils that resulted in the conviction of
Frank NJ Ryan, president of the In
ternational Association Of Bridge and
Structural Iron Workers, and 81 OF
his associates. His arrest and its
consequences round up the work the
federal government started more than
two years ago when the dynamiting
of bridges and steel frame buildings
all over the country became a nation
al scandal
All the explosions Davis says he
caused were touched on and testified
to at the dynamiters' trial in Indian
apolis, but the fact Davis caused them
remained unrevealed until he himself
told of it.
Davis confession resulted in the
arrest in indianapolis of Harry Jones,
secretary-tTeasurer of the iron work
ers' union. His confession supple
ments the evidence presented at the
indianapolis trial and makes fresh
charges against some of the men
there convicted and now in prison.
Some of his revelations concern Pres
ident Ryan, who is now out on bail
pending appeal from a prison sen
tence of seven years.
Among the most important dyna-
hitting Jobs" in which Davis was q
participant was the blowing up of the
new bridge of the New York, New
Haven & Hartford railroad at Mount
Vernon, N. Y, on September 8, 1911.
To New Workers the most thrilling
portion of his confession deals with
the attempts to destroy the S16000,-
600 QueensbOrOugh bridge, which
spans the East river at Blackwell's
island, which Davis was offered $3.50
to destroy.
His confession, in this particular, is
full of human interest. since he de-
clined to blow up the bridge for less
than $4,000, because he feared to in
jure men working in a power-house
below the bridge.
Davis says he was the man chosen
to kill Walter Drew, attorney for the
National Erectors' association, in
December, 1911, after Drew was
charged with kidnapping John J. Nc
Namara. It was suggested also he try
to get" William J. Burns, the de,
tective employed by Drew and his as
sociates to unearth the dynamite con-
spiracy.
The price on Drew's head at that
time, Davis said, was $4,000. 81 told
Them his confession continues, that
l didn't want to mix up in such bust
ness"
Davis consented to return to In
dianapolis without extradition The con-
spiracy thought to have been broken
up by the conviction of Ryan and
others still exists, according to
Davis confession. With the excep-
ton of Harry Jones, the men he men
tons in connection with his various
rested, although his confession indi-
Gated the government had not OBJ
tanned all the discriminating evidence
against these defendants when they
were tried at Indianapolis.
The apprehension of this "McMan-
igal of the East was due to Robert
Foster, a Louisville detective, who
Swallowed the iron worker through
eastern cities. Finally, several weeks
ago, when Davis was displeased with
his treatment by the union, Foster
persuaded him to make a full confes-
sion.
In careful detail the confession de-
scribed how Davis blew up or tried
to blow up buildings and bridges in
various cities and towns of the east.
In his preparation of plans to destroy
a new building in Fau River on April
&c, 1908, he was arrested and served
two years.