Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-10-08
Tells BOMB n PLOTS.
IRON WORKERS STORY RESULTS
IN ARREST OF UNIONS
~ SECRETARY. lex

IRON WORKERS. STORY RESULTS
IN ARREST OF UNIONS ii
SECRETARY. t$
RYAN is FURTHER ACCUSED
"o'Donnell," Who Figured In Dynamic
= ers' Trial, Confessed to Blowing
Up Buildings Throughout New
Eng Stops Blasts.
| New York, Oct. 4. George z. Davis,
alias George Mcdonald, a member OF
the International Structural Iron
Workers union, was arrested in this
city and in confession to the author
dynamite plots 4
Davis was the George O'Donnen
who figured in the trial at Indianap-
oils that resulted in the conviction OF
Frank M. 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 nation on
al scandal. 3t Es.5il.
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. 3 4 I. 'A.sk5
Davis, confession resulted in the
arrest in indianapolis of Harry Jones,
secretary-treasurer OF the iron work
ers' union. His confession supple
4 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. ,t5 4 ~
! 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 3, 1911.
To New Workers the most thrilling
portion OF his confession deals with
the attempts to destroy the $16. OO0,-
900 Queens borough bridge. which
spans the East river at Blackwell's
island, which Davis was offered $3.50
to destroy. e 5 rs
His confession, in this particular, ts
full of human interest, since he de-
clined to blow up the bridge for less
than $2,500, because he feared to In
jure men working in 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. IL
The price on Drew's head at that
time, Davis said. was $4,000. II told
Them" his confession continues, that
i didn't want to mix up in such busi-.
ness 3s h Z
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
lions in connection with his various
dynamite Jobs already have been ar.
rested, although his confession tndi.
Gated the government had not OBJ
tained 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, 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 confess.
sion. 55 ;.s VI u
ts 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 Fall River on April
26, 1905. he was arrested. it sss
One OF his latest exploits was dyna.
hitting bridge at Mount Vernon I'M:
der, the direction OF Frank G. Webb,
"a New York member Of the executive
committee Of the union, who is now
serving six years in prison.
A feature Of Davis statement was
a story OF a gigantic scheme to set OF
simultaneous explosions in Omaha.
San Francisco, St. Louis and New
York. city while the McNamaras were
in Jail. The contamination Of the plot
was nipped by the confession Of the
two men in JAIL .5s u
= Auto Makes New Worlds Record.