Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-10-08
RIVALS MCNAMARA EXPLOITS.
George +. Davis COnfesses Many
Cases OF Dynamiting.

1
McManigal to-day were confessed by
Geo. f. Davis, union iron worker.
| Davis, who was arrested here to-day,
was the Geo. Mcdonnell who figured
in the trial at indianapolis that re-
suited in the conviction of Frank NJ.
| Ryan, president Of the International
Association of Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers, and 81 OF lis associ-
ates. His arrest and its conse-
quences wound up the work the
Federal government started more
than two years ago, when the dyna-
miting Of bridges and steel frame
buildings all over the country be-
came a national scandal.
All the explosions that Davis says
he caused were touched on and testi-
| fed to at the dynamiters' trial in
Indianapolis, but the fact that Davis
caused them remained unrevealed
until to-day, when he himself told
Of it.
Davis's confession to-day resulted
in the arrest in Indianapolis of
Harry Jones, secretary-treasurer Of
the Iron Workers Union His con-
| Iession supplements the evidence
presented at the Indianapolis trial
and constitutes fresh charges against
some of the men now in prison. Some
OF his revelations concern President
| Ryan, who now is out on bail pend-
ing appeal from prison sentence Of
seven years
Chosen to Kill Drew.
Davis says he was the man chosen
to Kill Walter Drew, attorney for the
National ErcctOrs Association, in
December, 1911, after Drew was
charged with kidnapping John J. Nc
Namara. 1t also was suggested that
he try to get" VIM. J. Burns, the
detective employed to unearth the
dynamite cons piracy. The price on
Drew's head at that time. Davis
said, was $1,000.
Davis consented to return 70 In
dianapolis without extradition. His
bail was fixed at $4,000.
The conspiracy thought to have
Deen broken up by the conviction OF
Ryan and others still exists. accord
ing to Davis's confession. With tha
exception OF Harry Jones, the men
ne mentions in connection with his
various dynamite jobs already have
been arrested.
The apprehension of Davis was
due to Robert Foster Lonisv,,o
"'ie''''~ Several weeks ago, When
Davis was aispIeQscd vita his treat
W9Nt ny the union. Foster persuaded
'ih' 10 make iuN confession
n ruii confession.
This was on September 16. For a
week Davis had been working in
Flttsburg for the Thompson-Starre
company. Then the local delegate
OF the Iron Workers told him he
must pay $26 initiation fee to the
local union or quit work. Davis
quit. The detective told him he
knew all about his deeds anyway and
Davis, feeling that the union had de-
serted him, accompanied Foster TO
New york. Here, in the presence Of
representatives of the Federal Dis
trlct Attorney and the National Erec-
Tors Association, he dictated and
swore to the detailed confession TO-
day given ont by the district attor-
ney's office.
Davis said he had been an iron
worker since 1900. In the early
days he was a member of the enter
talnment committee, whose duty. he
said, was to assault non-union work
ers. He began his career as a dvna-
miter at Trenton, n. ].
Served Two Years.
Under the name of O'DonneH. Da-
Wis was arrested for the Fall River
job and served two years in prison
After he left prison officers of the
union gave him money and he went
to his home in Coffeyvile. Kans.
The arrest of the McNamaras fol-
lowed soon and on advice Of Presi-
dent Ryan, Davis claims he returned
East. One of his latest exploits was
dynamiting a bridge at Mount Yer
non under the direction of Frank C.
Webb, New York member of the
executive committee Of the union,
now serving six years in prison.
a feature Of Davis's statement was
story OF gigantic scheme to set
OFF simultaneously explosions in
Omaha, San Francisco. St Louis and
New York city, while the McNama-