New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-05
Shonts Hears Indicted Man
Was Agent of w. d.
MahOn.
REPORT is LAID
BEFORE MAYOR
Mahon Denies knowledge OF
Any Acts Laid to AL
legged Plotter.

Theodore p. Shonts brought the re-
cent dynamite outrage in San Francisco
into the strike controversy yesterday
by making public a telegram received
from San Francsco's District Attorney
10 tho effect that Tom Mooney, in
dicted for eight murders, was an &C.
credited agent Of W. d. Mahon, presi-
dent of the Amalgamated Association Of
Street Railway Employees, to whom bills
for the destruction of property had
been sent.
Mahon at once made public a de-
tailed statement Of his relations with
Mooney, denying that he or any one
connected with the association had in
any way encouraged or approved Of
violence at any time or mad any knowl-
edge that Mooney contemplated doing
anything tending 70 destroy life or
property.
The Shonts statement was in the
form OF a letter sent to Mayor Mitchell,
copies OF which were cent TO the re-
porters' room in City Hall. Mahon did
but he had an assurance from Mayor
Mitchell that his Office was not a party
TO the transaction.
Letter Sent to Mayor.
Here is the letter as sent to Mr..
Mitchell:
"New York, August 4, 1916.
Hon. John Purroy Mitchell,
Mayor, New York City.
Dear Sir:
1--WE are in receipt Of telegram as
follows:
"'You are correctly informed.
have documentary evidence showing
that Tom Mooney, indicted here for
the murder Of eight persons killed By
the explosion of a bomb during the
recent preparedness parade, is an ac-
credited agent of ". d. Mahon, presl-
dent of the Amalgamsted Association
of Street Railway Employees, and was
in constant correspondence with him
in reference to San Francisco condi-
tions.
az have evidence that Mooney
dynamited an electric tower OF the
power line supplying the streetcar
system of San Francisco with current
for the purpose Of gripping the sys-
TEN prior to a strike. and that soon
after the strike failed in San Fran
cisco the bomb throwing occurred.
"'Mooney's expense account was sen.
to Mahon.
CHARLES VI. PICKETT,
"'District Attorney, San Francisco
I'VE are also advised that II any
further statement is desired, the Dis
trict Attorney Of San Francisco viii
give out such information as seeml
advisable. Yours respectfully,
THEODORE P. SH0NTS,
president"
In his reply to Mr.. Shonts Mr.. Ma.
hon declared that, except for a brief
period of employment in San Fran
cisco, Mooney had not been connected
with the operations of the Amalga-
mated Association.
Mooney the Organizer.
He first met Mooney, he said, in San
Francisco in November a year ago,
during the sessions of the American
Federation of Labor, when Mooney
asked to be allowed 10 organize the
men employed by the one company
which was unorgsnized. He advised
Mooney TO make a formal application
to the executive committee for such
employment, he said, and never saw
him again.
Subsequently Moneys application
was granted, he asking and being al
lowed only his expenses. For this
purpose 5000 was sent him. Later a
request for a strike fund OF $4,000
was granted What happened after
that, Mr.. Mahon said, he did not know.
on account OF being absent from his
Office most of the time.