New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-04
s;x Taken, Confess
Strikers Paid for
Dynamite
,rNION LEADERS
ARE CAPTURED
Two Stations Menaced-
Men Traced by First
Explosion

r,-sistent detecilNe "OiN
..-5.y in frustrating a well-matured
- ..riking car men TO blow up the
~, circle and Times Square sub
cations. The police were just IN
" !, avert the Columbus Circle ex-
- E The other had been set for
Tuesday uod w;th
,.,-iting the subway station al
- Avenue and 10th Street on Oe-
=. 75 and as a result OF confessions
~. bv some OF them the police start
-. I, search Of two other men who
-, par,ies to the conspiracy.
o,t Of the men sought is a principal
-, case. He helped place the fifty
-. of dynamite that wrecked the
ro,t street station, was present wnen
=. e,plosiyes were purchased in the
g,,,nlss Powder Company's plant at
vs,vi y. j.. and played an important
-. in the conception and execution ol
the plot ,o,.od
While the men arrested are leaders
8, ,be local car mems union, members
tho executive council Of the Amalga-
mated Association Of Street and Elec-
-, Railway Employees are not involved
i, the plot. Captain Tunney, Of the
bonb SQUAD. is authority for the state
men, that none Of the chiefs Of the
national association has been men
,ors5 by the men under arrest.
complete confessions from three OF
h, SIX men already trapped leave no
s,vbt. the police say that the dynamite
10, originated in the executive council
q Local Union 73l Of the striking car
men. -Four of the men now under ar
rest we're members OF this council.
The police say the plot 70 destroy the
Columbus Circle subway station was
vel laid The bomb was TO have been
exploded there early yesterday morn
hg.
The conspirators deny they intended
10 take human life. They calculated
20 drive subway riders 10 other routes
q transportation by reign Of terror
and for this reason the explosions were
timed for an early morning hour, when
the station platforms were practically
deserted.
Young Striker Laid Plot
The most picturesque figure IN the
entire plot is James J. Merna. strlK-
ing subway guard and the son OF a
striking motorman. In his mind origl-
mated the plan for the series OF out
RACES; II was his vivid eloquence that
persuaded the others 70 follow him.
he himself confessed He is but twen-
iy-four years old.
81 would meet death with a smile
he told the police. III knew that by
dying could further the cause Of H.
900 striking car men"
Michael ]. Herlihy. financial seere-
,sry Of Local No. 731. who confesses'
,he police say. that he helped place the
charge in the 10th Street station, is
only twenty-one. The other four men
rnder arrest are:
GEORGE POLLOCK. twenty-eight, OF
g East 18th Street, assistant financial
secretary Of Local No. 73l.
LAWRENCE KULLE. twenty-four. OF
lSl East ll6th Street, recording secre-
iary Of Local No. 78l.
BENJAMIN S. HAMILTON. thirty
four, Of 127 East Eighty-fourth Street
business agent Of Local No. 731.
THOMAS J. INQUIRE. thirty-eight,
chauffeur. Of Caldwell. y. J.
Story of Dynamite Plot
From the confessions of Merna, Her
hhy and Mcclure the police have woven
The following connected story Of the
cynamiting Of the 10th Street station.
herns. burning with anxiety for the
striking car men. conceived the idea OF
series Of terror demonstrations az
The subway stations. He communicated
his plan 70 Herlihy. The two, at a Sc
sret conference in strike Headquarters,
At 10 East l25th Street. sought the
aid Of Pollock. Kulle. Hamilton and
eikers.
kulle. at Herlihy's request. gave sbO
Of The unions funds TO Pollock. who in
'ern gave il TO Herlihy 20 finance the
nrst outrage. the police say. The
money was taken from the collection
boxes brought 20 strike headquarters
BY the car men who have been beRginG
niekels and dimes from behind hurdy-
Kardies. and false entries. IL is charged
we're made in the unions books TO cover
% the expenditure. Later. $40 more
was gained from the came source &c
uhAnee the other explosions that were
tlanned.
Car Men Buy Explosives
a., On Monday, October %. Merns. Her
my and a third striker whom the po
nee now seek-referred to at Head
eesrters only as "X"-went to Cald
vel, \. J. From there Merna called
seizure on the telephone and asked
am 70 aid the three in purchasing
s'namite. Mcclure agreed, "to oblig,
r>~si---.S sA nAxs 3. column