Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-24
PUNISHMENT FIXED At
LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Verdict Reached on Eighth
Ballot after Four Hours
Deliberation ID e f e n sc
Will Make an Effort to
Secure New Trial for the
Convicted Man.

San Francisco, Sept. 23.-Warren X.
Billings was convicted of murder in the
first degree today for planting a bomb
at Steuart and Market streets on July
%, in the midst of vast crowd gath
cred to watch the preparedness parade.
The specific charge against Billings
was the murder of Mrs. Irene Van
Loo, one of 10 persons killed by the ex-
plosion of the bomb. Besides the 10
killed As were injured.
The jury stipulated life imprison-
ment for Billings. Superior Judge
Dunno will sentence him Tuesday.
Thomas j. Mooney, Mrs. Rena Moon
ey, Israel Weinberg and Edward d. Mo-
Ian are also under indictment as a re-
suit of the bomb plot. They will be
placed on trial Immediately, District
Attorney FiclSert stated this afternoon.
The preparedness parade bomb ex
plosion was one of the most tragic in
cidents in San Francisco police history
At the height of the parade. while Mar
ket street was lined with thousands of
people watching the procession, ter
rifle explosion scattered death in the
crowd in front of the Ferry Inn at
Steuart and Market streets. -Four were
killed outright. Six died later.
Never before did crime arouse such
intense and widespread Indignation in
San Francisco. Mass meetings were
held. The police were denounced in
bitter terms for allowing the plot to be
hatched in their midst. Bomb squads"
of detectives were organized and put
to work to ferret out the criminals.
TRIAL WAS SHORT.
Two weeks after the tragedy five
suspects including one woman. had
been arrested. They were quickly in
dicted, and the trial of Billings, who
was alleged to have planted the bomb.
started last week. The police theory
was that the bomb was contained in a
suit case which was left standing be-
side the saloon building. Half doz-
en- witnesses were produced who saw
the suit case there q few minutes be-
fore the explosion. The states star
witness, John Mcdonald. testified that
he saw Billings deposit the suit case
beside the building.
Other witnesses said they saw Bill
ings near Steuart and Market streets
before and after the explosion.
The defense, conducted by Attorney
Maxwell McNutt. attempted a COM
plete alibi. During tn whole parade,
Billings declared he was nearly a. mile
farther up Market street. A sensation
was sprung by the defense when AL De
| Cassia, a clerk, was called to the wit
ness stand as Billings double. De
Cassia testified that 1t was he, not
Billings, who was seen on the roof Of
building at Steuart and Market
streets on the afternoon OF July 22.
| The defense contended that the bomb
was n cylindrical affair, and was hurl-
ed from a nearby roof. They produced
one witness who declared he saw a
cylindrical object tossed to the side
walk an instant before the explosion.
ON EIGHTH BALLOT.
| The jury retired at 1880 this morn
! ing and returned with the verdict at
2:5O p. m. The verdict was reached on
the eighth ballot, which proposed life
| Imprisonment as Billings punishment.
! The conviction was a complete sur
prise and stunned the crowded court
room into silence. Most of those in
| the court room were radical and
Billings sympathizers. They crowded
around him. patting him on the back
and shaking his hands.
MY God, if they thought me guilty,
| why didn't they hang me?" gasped Bill
ings.
! Robert Minor. cartoonist, who has
assisted in the defense. patted the pris-
oner on the back and said:
Cheer up. boy; we've just begun the
fight"
| One woman became hysterical, threw
her arms around Billings and kissed
him.
| Attorney McNutt Immediately an
nounced that he will move for new
trial. He characterized the case
against Billings as a frame up" and
asserted that he had evidence in his
possession to prove that much Of the
states evidence was from fixed" wit
lnesses.