New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-13
HIRAM J0HNSON'S
DEATH PLOTTED
Alex. Berkman and Seven
Others Accused in Cali
fornia Murder Trial

San Francisco. Jan. 12- Alexander
Berkman. editor of "The Blast" an
Anarchist publication. and seven others
prominent in labor circles here to-day
were charged with having directed
conspiracy to assassinsts Senstorelect
Hiram W. Johnson, "blow up the state
and to overthrow the government.
Those alleged to be associated with
Berkman include Miss NJ. f. Fitzgerald,
his secretary; Robert Minor. treasurer
of the International Workers Defence
League; Thomas J. Mooney, labor or
ganizer, and four others who are now
on trial with Mooney for alleged MUIR
der in connection with the bomb ex-
plosion that killed participants in She
preparedness parade here last July.
The charges were made by Assistant
District Attorney Edward A. Cunha
during the Mooney trial. He declared
that proof of his charges was contained
in letters and papers seized in a recent
raid on the Offices OF "The Blast"
Cunha said that at the proper time
Berkmsn, Miss Fitzgerald and Minor
would be arrested and charged with
murder ia connection with the bomb
explosion ana as the leaders OF the
alleged conspiracy.
At the Mooney trial District Attorney
Charles Vi. Fickert charged that Mooney
wrote an article in an Industrial Work
ers Of the World publication in Cleve-
land, Ohio, in October. 1914, in which
Mooney declared that unless Governor
Johnson pardoned two men convicted
as the result of the killing OF District
Attorney Of Sutter County, Cal, IN
1914. "he would only have himself TO
blame il he got hurt"
MONEYS trial had been interrupted
and Judge Griffin was sitting as a mag
istrate on the question Of permitting
the defence to see'the Berkman letters
when Cunha made his charges. Last
week ". Bourke Cochran, of New York.
chief counsel for Mooney, succeeded
in having the court impound the let.
ters after several had been published
in newspapers. Miss Eleanor. Fltz-
gerald. as the editor of Berkmans
paper, "The Blast was testifying how
the District Attorneys agents injured
her when they raided "The Blast two
weeks ago and took the correspondence.
Governor johnson, when informed
Of Assistant District Attorney Cunhas
revelations Of an alleged plot to as
sassnate him, said:
"Threats Of that kind have been 80
many and so varied since I've been
Governor that I've learned wholly to
disregard them"
The San Francisco police involved
Mrs. ]. Sergeant Cram, wealthy society
woman. friend of the labor unions. ana
wife of the former Public Service Com
missioner Of this city, IN the Mooney
case early this month, when they ac-
cu,ed her of giving Alexander Berk.
man money toward the defence OF
Mooney.
Mrs. Cram promptly admitted having
given $3.50 TO Berkmsn, but denied that
This was for the defence OF Mooney
That she had been instrumental IN get
ting ". Bourke Cochran 10 go 70 San
Francisco for Moneys defence she
also admitted. but she added that he
had been convinced Of Moneys inno-
cence and had gone without Zee.
The accusation of the police OF san
Francisco was based on two letters
which they said they found IN tne
Offices of "The Blast one OF Wnlch
they asserted was addressed to Mrs'
Cram from Berkmsn.
Mrs. Cram has been active in labor
circles Of this city and elsewhere for
several years. and belongs to severai
Unions. She could not be reached last
night.