New-York tribune., 1920-07-21
Ella, Alleged
Bomb Plotter. .
To ToBeDeported
Evidence Is Insufficient to
Warrant Prosecution for
Criminal A II arc h y in
Kings, Officials Assert
Observation-Disclosures
Was Indicted for Carrying
Concealed Weapons; us.
Agents Issue Statement

Roberto Elia,~ member of the anar-
chist group said to be responsible for
the nationwide bomb plot of June,
1919, is to be deported. This was de-
cided upon yesterday at conference
in Brooklyn held in the office of Dis
trict Attorney Harry E. Lewis. Among
those attending was Deputy Attorney
General Samuel A. Berger.
Much comment has been caused
among those conversant with radical
activities by ithe decision to permit
Ella to leave this country, practically
free man. Besides being implicated
in the bomb plot, he was indicted some
time ago by a Brooklyn grand jury for
carrying concealed weapons, but was
let off with suspended sentence.
FolIowlng the attempt upon the life
of A. Mitchell Palmer in Washington,
Judge Charles Mott in this city and
other citizens in Paterson, Cleveland,
Boston and Pittsburgh, Ella was ar
rested, charged with printing the
plain Words" circulars that accompa-
MED the bombs. With him was arrest
ed Alfredo Salsedo, another anarchist.
Salsedo, it will be remembered,
leaped to his death from the Park Row
Building some months ago while held a
prisoner there by the Department of
Justice.
At that time Chief Flynn of the De-
partmcnt of Justice said:
"The death of this man will not
hinder the prosecution of the others.
him."
Statement on Decision
Following yesterdays conference, at
which it was decided to permit Ellie to
go home unpunished, Mr.. Berger could
not be found. At his Office the follow
ing statement had been prepared and
was handed out to reporters:
AT a conference held this morning
in the Office of Judge Lewis, District
Attorney of Kings County, at which
were present. in addition to Judge
Lewis, Mr.. Ruston of his staff and
Deputy Attorney Generals Frederick
r. Rich and Samuel A. Berger, the
available facts and circumstances in
the case of Roberto Ella were again
thoroughly discussed.
GAS a result of such conference, the
conclusion was arrived at by all Of
those participating therein that Judge
Lewis's disposition of the case in the
llrst instance was proper, namely, that
there was not sufficient legal evidence
to warrant the prosecution of Ella
under charge of criminal anarchy
in the County Of Kings.
"The closest cooperation has at all
times existed between the Office of the
Attorney General and the office of the
District Attorney of Kings County, as
is evidenced by the fact that during
the last few months there were six in
dictments for criminal anarchy sue
cessfully prosecuted by the District
Attorney Of Kings County on informa-
tion furnished to him by the Attorney
Generals office.
"Those six cases resulted in con-
viction in each, and the defend
ants are now serving sentences in the
penitentiary"
Two Killed in Explosions
Two men were killed by the bomb
plot of thirteen months ago--a watch
man in this city and the anarchist who
tried to blow up the home of the At
torney General in Washington. A large
amount of property was damaged.
Gotfredo Canzani and his son and
daughter deposed when Ella was ar
rested that he had printed the "Plain
Words" circulars and in addition had
published in his two anarchist papers
articles advocating the overthrow of
organized government by violence.