The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-08
LAWYER HAS AFFIDAVIT
OF WITNESS CONFESSIN
TESTIMONY WAS FALSE
Facts in Famous Bomb
Case Of 1916 Wired to-
Special Grand Jury.

NSW AOAh HSU. v. = AouAs -
Walsh as counsel for Thomas J.
Mooney, convicted of murder in
San Francisco in connection with
the Preparedness Day parade bomb
explosion in 1916. early today tels-
graphed San Francisco authorities
apprising them Of an alleged con-
fession by one Of the witnesses In
the case, that he had given perjuf-
ed testimony at the trial. A special
grand jury now is investigating an
alleged conspiracy to convict
Mooney.
The witness named by Mr.. Walsh
was John Mcdonald, now a resi-
dent Of Trenton, N. ]. According
to Mr.. Walsh, Mcdonald declared
in an affidavit covering thirteen
typewriter pages, that the case
against Mooney was . "frame-up1
Lock for Wlt1anL
Trenton. N. j., Feb 2-John Nc
Donald. an employe OF . hotel here.
who is alleged to have confessed
that he testified falsely at the trial
Of Thomas ]. Mooney in San Fran
cisco. could not be located today.
Mcdonald, whose home is believed
to be in Baltimore, has been en-
plOyed here for several months.
San Francisco, Feb. 8.-(United
Press.)--Warren X. Billings also 10
serving a life term for implication
in the explosion. McDonald's state
ment says that his Identification q
Billings also was false.
| Mcdonald in his afIidavit, accord
Ing to Walsh, said that he saw .
man with suitcase near the scene
Of the explosion Just before the
bomb vas set on. He mentioAed
this later and he was then taken
before Fickerf for questioning or
ficials took him to Moneys cell
and said there is the man you saw
with the case" Mcdonald said he
was repeatedly told that Mooney
was the man and that he must 20
testify at the trial. Billings also
was pointed out to him as the man
he must identify as having been
with Mooney near the scene.
Mcdonald told Walsh, 1t was said,
that he was promised a chart in the
$500 reward offered for the dy-
namiters, in exchange for his testi-
mopy. After the trial he said he
tried to collect but has never been
able to get the money. He alleged
that the case against Mooney was
a "frame-up" and that many of the
witnesses were instructed as to
what they should say on the stand.
Leaves Tomorrow.
New York. Feb. S-(United Press)
John Macdonald plans to leave
tomorrow for San Francisco to tell
the grand jury that he perjured
himself in giving testimony that
was largely responsible for convic.
! tion Of Tom Mooney as the pre-
tparedness day parade dynamite..
| After voluntarily making con-
fession in the form Of an affidavit to
Frank P. Walsh. labor attorney.
Macdonald returned to Trenton. N.
j., where he is employed as a wait
er. to make preparations for the
trip.
There should be little doubt that
MacDonald's confession will COM
pletely crush the case against
Mooney and the latter will soon be
a free man." Walsh said to the
United Press today. "As soon az
Mac Donald's affidavit is presented
to the grand jury Governor steph-
} ems should feel free to pardon
Mooney. Macdonald will leave for
San Francisco tomorrow il he is
able to get ready in time OF course
we will see that he is closely guard.
ed-just to zee that he gets there
all right.
II expect to be tied up for several
days with the -ilway hearing Ia
Chicago. But as soon as / can gel
away am willing to 60 to SaI
Francisco to do what l eau in thu
Mooney case. pr viding l am need.
ed. Freedom for Mooney will b,
one of the greatest victories for Ia.
Dor in the history OF the country. Il
should have powerful effect OF
the status Of all political prisoners