Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-09-21
LABOR LEADERS
AID DEFENSE Of
SEYFRED-bRUNO
W. S. Patterson Helps Cor
raj Witnesses in Hope Of
Freeing TWO Accused
Men From Charges.

Although denying any interest,
except that of removing a possible
stigma from labor, in the fedora
court hearing Of Andrew Bruno
taxi driver and former boilermak
er at the Santa F'e shops, and w
Z. Seyfred, president of the New
Mexico State Federation Of Labor
one or two local shop craft leaders
We're busy yesterday assisting in
Corraling witnesses who might
prove beneficial to the two men
who will appear in the federal
court at Santa Fe today on charges
OF transporting explosives on a
passenger train
on the evening Of August 81,
Bruno and Scyfred were arrested
by the federal, county and Santa
Fc railway officials at Hahn sta
ton four miles north Of Albuqucr-
que At tho time of the arrest
which took place on a passenger
train, officials also seized a suit
case, said to have been carried by
the two men and to have contained
three bombs.
Officials AT that time declared it
to he their belief that the arrests
had frustrated a plot to blow up
sections Of the Santa Fc railway
possibly Ration tunnel. EXamina-
ton of the room occupied by Sey-
fred in Albuquerque is said to have
revealed a bomb manufacturing
plant, several partly formed bombs
reported being found there.
Deny Connection With Labor.
Labor leaders in Albuquerque
were emphatic in their denial of the
alleged crime being in any way
connected with organized labor
and informal statements were
made to representatives of the
press by such labor leaders as Ed
Swope and W. S. Patterson to the
effect that organized labor would
not contenance such actions and
would assist in every manner in
bringing men to justice who COM
mitted such acts.
Expressing formal sentiments
along tho same line, T. Neil
vain. chairman Federated shop
Crafts. in n signed statement APP
pearing in local newspaper, stat
ed relative to the alleged plot and
the arrest of Bruno and Seyfred.
To Assist Prosecution.
"Tf the facts are as reported, we
verv much nbhor the fact that an
incident of this kind has occurred,
and we arc ready and willing to
assist in prosecuting those who
may be guilty"
The Albuquerque Morning Jour
nal published the first story OF the
alleged bomb plot and the arrest
Of the two men, getting the infor-
nation from the officials who
made the arrest.
The trial is to be held today.
Now Assisting Defendants.
Yesterday, County Treasurer Ed
swope, one of the acknowledged
abor leaders in the city, advised
he Journal reporter who wrote the
story that he was to be subpoened
)y the defense to act as a witness
n the trial. Mr.. Swope did not
state where he got the inside in
-OfnHllOn.
A few minutes later w S. Pat
erson, secretary treasurer of the In
ernational Association of Machin-
sts with headquarters at Albuquer-
lue, called at the Journal office
lsking what the reporters initials
we're and stating that he was to
De subpocned by the defense as
witness in the case. He also
isked a number of questions tend
ng to bring out what was known
W the reporter regarding the case.
What is your interest in the
.ase?" he was asked.
81 have no interest in the case
,eyond freeing labor of the stigma
which the conviction of the two
nen would cast upon it he re-
,lied and admitted that he had had
conference with the defendant
.ttorney and had come to the
Journal office to learn the initials
II the possible witness.
Questioned as to why. II the al
eyed action of the two mon az
ested on the charge, had no con-
ection with labor troubles, labor
Continued on Page Two.