The Bismarck tribune., 1922-06-19
NEUTRALITY Of
US. VIOLATED,
ISCHARGE MADE
Col. Marcellus Thompson, Head
Of Auto. Ordnance Company,
One of Indicted
RESULT OF SEIZURES
Investigation Followed Seizure
At Hoboken Last June of
459 Machine Guns
RESULT OF SEIZURES
fRv the Associated Press)

Trenton. N. j., June 19.-Colonel
Mariellus H. Thompson, wire presi-
dent and executive head Of the Auto
Ordnance Company Of New York, has
been indicted by the federal grand
jury here on charge Of conspiracy
to ship arms to Ireland in violation
of the neutrality laws. The announce
ment was made today by Assistant
United States District Attorney
Thomas V. Arrowsmith. .
Indictments also have been re-
turned against the Auto Ordnance
Company and seven other individuals
on the same charge, as the result Of
the seizure at Hoboken last June OF
the Cosmopolitan line freighter East
Side, in the coal bunkers Of which
were found 459 machine guns. The
guns were alleged to have been des-
tined for use by the Sinn Fein in Ire
land.
The other individuals indicted are:
Frank Williams, alias Lawrence D..
Lacy, alias Lawrence Pierce, who IS
alleged to have paid for the shipment
of guns, and his brother, Fred Will
liams, alias Edward Lacy, who is al
legged to have been implicated in the
purchase of the guns: Both are now
believed to be in Ireland.
George Gordon Rorke, a salesman
of Washington who is alleged to have
placed an order for the guns with
the Auto-O Ordnance company.
Frank ]. Merkling, secretary of the
AutO-O Ordnance company.
Frank B. Ochsen Of New York and
Washington, who is accused Of plac-
ing the first load order for some Of
the guns with the Auto Ordnance
TRUCK MAN HELD
John Culhane, truck man Of New
York, who is alleged to have carted
the guns from the American Railway
Express company in New York to his
storehouse in the Bronx for Frank
Williams.
A Mr.. Brophey, whose first name
is unknown to the federal authorities;
who is alleged to have carted the
shipment from Culhane's storehouse
to the East Side.
The guns were made by the Colt
Patent Arms company Of Hartford,
Conn.,, and are alleged to have been
sold by the Auto Ordnance company.
There was considerable mystery
about the guns after their seizure and
an investigation was started by the
United States shipping board and the
department Of justice.
Frank Williams claimed ownership
of the guns after seizure. He de-
clared he had purchased number of
guns through the Auto-Ordnancc
e company and, stored them in ware
house. He said they had been stolen
{ from the warehouse and asserted he
did not know how they got in tn
ship, hos Id
RELEASED ON BAIL
pr, Rorke later was arrested and re-
: leased on $4,000 bail. He is said to
have admitted that he sold thesg t.
Ia group of strange men.
The indictments were returned by
the rJanuary federal grand jury
which concluded its work in April
q Information concerning the indict
ments was, withheld, it was indicated
because Of the inability to reach sons
of those indicted.
The technical Indictment against
the men as a body charges them witt
Conspiracy to set on foot and provid'
the means for military enterprise :
be carried on against the territory o
foreign power, with whom tn,
United States is at peace" q.