The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-06-20
8 Named in
NJ. in Irish
Gun Plot.
'ederal Grand Jury Charges
Auto Ordnance Head Of
Planning Shipment to
Sim Fein.
'Son-in-Law Of Harvey

Trenton, ~ J., June l9.-Col, Mar
ccllus II. Thompson. vice president
snd active head OF the Auto-Ord-
nance company OF New York. has
been indicted by the federal grand
luy here or a charge of a conspir-
acy to ship arms to ireland in viola
tiou CT the neutrality laws. The an
nouncement was made today by AS
sistant United States District Attor-
ney Thomas V. Arrowsmith.
Indictments also have been re-
turned against the Auto-Ordnancc
company and seven other indv;d-
usls on the same charge. as the re-
suit OF the seizure at Hoboken last
June OF the Cosmopolitan line
ireighter, East Side, in the coal bunk
crs OF which were found 459 machine
guns. The guns were alleged to have
been destined for use by the Sim
Fein in Ireland.
Others Indicted.
The other individuals indicted are:
Frank Williams, alias Lawrence dc
Lacy, alias Lawrence Pierce. who is
alleged to have paid for the shipment
Of anns, and his brother, Fred VII
iiams, alias Edward de Lacy, who is
alleged to have been implicated N
the pu; chase OF the guns. Both are
believed now 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 Ordnance company.
Frank ]. Merkling. secretary of the
Auto Ordnance company.
Frank B. Ochsenriter of New York
and Washington, who is accused of
placing the first order for some of
the guns with the Auto Ordnance
company.
John Culhane. truckman 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.. Brophy, whose first name is
unknown to the federal authorities.
who is alleged to have carted the
shipment from Cuhane's storehouse
to the East Side.
Manufactured in Hartford.
The guns were manufactured by
the Colt Patent Army company OF
Hartford, Conn, and are alleged to
have been sold by the Auto-Ord-
nance company.
Their inventor is said to be Gen.
John T. Thompson. father OF Col.
Thompson. The latter is a son-in-
law of Col. George Harvey, Ameri-
can ambassador to Great Britain.
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 Will
liams claimed ownership of the guns
after seizure. He declared he had
purchased a number of guns through
the Auto Ordnance company and
stored them in a warehouse. He said
they had been stolen from the ware
house and asserted ne did not know
how they got on the ship.
Admits Sale.
Rorke later was arrested and was
said to have admitted that he sold
the guns to a group of strange men.
The indictments were returned by
the January federal grand jury,
which concluded its work in April.
Information concerning the indict-
ments was withheld. it was indicat-
cd. because of the inability to reach
come OF those indicted.
The technical indictment against
the men as body charged them
with Conspiracy to set on foot and
provide the means for military en-
tcrprise to be carried on against the
territory of a foreign prince with
whom the United States was at
peace"