Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
MOONEY WITNESS
BLAMES OFFICIALS
Macdonald Declares False
Testimony in San Francisco
Bombing Forced.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, July 12-Refused his
liberty, though no charges are pending
against him, John Macdonald, worn
and broken at So, today hurled charges
that police of San Francisco were 10
blame for his testimony which IA years
ago sent Tom Mooney to prison in Cali
fornia for life.
Mooney and Billings, labor leaders,
were convicted of the Preparedness day
bombing in San Francisco in 1916,
which claimed eight lives, on MacDon-
AIDS testimony that he had seen the
two plant suit case containing the in
fernal machine. This testimony, Mac
Donald said after his arrest last night
through Identification by a newspaper
photograph, was planned by officials,
and he was coached In it by the State
prosecutor.
Charges Brides Offered.
Along with the story of official inter-
ference in his, 1917 testimony, MacDon-
aid coupled charge that he had been
offered brides by the police and forced
to identify Mooney, who, he declared, he
never had seen before he was taken to
the San Francisco Jail and told by po-
lice the labor leader was his man."
Now, broken and aged by the knowl-
edge of what he has done. the State S
key witness appeared in Circuit Court,
where his attorney sought his freedom
on a writ of habeas corpus. Judge Wal
ter /. DawkinS refused to grant the ac-
ton sought, and ordered States Attor-
ney Herbert O'Connor to hold him until
advices of what California wanted done
were receivede
Telegram Sent Governor.
OConnor Immediately wired Gov. C.
G.. Young of the Pacific Coast State the
entire proceedings, and embraced in his
message the suggestion that criminal
action copld be brought against police
and other officials who Macdonald
| claims are responsible for the wrong
he now seeks to right. But whatever
action is taken by Gov. Young and
O'Connor, Macdonald is going to return
to California to lay his story before the
executive. He says he wants at last to
| officially recant the story which the
foreman of the Mooney jury said result
| ed in the conviction.
Will Ask Reopening.
Frank P. Walsh, attorney, who for
years has sought Moneys pardon, ar
irving here today was present in court
and declared that he would Immediately
ask the Supreme Court of California
to reopen the case on the grounds Of
newly discovered evidence. Walsh was
accompanied by Edward M. Nochels,
secretary OF the Chicago Federation of
Labor.
Macdonald in 1921 made an AFFIDAVIT
IN which he denied the truth of his
testimony in the Mooney case, after he
had confessed to a priest. who urged
him to attempt to set the matter right,
he said today.
For the last seven years he has been
living IN Baltimore, an operator of a
switchboard in large apartment house.
Yesterday afternoon John C. Taeuber,
with whose family Macdonald had
lived for 10 months until a few weeks
ago, recognized newspaper picture of
a man sought in the Mooney case after
Gov. Young had denied the most recent
pardon appeal. Macdonald was ar
rested later at restaurant on Taeu-
berS story.
Now, white haired and with a pale,
wrinkled face, from which peer blood
shot eyes, he awaits his chance to re-
tell his story. Doubled up with rheu-
matism, he hobbled about the police
station, smoking one cigarette after an
other, waiting for word from California.
GOVERNOR WIRES MARYLAND.