The Cotton Factory Times. — 1912-09-13 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

CONFESSIONS.  .••••Md•IN.  More detailed information concerning the chargesol planting" dynamite at Lawrenne, Mesa, U.S.A., is found in the American papers Dow to hug.  The allegation is that there wee a plot on the part • of large mill interests to place • dangerous ex• ploeive in the possession of operatives for the put, pomp of cresting • hostile public opinion adrainst the latter with • view to Ppeedily ending the textile workers strike at the beginning of theyear. and destroying the labour organisations with *lnch the operatives in the various branches of industry were identified.  The suicide of Ernest W. Pitman, the mill builder, is reported to have followed an interview with District Attorney Pelletier in Bosun, in which Mr. Pitman is alleged to have admitted knowledge of the plot. A subpona had been served on him ordering him to appear before the Suffolk county grand jury. Pitmen, it is alleged, (ordered to the part he played in the conspiracy. John J. Breen, an undertaker in Lawrence, member of the School Committee. son of the late ex-Mayor Breen, who was fined WO is the Superior Court at Lawrence upth his oonviction on May 14 for planting the dynamite in Lawn:nee during the stale, is said to have made • clean breast of the whole plot. Ris confession is said to have involved men "higher up," and he will probably figure as the principal witness for the state. 'in. investigation is one of the moat important held tor years. for the men mentioned are conephniOus in the textile world —influential and wealthy. One of these, se previously mutated, is President William M. Wood, of the American Woollen Company, who, alter his voluntary surrender and ac tentative of bail 14, 6,000 dollars, made the following etateineist:—•` Of course, I am greatly surprised by the action of the Grand Jury. I tennot conceive what information «mid have been presented to the jurors which in any way conneensi me with the 'th-calksil dynamite plot. I certainly had no connection with it, and this fact will be fully eseabeabed at the proper time to the satislacL4Oll of the public and even the District Attorney. Beyond this, I have nothing to say." 'The discovery of dynanute in a Syrian lodginghouse, a oobriew's amp, and the cemetery in Lawrence last January, shoe the textile strike was et it. height, caused a sensation. The strike leaders. denied that they had any intention of using. any explowee to turthcr their plans, and charged that the dyniutute had been " plented " for the purpose of discrediung the labour unions. Several Syrians arrested, charged with. Miring dynamite in their poseerion unlawfully, were diecharged 171 the potion court. Soon afterward Breen, the undertaker, was arrested. One of the sticks of expellers had been wrappoil in a ?lee. of paper that formed part of an undertaker 14 magazine bearing his same and address. No birther action was taken in the case wail the present proceedings were started tins week.  Tne•Amerioan Woollen Company, which bore the brunt of the great Lass-rams strike from Jenuar3 12 to March 14, cositrols 33 manufacturing plants in New England and New York State. President William M. Wood ut one of the best-known textile men in tha nountry. Dennis J. CoEine, a Cambridge dog fancier, wet mimed in one of the indictments, oliarged with having transported dynamite unlawfully and with having plead the explosive in a railroad passenger car for transportatien. Collins appeared before the .Graod Jury, and shortly after the indictments had been handed down be was Amsted. He was held in $1,500, and in default, of heal was taken to the tenuity jail. Opinion. differ as to whether the investigation* influenced &meet W. Pitmen, of Andover, • prominent oomractor, to conunit suicide. rAisaan erected two of the largest...mills in Lawrence, and WWI questioned recently by Mr. Pelletier regarding they knowledge he might have had of the duertbuton of dynamite in that city. He was to hare been • witness before the Grand Jury. Emphistio &mist is made by friends of Pitman, who lilOi Mansell through the mouth on the lawn of his home, Andover, that the suicide was the result of a !summons to appear before the Grand Jury, but it is admitted that Pitman's act did not oome SA a surprise.  An intimate friend of Pitman's declare* that the mends contractor was " worked " into the plot by thole he thought his friends. Ile said: "11 Pitman was in it at all, he was worked into A by others. If it had been nie, I would have shot the others before I shot myself." Pudnan's father, in an IMOCVIPit, supported this assertion. Ile said: My son shot himself sunply because be had to choose between death and the betrayal of Ma friends" It was stated that the •' friend." to whom Mr. Pltman referred were the men to whom Pitman feA he owed his wrens in business.  It waa Pitman. the sut-cid,o7n7ho. procurod the dynamite. Ile met the parties to the alleged eon• 'piracy in &nem Breen was asked if he conld use the dynamite if it oost'.d be obtained, and he is stud to have admitted he coukt When Piunan %a.", approached he W said to have replied that he thought be could get the dynamite aa he bought large mammies of stone in his building operations from a quarry in Saugus. He got the dyhamite, and delivered the exp/osive to Breen, who want to Lawrence with it. Litter ii will theiriblltOd 111111014 tea Syrians, who were among the striking operative...  lawrenon, which had helm in a turmoil over the strike, was roused by the discovery of dynamite in the possession of stinkers, who were sweated, but subsequently discharged in the lima' won. Their lilbOOP DM was establuiled.