by may 1917 the editorial office of "the blast" had been moved from the uncomfortably tense san francisco to new york city, where it was located in the same building as the editorial office of "mother earth." shortly thereafter california authorities, despite having "absolutely no real evidence to go on" from their december raid, nevertheless obtained a grand jury indictment of berkman on a charge of murder in association with the preparedness day bombing. by the time of the california indictment berkman had already been arrested and detained in new york city along with emma goldman on charges of conspiracy to undermine wartime conscription, however, and the west coast case against him came to naught.