Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1911-12-13
tFrom Wednesday = Daily

It
Attorney Paul Burks. head of the
Santa Fc railway law department IN
Arizona. has Just returned from Los
Angeles where he spent Thanksgiving
with relatives.
Mr.. Burks practiced law in Los
Angeles before coming to Arizona
and is intimately acquainted with the
attorneys engaged in the famous Nc
Namara brothers cases, and was in
Judge Bordwell's court last Friday |
when J. u. Mcnamara pleaded guilty |
20 murder committed by dynamiting |
the Times building and his brothe-,
J. J. Mcnamara, pleaded guilty to
dynamiting the Llewellyn Iron works
last Christmas day. When interview
ed by Journal. Miner preventative,
Mr. Burks said
"'Fcw things have caused the eS'
citcment which followed the corf's-
sions of guilt made 10y the Mcnamara
brothers last Friday on the eve Of
what is undoubtedly one of the most
important municipal elections over
held in the city Of Los Angeles.
"Thcre is no doubt that the de.
trict attorney q. Los Angeles county
and his efficient detective force,
without the aid Of which william J.
Burns would never have apprehended
the guilty parties, had in their nos
session ample evidence clearly 10 es.
tablsh the rHilt of the accused men.
and the Development Of indisputable
evidence OF attempts on the part Of
those connected with the defense to
bride prospective jurors undoubtedly
hastcned the entry of the pleas Of
guilty which show conclusivcly that
the rank aud file Of organized labor
have been grossly deceived and i'm.
posed upon by interruptions officials
and attorneys whom they had placed
in responsible positions Of trgst.
"Too much credit cannot be ne.
corded 20 District Attorney John u.
Frcdcrieks and his able lieaienants
who have by the mastcrful way in
which this case has been handled
rendered signal service not only Ia
the state of California but also to
honest organized labor throughout the
country, by showing conclusiyely that
there are so-called labor leaders who
regard murder and the destruction OF
property a. perfectly Legitimate
means Of asserting the demands OF
those whom they misreprcscnt and
by establishing the further fact that
those for whom such men as the Me
Namaras ARE supposed to he acting
are sometimes deceived and imposed
upon in an outrageous manner and
then coerced into contributing TO
wards unwarranted and unmerittec
defense funds.
"Iiad the ease which was ON tria
continued, J. J. Mcnamara could no
have been found guilty of any great
or offense than man-slaughter for hi
completely In the destruction Of thu
Times building, as he was withou
the state when the murder was com
mitted, and by allowing him to plea'
guilty TO the charge Of eonspiring q
dynamite the Llewellyn Iron works
II is rendered possible for the cour
60 impose upon him greater sen
tence, while mt the same time II |
made perfectly apparent that he wa
the man who directed both jobs.
"During all the negotiations whic
proceeded the agreement final
reached last Friday not only J.
Mcnamara but barrow, his chic
counsel was perfectly viking this
j. II. Mcnamara, the poor dupe Of
brother, should plead guilty and han
ms he had expressed n willingness
do II only "the big one" J. j. NJ
Namara, could escape punishment
hut with fine regard for duty hi
triet Attorney Fredericks refused
consent TO any agreement which wou
leave room for doubt in the mind
anyone as TO where the respoGsibih'
for both jobs really belonged, Al
by his firm stand he has sccomplis
Cd results far more helpful TO Il
community and TO organized lab
generally than could possibly ha'
resulted from any other course
"To my mind Joe Scott, who
well known in Arizona, is the biggci
best, most able and farsightod mi
connected with the defense, and ! !
gard the connection Of this thorough
,uI all. l..x.. ,.hn