Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03
KNOWN SINCE JULY
Offer of Confession by Jim Nc
Namara No Surprise.
EARLY PLEAS TURNED DOWN
Prosecutor Fredericks Demanded In
clusion of John J. McNamara.

LOS ANGELES, Cal, December 2.-Dis-
trict Attorney Fredericks gave today a
full account Of the negotiations leading
up to the pleas Of guilty entered yesterday
In the Mcnamara murder trial.
He declared that in making the agree
ment whereby James B. MCNAMARA
pleaded guilty to murder and John ]. Nc
Namara pleaded guilty to dynamiting the
Llewellyn iron works. counsel for the de-
Tense came to his terms and that outside
Influences did not prevail upon him.
Men of standing in the community,
he said, had been up against him. with
pleas that in the interests Of peace and
society James B. Mcnamara be allowed
to plead guilty and that the case against
his brother. John j., be dropped. These
pleas, he said, he steadfastly rejected.
II told them I was not running So
ciety," he said. "Some of the men. after
talking it over. expressed their willing
ness to let me handle the matter in my
own way"
Offer Made in July.
Fredericks declared that since July he
had had an offer from the defense to let
James B. Mcnamara plead guilty to
save John ]. Mcnamara.
"A month ago barrow and I were
talking in court half seriously about
it. The court stopped proceedings. so
we quit" he said. That afternoon
barrow came to me and made virtual
ly the same offer. and l refused to ac-
let me know" barrow said as he left.
~ never will I replied. Then OAR
row and Lincoln Steffens got together.
and Steffens went downtown to get
men to come to me to urge me to agree
to Darrow's proposal The matter was
it, and they did not urge me. Two
days later some Of them gave me a
typewriter statement. and it was
practically the same thing"
1t was at this juncture District At
torney Fredericks says he told them
he was not running society"
II said I knew l had the goods" he
continued, land did not propose to lie
down. 1 asked two or three others.
also of the same crowd, IL they
told me they thought the case was
perfectly safe in my hands. Mean
while, 1 had talks with barrow and
Davis, and stood pat that both men
must plead guilty.
Not Matter of Punishment.
THE matter Of punishment did not in.
lereSt NE, out j knew. ana counsel 1Ol
the defense knew, that IL j. J. Nc.
Namara wanted to save the life of his
brother he could help by coming through
Wednesday night the. citizens had an.
other meeting. knew all along that the
proposals were Darrow's. and knew tina,
l had the goods. Thursday one OF them
called me up and said some of them might
come to see me.
III you have any influence with them
| tell them to run along and tend to their
own business, / said. and they did not
come. barrow and Davis came again
and they said they could not get the join,
| confession. l told them in that case I'd
| go ahead with the trial. and that I'd
rather proceed with 1t. anyhow.
| : Finally, they said they would take ms
terms and both men pleaded guilty. That
| Is the history of the negotiations"
Attorney Davis. who was in the CORR.
dor of the district attorneys oflce de.
clined ito comment on Frederick state
| ment
| Franklin Bribery Charge.
| AS to Bert H. Franklin, the defense's
investigator. arrested on a charge Of
bribery. Fredericks said that the termi.
nation OF this case might make a read,
justment in counsel. and safe he thought
perhaps. former Gov. Harry r. Gage. Al
counsel for the defense. might drop ou'
and be replaced by Davis
1 If they ask q continuance Monda,
! they shall have It," he said. He had