New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-02
EVIDENCE CONCLUSIVE,
SAYS WILLIAM J. BURNS
Detective Calls MCNamaraS
Confession a Great Victory
for the People. -
KNOWS OTHERS ARE GUILTY
Considers Himself Fully Exoner.
ated Of Charges Made by Labor
Leaders-Bribery Disclosures
Bring About Confession.
rBy Telegraph TO The Tribune. !

rBy Telegraph 20 The rrlbunel
! Chicago. Dec. l.-Detective William J.
! Burns tonight declared that tho confession
OF the Mcnamara brothers In Los Angeles
was caused by the recent disclosures of at
tempted bribery Of jurors and by the fact
mat the prosecution had woven about the
/ brothers an impenetrable net Of evidence
RE said that the confession Of guilt IN The
Times" and the Lleweliyn Iron Works
cases refuted the charges made against
him by labor leaders that he had been
guilty Of a great conspiracy against organ
lied labor He said the action was a big
victory for the people in that It showed
that no set Of men are above the law.
His statement folows.
THE disclosure that attempts had been
made 10 brlbe the states witnesses was
what preciptatcd the confessions on the
part Of tho Mcnamara brothers. The out
come is great victory for the people who
believe in fair play. II demonstrates clearly
that no men or set Of men are above the
/ law.
THE effect Of this will be farreaching
/ think that the outcome OF the Mcnamara
case will result i'm summary action by the
body OF organized labor, by which the radl-
cal element, the element which Is allied
with anarchists, will be suppressed. II will
result. ] believe. in ending such outgages
as the one at Los Angeles.
Sees Good Effect on Labor.
such men as John Mitchell viii control
the pollcies OF organized labor I'm the tut
ure. Nine -tenths OF the total membership
Of the abor body in this country was alb
solutely out OF sympathy with and opposed
TO the course Of action pursued by the Nc
Namara brothers.
hut the plea Of guilty entered By the
Mcnamara brothers to-day does not close
the case, in my opinion. II means merely
tina. the case IS ended only so far as The
McNamaras are concerned. There are
others involved and they may be arrested
al any time.
81 have absolute information that certain
radicals in the LABOR movement were ready
10 do anything TO save the Mcnamara
brothers This IL what Darrow was con-
cerned about when he said he feared fur-
ther bloodshed unless We oblteated the
incident from Los Angeles at once
IF tho reports that j. j. Mcnamara Is 10
get off with a light sentence are true, |
shall be greatly disappointed. He deserves
heavy punishment II any one over did
Ever since the arrest 81 the McNamarss
the witnesses for the state have been har-
asscd on every side. They have been chased
about the country In an effort to have tRem
Law OF In a number OF instances money
has been offered in an attempt IN spirit
witnesses away. But I'm each instance they
failed Finding that the state nan woven
an impenetrable net around them, the Ne
Namaras decided upon the step they took
, to-day IL was no surprise TO me
II feel that / have gained a great per-
sonal vindicaton By the AcNamaras con-
fessons. ! have been accused ny Presldeht
Gompers OF the American Federation OF
Labor and by every labor and sociahst
paper I'M the country OF trying TO pat ever
a great hoax They accused ma OF pant
Ing the dynamite which found az the va
rious places where the Mcnamara gang
| operated The confession to-day clears me
I'm the eyes of the people, l believe ana
| hope,
II have had no personal feeling In the
| matter from the start. / had no axe %
| grind, and there was not the least DIV OF
| bitterness in my work ~ hasten the dyhd-
| hitting upon the McNamaras. II was Az
| abstract case to me. simply was en-
ployed to arrest the guilty and OBTAIN the
evidence necessary for a prosecution fNe
| McNamaras realized they were ngh'ihs an
absolutely hopeless cause. The rae, vas
brought home to them when they iop"a 60
the efforts TO bride witnesses had ra'teu'
| Then they confessed.
81 was employed by Mayor AleXahuer d
! Los Angeles TO go cut and get the uN""
miters of the Times Building got V'e'"'
| And I got evidence enough to convince
fury. any fury in the world. OF their sui''
This evidence | turned over 10 Prose
cuting Attorney Fredercks. lie conducteo
his part of the case very ably, but WIN
! the overwhelming amount of evidence III
! his possession the outcome could have oeeh
/ nothing other than what IL is Laeor lea"-
! ers everywhere have been very bitter low
| ard me on account Of my work In this case
| Iut at no time was there any personal AMI
mostly on my part toward the men whom
| was irving to convict. II WAS merely
case Of a detective hunting criminals, ana
not william j. Burns bounding union lead
ers or seeking the overthrow Of union LABOR
| organizations.
"Within a few days I will so to the coast
70 continue my labors I'm the dynamiting
cases. There is more evidence TO obtain IN
connection with other men who nave YET "
/ be called for trial. These men have taken
a part in the dynamiting and are equaHy
culpable with the McNamaras.
! 1T is now up to the authorities 10 MAKE
the rest Of the guilty persons come lh'o
court and plead guilty. They ought 10 oe
forced 20 do so We have the evidence
against most ~ them, just as We had II oh
the McNamarss, and these others had oe''
/ ter come to the front.
II think one result OF the confession VIII
be the election OF Mayor Alexander OF Los
Angeles to succeed himself as opposed 10
the Socialist pro-labor candidate. Harri'
man"
Burns went to Cley Gland tonight 20 con-
! fer with some of mis- operatives before go
| inr. "a the nnrinn CON 81.