The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-12-15
PLEA OF GUILTY IN THE LOS AN
GELES DYNAMITE CASE
idaho Statesman)

the sudden termination Of the trial O
the Mcnamara brothers for murde
In connection with the Los Angeles
Times dynamite outrage. Whatevel
the trend of opinion as to the gull
or innocence of the accused men
there were such powerful influence
behind the defense that no one ex
pected there would be plea Of
guilty entered. It was unexpected
too, in view of the tedious and pro
longed and persistent maneuvers in
empaneling the jury. 1t is not ex
plainab,e as yet excepting upon the
ory, but by adopting process of elm
ination the conclusion is reached tina,
something quite extraordinary &C.
Cured to bring about the admission
of guilt. There was no evidence OF
a breakdown on the part of the de.
PENDANTS, and the states case had ev-
identity not'been strengthened by d.
rect evidence in addition to what had
become public property.
There has been only one develop
ment that can at the present time
form the basis for anything like a
satisfactory explanation, and that is
that the revelations of the "dicta-
phone" said to have been attached
in Jail, stampeded the defense The
story that, it is said, went over these
wires gave the prosecution informa.
ton that not only damned the Nc
Namaras, but that might have i'm
periled Others inf, uential in the de-
Tense. Before such disclosures the
outcome of the trial was accurately
foreseen. The McNamaras would
have been found guilty. The possible
ENHANCEMENT of others likely exerted
a mighty influence upon their decis-
ion to Plead guilty. 1t will be re-
called that the "dictaphone' story
only came out Thursday. The mex
day the pleas of guilty were entered.
The McNamaras could No longer
maintain their bluff of innocence.
Their attorneys were powerless to aid
them further. Whether or not, in
view of these late disclosures, any
others wou have been directly i'm
plicated is as yet a matter of public
conjecture. The facts may never be
known. 1t is not unreasonable To
conclude, however, that any other
parties who may be either directly
or indirectly guilty OF crime that
took the lives of 20 employees or
man engaged in a controversy with
certain union agencies, breathed cas-
Ter when the plea of guilty was en-
tered. The public will form it's own
opinions as to any other invo. We
ments.
The developments in this case find
parallel along certain lines for
those in the Haywood Moyer-Petti-
bone case tried in Boise. In gener-
al way the same instrumentalities
were behind the defense in both in
stances and it's counsel employed
much the same methods. This is
italicized in the public mind in con-
nection with the position of Ortie
McManigle, the confessor in the Los
Angeles dynamite outrage, and in the
position of Steve Adams in the Steun-
enberg assassination in, Idaho. Ad-
ans, it will be remembered. had
made a full confession. 1t was if
stronger than the confess
sion of Harry Orchard and it was cor
roborated by the confession of Ad-
ans wife. Mr.. barrow, leading
counsel fer the defense in the Idaho
case, shrewdly worked upon, Adams
through his wife, and through a local
attorney then brought his uncle into
the game. Adams finally repudiated
his confession. Almost step by step
the same proceeding was followed in
the Los Angeles case. Mrs. McMani-
e was brought on and an effort was
made through her to cause her hus-
band to go back on his confession. |
Then his uncle was brought in. 1t
was the same program over again
but in Los Angeles the prosecution
rs claimed, had the "dictaphone,
and it conveyed the conversations of ,
Mrs. McManigle, of the uncle and no
1oubt of many others. The facts
.hus disclosed being brought home to ,
he defense, before McManigle had
opportunity on the stand to .repudL .
lte his statement, If he had intended
o do SO in response to the pleas of
Ices this Scono tayocnoro%oo, <nn