Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-12-03
Clarence S, Darow in Public
Statement Says Welfare Of
Accused Men Was Motive
That Prompted Pleas,
COMPROMISE OFFERED
THEM ONLY CHANCE
Believing the Plan Suggested
Would Save Clients From
Extreme Penalty, as Counsel
He Urged Its Acceptance,
By Morning Journal Special Leased Wire


Los Angeles, Dec. 2.-All known
angles in the unexpected termination
Of the Mcnamara murder case We're
summed up tonight by Clarence 5.
barrow. chief of counsel for the de-
tense in q statement dictated to the
Associated Press. Mr.. Darrow's
statement is as follows;
mo motive of any sort entered into
the disposition of the Mcnamara case
except the welfare of the men accus-
ed of murder.
believing. as did, that the action
taken would save the lives of the ac-
cused men. ! had no more right TO
u refuse it than doctor would have TO
forebear an operation upon patient
to save his life.
"A co1tnittee of Los Angeles peo-
pie, beginning work November 20,
made il possible to accomplish the
result. Their suggestions were brought
to me first by Mr. Steffens on that
day and every day thereafter as mat
: ters proceeded until the final deter
mination.
How much their efforts had to
do with the states attorney | cannot
tell, but IL was at their intercession
torneys for the defense. | expected
the final action every day after this
movement was commenced andit, was
taken the first minute that an under
Standing was reached because OF the
imminent danger we were in for two
weeks of having the matter become
public property and thus making the
end difficult TO achieve"
Requests for an authoritative state
ment on the situation rather rnan in
terviews, crowded Attorney Darrow's
desk throughout the day and the fore
going statement he said was dictated
to answer all Of them.
The statement in itself appeared
to Indicate the completely of condi-
tons. The local political situation in
which JOB Hartman of counsel for
the defense, is running for mayor on
the socialist ticket. with the election
only three days off, was taken into
consideration, though Harriman's
own position was that the trial was
not a local question and should make
no difference.
The recent arrest of Bert II. Frank
lin an investigator employed by the
defense on a charge of bribery, was
suggested as having possible bear
ing and this was repudiated by the
defense whose attorneys pointed out
that negotiations were under way be-
fore the incident occurred.
In this particular. as to negotia-
tons. they were confirmed by Dis
iriet Attorney John ID. Fredericks,
VINO, in a statement today. dated the
beginning of negotiations as far back
as July. The defense added a knot,
however by stating that it made no
Woifers as early as that time.
AS far as the defense is concerned
Yesterdays action in which James b.
Mcnamara pleaded guilty to murder
IN connection with the Los Angeles
Times explosion and fire which cost
lwentyone lives, the plea of guilty
entered by his brother, John j. Nc
Namara. to having dynamited the
Llewellyn Iron Works, was again de-
cared 10 have been brought about
through the agency of committee
OF influential citizens and tonight
members of a faction which is de-
hounctng the movement itself agreed
heartily that the result was accomp-
ilsned In this way This fact turned
Vul 10 be part of the grievance, on
the ground that no representative OF
aoOr was on the committee which
aaed in bringing to pass an event
sohsldered of infinite moment to Ia
gor organizations throughout the
United States.
EDWARD N. Nockles, secretary of
lne Chicago Federation of Labor
anout the only out-of-town labor Of
l,ca OF consequence on the ground,
absolutely refused tonight to discuss
ule interviews and resolutions ema-
natihg IN quantities from labor or
sahlzations in the east. Nor would
ne comment on the result itself
m here as an individual" said
Vokies' I'm on a little business con-
noeted with the case, But I'm not
s9ing 10 say word, Anything ! said
upon it,"
Vrle McManigal, who was to have
seeh leading witness for the state
nv nv VINO is indicted jointly with J. j.
ITeNanlara for the dynamiting of the
daNttlyn iron Works, hopes for free
uon II was said today.
Ihe penalty in California for dyna~
"ulhs In California runs from one
NJ TO life Imprisonment. Detective
t4i-areh today said that his informa
sotl was that j. j. Mcnamara had
M NJ ne hartored no i'll feeling toward
"VManigal now.
an, couiu not be learned tonight tina.
ehange in the local situation had
e,sa. m altected by resolutions adopted
:. sMhere, urging the extreme penal
MI MI james II. Mcnamara
tha ~ matter, under the law. is in
wh hahus of Judge Walter Bordwell
eist, presided over the trial durins It's
i,5a arduous weeks of life. The
sunee may hear and Tho dietriot al