The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-12-08
CONFESSION IS
BLOW To UNIONS
Says There Can Be no Excuse For
pleas Of Guilty - All Are
Surprised.

Indianapolis. Ind, Dec Asked
for a statement IN regard 10 the pleas
Of guilty by the Mcnamara brothers at
Los Angeles. Leo II. Rappaport, the
indianapolis attorney engaged for the
defense in the case. said I am not
aware such a step was contemplated
By the defense and naturally was start
led when ] was informed that both
John J. and his brother. James r. Nc
Namsra. had pleaded guilty 70 the
charges against them.
Il have no knowledge Of conditions
that induced the action, therefore an
not capable Of making a definite state
ment. I had looked for a trial lasting
six months after the jury finally had
been picked and 10 have news broken
this way is like bolt from clear sky
Having believed the McNamars In.
nocent and being apprised last night
differently, am unqualified to speak
with any authority on the case.
United States District Attorney
Charles ". Miller said that while be
had no definite information that the
McNamaras would take that action he
had heard something te the effect that
they might do so. He further stated
that this would not affect the eouse Of
the government in this district, owing
10 the fact that the federal inyestiga-
tion here would cover much wider
scope than the case ntrial at Los
Angeles.
Prosecutor Frank Baker also stated
last night that the action Of the Nc
Namara brothers would have nothing
to do with his little settlement With
Detective William J. Burns and Assist
ant District Attorney Hoskins of Los
Angeles when their case come up for
tria lin this city the first OF the year,
when they must answer to kidnapping
indictments.
Baker insists that Detective Burns
violated the law when John J Nc
Namara was hurried away from this
city and that he will do al lin his power
to sen dhim to the penitentiary for the
act
Frank Duffy, secretary OF the United
Brotherhood Of Carpenters and Join
ers Of America, who has supported the
McNamaras and aided in raising de
fense funds throughout the country
said.
III our press reports are 10 be be
lleved We men in the organized labor
movement cannot 100 strongly de
nounce what has been admitted by the
Mcnamara brothers.
Il did not think that any man in or
ganized labor would stoop so low as
to take the lives of his fellow men and
to destroy property ! believe in az
gresgiyeness and atm anxious to see
labor win all the victories II can. but
l denounce in the strongest terms any
tttempts to win out in contest by the
use OF the illegitimate methods--the
destruction Of life and limb-and IN
the cases OF the Mcnamara brothers
believe they should be meted out the
extreme penalty of the law.
The Mcnamara brothers have com
mitted double crime If they are guilty
of these charges. They have sinned
against the commonwealth and they
have sinned against the labor move
ment and their brothers in it, on ac-
count Of their persistent and repeated
declarations Of innocence, the Ameri.
can Federation Of Labor has been in
dueed to wage a battle for their de
fense and to take money from wage
earners with which to carry ont the
fight.
Now they come out with pleas Of
guilty. aud commit double crime for
which there can be no excuse iii either
case.
There is no doubt but what their
pleas Of guilty viii be a great blow to
organized labor"
Resolutions Of Respect