American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-12-07

ADMiT BLOWING W or TIMES,
THue CAUSING DEATH or
TWGNTv-oNg PERSONS.
Secretary Of international Drldss snd
Structural Workers md Drethsr Take
Al blame for Crime and May Get
on Win Prison Sentence.


Los Angeles-James b. Mcnamara
pleaded guilty TO murder In the FIRST
degree In Judge Walter Bordweli's
court on Friday. His brother. John
J. Mcnamara, secretary OF the Inter
national Association of Bridge and
Structural Iron Workers, enterod q
plea Of. suilty to having dynamited the
LlswsIIyn Iron works In Los Angeles
on Christmas day. 1910.
James h. McNamara's confession
clears mp absolutely the tragedy Of the
explosion and IRE which. at 1908
O'Clock on the morning OF October /,
1910. wrecked the plant Of the Los
Angeles Times at First and Broadway
and caused the death Of twenty.one
persons. For nineteen of these deaths
the Mcnamara brothers were indicted
and J, b. Mcnamara wal on trial spe-
ciically for the murder Of Charles J.
HaGGerty. . m~achinist, whose body
wal found nearer than that Of any
other TO the spot where the dynamite
was supposed to have been placed.
Clarence barrow. leading counsel
for the defense. says proof was over
whelming and that he had been labor
Ing for two weeks to bring about con-
fossion.
District Attorney Fredericks will
recommend that Jas. Is Mcnamara be
given a life sentence and that John
J. go to prison for fourteen years.
Ortie McManigal. who confessed
uCAp oftar hfa orr.at a.. ItLo1v BE- xocnA.
with light sentence.
The mother, brother and sister of
the two men refuse to believe them
guilty OF the crimes they confessed.
Samuel Gompers declares his credu-
lily has been imposed upon and tears
came to his eyes as he read the news.
The Central Labor union OF st. Jo-
seph. Mo-, demands that the dynamit-
crs receive the death penalty.
Friday night. as th3 two brothers
sat together In the county jail. refus-
Ing to see anyone or make any state
ment. an interest second only to the
occurrence itself hung about the ques-
tion with reference 4 james b. Me-
Namara. why did he c~onfess?"
To this opposing counsel gave the
same answer.
HE confessed because he was guilty
and that's all there 10 to It." declared
District Attorney Fredericks.
HE was counseled to confess be-
cause that was the best thing he could
do. In the opinion of counsel" said
Attorney Clarence 8. Darrow. chief OF
counsel. II will say now that there
was no other reason or motive In 1t.
I've studied this ease for months. 1t
presented q stone wall"
Darrow's statement was made after
looking squarely In the face of charges
that the recent arrest OF Burt II.
Franklin. an investigator employed by
the defense. and two others with him.
might nave precipitated a situation I'M
save by confession OF the pris-
case Settled BY Use Of Golden Rule.
Los Angeles. Cal.--The principles of J
the teachings Of Jesus Christ. as they
were understood by a crowd Of hard
Los Angeles business men.
the Mcnamara murder trial
This was learned Friday from unim-
peachable authority and was con-
by Clarence .. barrow. chief
for the defense.
Lincoln Steffens. a magazine writer
and student of political affairs. brought
from the Golden Rule town" OF Tole-
DO. Ohio. a theory of Christianity In
which vas presented to lead
ers In Los Angeles business life. dis
and finally adopted by them. by
as counsel Cor the McNa-
maras. and finally by the prosecution. /
The plan was first broached to one /
Or two men: these sounded others. and +,
N the end the great Influences behind |
The business and political life OF Cali q
n Of the state accepted It. I
this reason. IL was declared. the
trial. instead OF beiny
to y desperate conclusion. with
uncertainty. and I
,ountercharges. came to n conclusion '
gladly accepted by the defense. which Z
vas not In a position to propose II. q
lonoworth Against Roosevelt. \