Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-12
District Attorney Selects
Brother Of Iron Workers
Secretary at Opening Of
Murder Case.
"A BITTER LEGAL
BATTLE EXPECTED
Prospectiv Jurors Told to
Attend to Any Business
Now as They Will Be
Locked Up.


Los Angeles. Cal. Oct. IL. James I.
Mcnamara Of Cincinnati. was placed
on trial for murder here today before
Judge Bordwell In the superior court.
Clarence s. Darrow. chief counsel
for the defendants, announced that
he wished to sever the case and Inn
mediately District Attorney John D.
Fredericks chose James B. McNamara
for trial.
Not only did Mr.. Frederick elect to
try James rather than his brother
John, secretary of the International
Association OF Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers, but he decided to go to
trial on the indictment charging the
prisoner with the death Of Charles ].
Hagerty, machinist, whose body was
found close to the spot at which the
explosion is alleged to have occurred.
The site. Of the old Times building Hes
almost within the shadow OF the un-
finished hall Of records In which the
trial is being held and the whistles OF
engineers working on the foundation
OF the new Times building sounded
from time to time through the open
windows of the court room.
Counsel for the defense gathered
about the prisoner headed by Attorney;
Darrow. Associated with him. sAtl
Joseph Scott. Lecompt Davis and job
Hartman, Oil Of Los Angeles. Mrs.
Darrow sat near her husband.
District Attorney Fredericks handled
the prosecution aided by the assist
ants regularly employed by his once. +
The McNamaras were brought into
court together, and as soon % James
B. McNamara was selected for trial,
John J., was returned to his cell in
the county jail.
After few minutes parley Attor-
ney Lecompt Davis. for the defense
faced the waiting veniremen and made
the first speech of the trial.
1.-THE court suggests that inform
you that when you enter the jury box
you will remain there or be locked up
until the end Of the. trial" he said.
III you want to see your wives or
attend to your business, you had bet
ter do 80 before this afternoon"
Recess was taken at LILO .. M,
until p. m.
Case Called at 1918.
At 10 o'clock both John J. McrSan-
ara and his brother James b. Nc
Namara, entered the court room with
Clarence 8. Darrow, their chief coun-
sci. Both men were smiling and
shook hands with many attorneys at
the bar. The prisoners were without
handouts as they entered the court
room.
The brothers were handcufted when
they left the Jail and during the walk
across the street and into the hall OF
records.
Scores of photographers took snap
shots but few other persons gathered
to see the men. They were accom-.
panied by Jailer George Gallagher and
an assistant and We're followed by
seven deputy sheriffs. Court convened
at 1O:15 q. M, having been delayed In
opening by the arrangement Of seats.
District Attorney Fredericks and Clar-
ence 8. Darrows greeted one another
and began allotting seats for assist
ants along the tables facing Judge
Bordwell.
McNamaras Ready for Trial.
In the subdued light OF their cells
In the county jail here sat two broth
ers. James B. and John J. McNamara,
peering through maze Of iron bars
at the building across the way. where
today was to be begun the fight OF the
state of California to nold them re-
sponsible for the death OF nineteen
men in the explosion OF the Los
Angeles Times building on October l.
1910.
A severance Of the case against the
McNamaras, both of whom were in
dicted Ave months ago. on twenty-one
counts for murder, has been the an
nounced decision OF the defense. and
the prosecution awaited the formal re-
quest in court today to that end before
disclosing which of the two brothers
it had elected to try f1rst. Neither OF
the brothers knew when they awaken
ed today which the prosecution would
summon. Since April 26, they have
been confined in Jail, but both reiterat-
ed today that they were ready for the
trial. John J. Mcnamara, secretary
treasurer of the International Associa-
ton OF Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers, speaking for himself and his
brother, said it did not matter which