Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-12-05
WHAT THE MCNAMARA CASE DEMON
STRATES


system of compromises" said Lord Macaulay
1t was upon that principle that convictions
have been obtained in the Mcnamara cases. a
compromise brought about the pleas OF guilty.
The defendants agreed to confess their guilt and
accept their punishment, provided it limited
1t was a clear bargain the give-and-takc
principle.
But if must be understood that great vie
tory has been gained for truth and justice The
crime of dynamting the Los Angeles Times
building and killing number Of working peo-
pie has been brought home to the McNamaraS.
Their responsibility for number Of similar
crimes have also been established That much
is admitted by Clarence barrow, chief attorney
for the defendants, and by the res gesae of the
s;tse. Not only have the perpetrators OF ser
les Of desperate crimes been exposed and brought
to Justice. but the motives which prompted the
dreadful outrageS now stand revealed.
Though the punishment inflicted in accord
ancc with the compromise falls short of the eX
IRENE penalty Of the law, and is not common
sulate with the enormity of the crimes commit
ted by the McNamaras, the compromise has ac-
complished several things that will vastly bene-
fit society and promote the ends Of justice. The
theory of the prosecution has been established
and the story of Ortie Maniga confirmed A
nest of criminal conspiratorS against the public
peace has been, definitely located and exposed.
4 band of desperate dynamters who had crept
into the inner circles of organized labor has
gimized labor is thus given an opportunity to
/ purge its membership of the criminals who have
shocked and outraged humanity and brought dis
credit on workingmen's organizations. Society
is supplied with information that be en-
aoYe3 for its better protection and for the pre-
>eQtion Of further criminal acts such as the
blt wing up of the Llewellyn Iron Works and
tho dpnaming Of the Times building.
It is to be regretted that }. }. Mcnamara, the
hen lceutcr Of the dynamiting band, gets off with
lighter punishment than his brother, dupe and
aeant j b. Mcnamara. But such miscarriages
il most inevitably attend compromises of this
character The state has been saved the expense
of long. sensational trial which provoking
bad blood and threatening TO diSarrange the pc.
itical machinery More than that organized
labor is given opportunity to disassociate
itself from the crooks and dynamers who were
committing daSardly crimes in its name and
under the mantle Of its authority. The great
body of union men are honest, law-abdng citi-
zenS, abhoming crime and having no sympathy
with criminals and criminal deeds The convic-
ton Of the McNamaras proves that the criminal
conspiracy of which J. J. Mcnamara was the
brains and directing spirit embraced only a
small group; who imposed upon the confidence
and loyalty of the men whom they betrayed and
arrayed mconscousy in defense of crimes and
violence.
We are confident that organized labor, in
common with all the law-abidng elements of
society, will derive great benefit from the out
come Of the Mcnamara ease. The light has been
let i'll dark place and society armed with a
weapon for future Defense Oakland Tribune.