Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-12-09
ADMIT DYNAMITlNG Of Los
ANGELES TIMES AND
IRON WORKS.
Will Serve Life Term in Penitentiary-
Other Arrests of Prominent Labor
Leaders redicted-Darrow Said He
Was Powerless Against States Evil
dence-Confessio Saves Their Necks.

secretary of the international Associ-
alton of Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers, entered a plea of guilty to
dynamiting the Llewellyn Iron works
in Los Angeles on Christmas day, 1910.
James b. Mcnamara S confession
clears up absolutely the explosion and
fire which at 1907 o'clock on the morn
ing Of October /, 1910, wrecked the
plant of the Los Angeles Times, at
First and Broadway, and caused the
death of 81 persons. For 10 of these
deaths the Mcnamara brothers were in
dicted, and J. b. Mcnamara was on
trial specifically charged with the muir
der Of Charles J. Haggerty, a machn-
list, whose body was found nearer than
the dynamite was supposed to have
been placed.
District Attorney Fredericks asked
for life Imprisonment for James B. Nc
Namara, the confessed murderer, and
IA years for his brother, and that sen
tenee was pronounced.
The great contention that the Los
Angeles Times was not dynamited is
dead beyond resurrection or any argu
ment.
"why did James B. Mcnamara
eonfess9'
To this was always given the same
answer. ''He confessed because he was
guilty, and that s all there is to 1t, "
declared District Attorney Fredericks.
He was counseled to confess be-
cause that was the best thing he could
do, in opinion of COUNSEL" said At
tOrney Clarence S. barrow, chief of
counsel. 81 will say now that there
was no other reason or motive in it.
1 have studied this case for months. It
presented a stone wall"
barrow S statement was made after
looking squarely in the face of charges
that the recent arrest of Bert H.
Franklin, an investigator employed by
the defense, and two others with him,
might have precipitated a situation un-
tenable save by confession.
Negotiations have been on for
weeks, asserted Darrow, and this was
eorroborated by District Attorney
Fredericks
First Confessor May Go Free.
Ortie f. Mechanical, the confessed
dynamiter whose admissions are said
to have been a big factor in the Nc
Namaras pleading guilty, will go vir-
tually free if the plans of the state in
his behalf do not go wrong
Bert H. Franklin Confesses.
Bert II. Franklin, once United States
deputy marshal and chief detective for
the Mcnamara defense until his arrest
ON a charge of bribing jury talesman,
has confessed.
Federal Government Takes Hand.
''The United States government AMI
California authorities are cooperating
10 uncover one Of the most gigantic
conspiracies ever conceived in the his
tory of this country.
This is the declaration of Assistant
District Attorney w. Joseph Ford, sec
ond in command to District Attorney
John d. Fredericks, and the man who
was arrested in Indianapolis for alleged
illegal extradition Of John J. McNam
ara.
1T is only a question now of wheth
er the federal government or the stat,
authorities can bring persons to justie,
most effectually," continued Mr.. Ford
Tell Their Opinions.
IL can not talk about it now, but
organized labor was not hurt, and tn,
leaders will not be so bitter when they
know the facts. Clarence S. barrow
''When the McNamaras pleade,
guilty, counsel for the defense cam
TO my terms and outside influence di,
not prevail upon me. The men wer,
guilty and they knew it, so they con
fessed. John d. Fredericks.
''There are others in this case jus
as guilty as the McNamaras. We will
soon have David Captain and NJ. A
Schmidt There are other prominen
men mixed up in this affair, and pro
pose to keep going until 1 get ever,
last one of them. w J. Burns.
"The fight has only just begun. Thi
is only the first chapter. What we wan
TO find out now is who the men are be
hind the McNamaras, and this we pre-
pose doing. Walter N. Drew.
No matter how guilty might hav
been, I never would have confessed.
Charles H. Meyer.
Events Follow Fast.
Hints are made that more arrest
will follow in the dynamite outrag
and that developments viii be senss
tional
Clarence Darrow makes a statemen
of his part in getting the guilty me
to admit their crimes.
Prosecuting Attorney Fredericks Dc
clares his course was not influenced b
pressure Of business men to offer
compromise or clemeney.