Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-12-08
The Mcnamara Confession


Tie Mcnamara confession come:
as a shock to all classes of people
All classes. because many people
had some sympathy with the move
lGen' fur defense OF men they did
nut bciic~e p-cra guilty OF tue overt
acts of which tbey we're charged
Gompers was probably the most ex-
cited OF these. tie exclaimed " an
astounded! Ny credulity has been
imposed upon, 1t is a bolt out of q
clear sky" So absolute was the
faith OF the Federation Of Labor in
The innocence OF the Los Angelo
conspirators, that $3.50 600 bad been
laised for their defense and the col
lection was still going on. Contribu-
tons were levied and paid in this
city. Their entire labor has been
~ encouragement Of these acts.
Gcmpers declares the cause OF labor
cannot win by such methods as these
men pursued and that their act of
successful imploring aid while
guilty can but hinder and delay the
adjustment OF this and future diff
culties.
James B. Mcnamara. the dyna-
inter of the Los Angeles Times Of
fee, was sentenced, Dec. 9Th, to life
Imprisonment, by Judge Bordwell,
at Los Angeles, and his brother,
John. j.. Secretary of the Interna-
tional Association OF Bridge and
Structural Iron workers, who con-
fessed to dynamiting the Llewellyn
Iron Works, was sentenced to Is
years in the penitentiary. Both
will be confined in San Quentin.
Twenty-one persons lost their lives
in the Times disaster, but nobody
was killed in the iron works affair.
James B. is considered by the State
to have been acting under orders OF
his brother, John J. With this evil
dence of unexpected clemency came
the announcement that the broth
ers had furnished information OF
great value in investigation of the
alleged far-reaching dynamite con-
spiracy, and that the plan was to
serve them Immediately after SEN
tence with summons to appear be-
fore the grand jury now in session.
To that body they are expected to
give evidence which the District
Attorney declares they have already
supplied him and any more they may
have.
The grand jury inquisition is con.
sidered Of vast Importance, and it is
believed its scope will reach the At
lantic seaboard and constitute one OF
the most noted conspiracies in the
history of crime.
District Attorney Fredericks urged
the clemency, because both men plead
guilty and on account of other serv.
ices promised the State. He says:
Il think they viii tell all they
know, if it will be only to ease their
consciences and help to clear Union
labor Of some bad men in it. The
McNamaras are not the only guilty
men,"
Do not be too hasty about form.
ing and giving out your opinion con.
corning the confessions of McNamara
brothers, in Los Angeles, until YOU
shall become more fully acquainted
with the facts. The far-reaching eff.
fects will form an important epoch
concerning the development OF big
business in connection with the
complications Of labor unionism
It looks as if the rank and file OF the
wage-earners of the different trades
have been greatly misled and i'm.
posed upon by some OF their leaders
whom the members looked to TO,
guidance instead of treachery. Goo
reigns and evolutionary progress
moves on.