The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-03
..DARROW SUMSUP
! motive OF ACTION
Suggestions of Los Angeles
People Responsible for
Pleas of Guilty.
LABOR NOT REPRESENTED
Resolutions Adopted Elsewhere
May Have No Effect OH
Sentence.

Los Angeles, Cal, December All
minated Mcnamara murder case were
summed up tonight by Clarence S.
barrow, chief counsel for the defense
in 6 statement dictated to the Asso-
ciated Press. MIR. Darrow's statement
fs as follows:
no motive OF any sort entered into
the disposition of the Mcnamara cases
except the welfare of the men accused
Of murder.
Believing as 1 did that the action
taken would save the lives of the nc-
cused men, l had no more right to re-
fuse 1t than q doctor would have to
forbear an operation on patient to
save his life
"A committee OF Los Angeles people
beginning work November 90, made II
possible to accomplish the result. Their
suggestions were brought to me first
by MIR. Steffens. and that day and every
day thereafter as matters proceeded
until the final determination.
How much their efforts had to do
with the States attorney I cannot tell.
but 1t was at their intercession that
negotiations were begun by attorneys
for the defense. l expected the final
actie.! every day after this movement
commenced, and it was taken the first
minute that an understanding was
reached. 1t was impossible to delay
ec.ton beyond the time until an under
standing was reached. on account OF
the iminent danger we were in for
two weeks of having the matter be-
come public property, and thus MAX
In the end difficult to achieve.
(Signed)
CLARENCE S. BARROW"
Requests for an authoritative state
ment on the situation rather than in
terviews crowded Darrow's desk
through the day. and this one. he said
was dictated to answer all of them.
Not Local. Issue.
The statement In itself appeared to
indicate the completely of conditions
The local political situation. in which
Job Hartman, OF counsel for the de-
tense, is running for Mayor on the
Socialist ticket with the election only
three days off, was taken into cons!d-
GRAFTON. though Harriman's own posi-
ton was that the trial was not a local
issue and should make no difference.
The recent arrest OF Bert II. Frank
lin. an investigator employed by the
defense. on charge of bribery, was
suggested as having possible bearing.
This was repudiated by the defense,
whose attorneys pointed out that ne
Sot!atons were under way before the
incident occurred. In this particular
as to negotiations they were confirm
cd by District Attorney John D. Fred
ericks. who In statement to-day,
dated the beginning OF negotiations as
far back as July. The defense added
knot, however. by stating that II
made no profrers as early as that time.
as far as the defense Is concerned,
yesterdays action In which James d.
Mcnamara pleaded guilty to murder in
connection with the Los Angeles
Times explosion ana fire. which cost
twenty-one lives. the plea Of guilty
entered by his brother. John ]. Nc
Namara. TO having dynamited the
Iiewellyn Iron Works was egai. de-
clared to have been brought about
through the agency OF q committee OF
Influential citizens. and tonight mem
hers OF faction which is denouncing
the move itself agreed heartily that
the result was accomplished in this
way. This fact turned out to be part
OF the grievance on the ground that
10 representative or labor was on the
committee which aided In bringing 10