The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-10-12
Defense Indicates Labor
Strife VIII Figure
Importantly
Devotes Examination OF
First TaIesman to
This Feature
BY ARTHUR L. PRICE

Especial Dspoich 10 The Call
Los ANGELES. Oct lit is James
B. Mcnamara who shall first bear the
brunt of the Los Angeles dynamite
case"
While the smiling, thoughtful, well
set up elder brother. John j. McNa-
mara, secretary treasurer of the In
ternational Association of Structural
Iron Workers and Bridge Builders, is
tight in the county jail. across Temple
street. the sallow faced, weak featured.
narrow chested brother must stand
trial for his life under the accusation
of having placed a nitroglycerin bomb
In an alley way leading to the Los
Angeles Times building on October /,
1910
The trial started today.
Counsel for the McNamaras, for J.
B. on trial and for J. ]. in prison.
picked out their battle ground early
in the first few questions put to the
first venireman called. LIE Compile
Davis, in interrogating the first tales
man. asked:
plCS0Iic you are aware IndI a
bitter warfare has been going on in
this country for a number of years be-
tween capital and labor, and that men
are taking sides one way and an
other?"
PROSECUTION OBJECTS
That was the theme for an hour of
questioning. to which the prosecuting
attorneys continually objected.
We have taken pains not to be
biased or prejudiced against organized
labor" declared District Attorney
Fredericks.
In answering another point. Assistant
District Attorney Ford said:
Union labor Is not on trial"
Judge Bordwell followed the ques-
tioning closely, sometimes sustaining
an objection. at other times letting the
question pass. The defense consider as
a point in their favor the ruling that
bias against unionism may be shown.
Clarence Darrow took part only once
or twice and then with but word
when the objections would come fast.
For the prosecution the district attor-
ney and his deputies, Ford and Horton.
were repeatedly on their feet.
THE BROTHERS IN COURT
This was at the afternoon session.
The Mcnamara who is a labor leader
was not present then. He had been
over in the morning. brought across
the street handcuffed to his brother,
James B.
1t was understood that the defend
ants would ask for separate trials and
the defense anticipated that James B.
would be tried first
The elder brother walked briskly
into the courtroom. Sheriff Hammel
tried no fancy maneuvers to bring his
prisoners from the Jail across Temple
street to the hall of records He
brought them into the courtroom by
the main entrance and seated them
inside the rail- He took off the hand
cuffs at the door of the courtroom.
J. J. braced up his brother continu-
ally, laughing with him and causing the
silent one to laugh back.
| The men were neatly dressed. John
j. wore brown suit and James B. a
dark mixed goods suit He wore a soft
shirt and collar and John a stiff collar
They were in the court for an hour
when adjournment was taken until the
afternoon. with nothing more having
been done than the selection of James
B. as the defendant.
THE EXPECTED HAPPENS
First. Judge Walter Bordwell heard
the excuses of some veniremen whose
cases had been laid over since Monday.
Then he ruled that there was no exist
ing reason why he should not try the
| case. *
Has the defense decided upon sew
eranceg" asked District Attorney ]. D.
| Fredericks.
| "That application has already been
made. said Judge Bordwell. and .Clar-
/ ence Darrow nodded &
Then the people elect to try James
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