The Detroit times., 1911-12-06
Judge Boardwell Denounces First
Man as He Condemns Him to
San Quentin Prison.
FREDRICKS KEEPS WORD
HE PLEDGED LAST WEEK
Begs Court To Grant Clemency
as Prisoners Are Brought
in For Sentence.


tnere was no eXtsnuating circum-
stance at all in his case, Judge Wal
ter Bordweil TO-DAY sentenced the man
Nbo confessed that ne blew up the
Los angeles Times and sent 81 souls
Into eternity to life Imprisonment in
San Quentin prison.
Immediately thereafter the court
called John j. Mcnamara. secretary of
The Iron Workers union. before the
bar md sentenced him TO serve Is
& year term IN the came prison,
The district attorney kept his prom
i've 10 The two prisoners given at the
time they made their confessions last
Friday and begged the court 10 grant
clemsncy.
In making his suggestion, Fredricks
said two puBishmerts were possible
for first degree murder and that, in
the opinion OF many, one would serve
rs well as the other.
"'rhe defendant having pleaded
guilty" he said, III Is customary for
The state TO extend clemency, not be-
cause the defendant is entitled 10 II,
but because he has saved the state
great expense, and also has cleared
up what would always have been a
disputed point-whetner he actually
committed the crime.
There has been no dickering, but
counsel for the defense under under
sto0d that il Is customary TO make con.
sessions when the state Is saved
lime, labor and expense. and in this
case. | think James E. Mcnamara is
entitled TO the minimum penalty"
James was In state OF almost com
niete collapse as he sat down after
eentence was pronounced There was
not an instant's delay As the first
missioner sank into his chair, District
kttorney Fredricks was on his feet
moving for sentence OF John
John stood up as Judge Bordwell
read the Indictment The face Of the
big labor leader WIS a curious study
as he stood gazing first ar the judge,
then at his counsel who sat hopeless
across the room. His eyes were deep
and sunken.
Judge Bordwell sharply demanded
OF Fredricks II he had any recon-
mendation to make
Il have your honor" was the re-
ply
"As In the case OF defendants
brother. do not think this man is
entitled to mercy. But the defendant
having pleaded guilty, II Is customary
to extend slight concession as a
recognition of the expense and labor
saved. / think the court should take
into consideration the probable life of
this man and arrange sentence so
that he may have few years Of free
dom after he expiates his crime"
Judge Bordwell Immediately SEN
fenced John TO Is years. He repeat
cd his excoriation OF James. but ad,
ded: "You are fully as guilty as he,
and deserve absolutely no considera-
fion, but as you pleaded guilty. will
make the concession suggested by the
district attorney and will impose a
moderate sentence"
AS soon as sentence had been pro
nounced, the court demanded of both
iren whether they had ever learned
any trade. Jim announced that he
was printer, while John said he was
structural iron worker.
At a signal from the judge, Sheriff
HammeIl and his deputies closed
about the two prisoners and they
were hurried out of the courtroom and
back TO jail.
II the men live and prove exemplary
prisoners, they will come under the
operation of the state parole law with.
In seven years.
The scene in court when the
sentences were pronounced, was
dramatic in the extreme. Because
Judge Bordwell feared that something
would happen to mar the peace of the
community, he took extraordinary
precautions and suddenly announced
4 change OF the scene of the sentences
from his Own courtroom In the Hal
OF Records, to Judge Mccormick
courtroom in the Hall OF Justice.
When the two prisoners were finally
struggled into the latter place-a very
small room--they were badly broker
men.
All the bravado, swagger and de
fiance was gone from their manner
and James especially appeared on tn,
verge OF nervous collapse. He .shool
and trembled as he started to rise t
hear his fate, but later regained hi
composure and was quite calm wheI
Judge Bordwell bitterly excoriateC
him.
Juuke DOIuWell HTSt dSheu him
4 he had not at first tried to get dyns
mite of a higher explosive charaete
than so per cent. receiving a negatiy
answer. the court said:
There Is no comfort in the asset
ton that you did not intend to TAX
life. The widows and orphans and tn
parents OF the victims of your Grim
would look upon that statemen. Q
this time as a mockery. The circun
stances are against you in maxim
any such claim.
"A man who would put is sticks
so per cent dynamite in a buildin
which was filed with combustible
and which was known to you. as
printer, 20 be such, meant only mu
der and nothing else. II is no extent
atlng circumstance 10 this court {
hear you say that you did not inten
to kiii anyone. There is no questio
ih the mind of the court that you al
murderer, and as such should b
punished
james ID. Mcnamara, you are
murderer Mt heart and well deserv
the aaIiows, but In view OF the recon
mendation of the state the judgmeI
Of the court I'm your case Is that 70
be confined I'm the state prison al Sa
Quentin for the balance of 20,
natural life"
District Attorney Fredricks. in
statement today declared that SON