The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-06
FOR BEST,
DECLARES
NO CHANCE TO WIN FROM FIRST,
SAYS CHIEF COUNSEL FOR
DEFENSE.
TO RESULT
HAS ALWAYS WORKED FOR BEST
INTEREST OF ORGANIZED
LABOR, SAYS LAWYER
IN INTERVIEW.
~RECONCILED TO RESUL7

Los ANGELES. Dec. 5.-Tonight
Clarence barrow. chief counsel Tor
the defense. gave out the following
statement:
Il entered into the ease with the
greatest reluctance and ON after
the n persuasion. l did II unself-
ishiy. l have for many years given
my time. my best ability and my life
TO the cause of labor and the poor.
Il have been here six months and
spent many troubled days and Sleep
less nights. trying to run down every
clue and make every possible investi-
CATION. n trying to do the best l
could for my clients and the causes
that !. served. | had able associates
and they gave me their best efforts
and their best service through 1t all.
From the first there never was the
slightest chance to win. To those
who say 1t would have been better to
have gone to trial and suffer COM
plete defeat. ! would call attention
to the fact that there were thirty to
forty hotel registers, three in Los An
geles, many in San Francisco and
others in different parts OF the coun-
try. There We're scores of witnesses
to identify J. Il. Mcnamara as being
present practically IN every day, and
one, at least. in the building. There
was overwhelming evidence Of all
hftad. WHICH HO OHe tOulu hdhc
rounded IL they would.
Could ont Prove Alibk
IT the State had put on its case
we could not even nut the defendant
on the stand to deny the facts. We
could not prove an alibi. We could
not prove he was not here. The fall
ure to do So would have been as much
of an admission as 1t is today.
W were confronted with the sit
uation of dragging our case. perhaps
for years. with nothing but the gal
lows at the end n no chance to
raise any doubt In a thinking mind.
and in the meantime collecting thou
stnds OF dollars OF people who could
not know the facts.
T go on under such circumstances
would have been madness and only
I postponed an evil until 1t would have
been a. still greater evil and the IN
sequences graver than they are now.
All OF this was thoroughly under
stood by my associates and no one
hesitated about tccepting 1t. We
acted as we thought right and best
and will take the consequences of
the act.
Il can conceive of no way in which
We could justify ourselves and not
save the lives of our clients, In dis
first duty as lawyers n men was
TO the lives of our clients and our
first duty to the cause called for the
same action as for theirs.
RetOnciled to Result.
From the beginning ] have been
watching and working to this end.
We have accomplished 1t, am
reconciled to the result. For myself
personally, / have spent many years
in this cause. If l had not believed
in 1t, ] would have abandoned II
when ] was young and ambitious.
'In some form I shall continue
in II TO the end. I have fought this
and all my fights without hatred or
malice to any one. recognizing that
In this great drama and all hat Is
connected with the case. that all men
Of both sides are helpless as to them
selves and are acting a part that Ia
forced upon them by a bitter conflict
that only right feeling between capt.
tai and labor can ever end.
IF people misjudge my motives. !
can only say for myself that I have
acted unselnshly from devotion alone
and I have always been ready and
fairly able to take upon myself all
the responsibilities for my action and
l shall continue to do ii SO long as !
have strength.
Il do not beg anybody's friendship
or sympathy in this matter. have
the consciousness hat ! have done
everything that I could do and have
acted in the way that is best for all
In this worldwide conflict. If any
thing more Is asked from me by either
side. they will find me ready when
the tlme comes"
Statement of Morrison.
Regarding statements OF Frank
Morrison. Mr.. Darrow said:
at payar old n human baipr that
the McNamaras were innocent. More
over it would have been impossible
for me to have done SO, as l have
never seen any Of the Eastern boys
since ] came out here or since l have
m communication with the Nc
Namaras."
In answer to the suggestion tina,
he might have written on the subject
he said: 1T was not q subject thai
l would trust to the mails and would
have no right to do such a thing"
In answer to Morrison's statemen,
that he received SOC. 900 retainer, plu.
500 a day. with $40 a week hote
allowance after December 1, Mr.
barrow said that the latter part OF
the agreement was not to take efYec,
until after January l. He said: 81
have not received $4,000 An yet, al.
though that was to be my fee. Thai
much money In all has no been re.
ceived vet by me-"
Morrison says that YOU have posed
as a friend OF labor and ~insinuate.
that you have imposed upon labor
Darrow was told.
"If Morrison wishes to look Mt 1,
that way have nothing to say he
replied.