The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-12
NJ NAMARA TRIAL
FOR MURDER |SON
Prosecution Elects to Try
Y n G er of / Wo
Brothers First.
AUSTERE TING
OF LEGAL STAGE.
Defendant Formally Charged
With Killing Charles ]. Hag-
gerty, Who, With Twenty
Others, Met Death in De-
struction of Los Angeles
Times Building.

Los Angeles. Cal, October Thames
B. Mcnamara went on trial for murder
here to-day before Judge Walter Bord-
we'll in the Superior Court. amid cir
cumstances as austere and simple as
proverbial Western justice.
District Attorney John .. Freder-
icks. for the prosecution, elected to
try him for the murder of Charles j.
HasSerty, raachinist. who. with
twenty other men. met death in an
explosion and fire watch wrecked the
Los Angeles Times building, October i,
1910
This case was picked from nineteen
indictments for murder found against
the prisoner; his brother. John j. Me
Namara, secretary Of the International
Association OF Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers; william Captain and NJ.
A. Schmidt. both at large. and four
unidentified persons specified as John
Doe. Jane Doe. Richard Doe and John
Stiles. Hagserty's body was that
nearest the spot where the explosion
occurred.
The prosecution contends that this
explosion was caused by dynamite;
the defense that it was caused by gas
The new Hall OF Records. in which
the trial is being held is only stones
throw from the scene OF the explosion.
Legnl Stage IN Set.
This was the setting OF the legal
stage to-day. Upon II counsel for the
defense. headed by Attorney Clarence
s barrow. OF Chicago. in questions to
the jury and arguments to Judge Bord-
we'll. sought TO depict mighty con-
test between organized labor and it's
opponents. without muoa opposition
from the prosecution.
Attorney LeCompte Davis, eXamin-
ing Jurors. headed straight for this
point.
Are YOU aware that there is hit
ter warfare between capital and iabor?''
he asked u. T. Nelson, the first venire-
man examined.
Yes" said Nelson.
And that most men have taken
sides?"
Yes"
Have you the opinion that labor
unions as they exist are proper or that
they are inimicai and menace?"
To this the prosecution Objected be-.
cause counsel is asking the opinion OF
witness on evidence that may arise
during the trial"
HE may answer" said Judge Bord-
well. and Nelson said he was mot pre-
JUDGED"
Further questions were met by the
assertion from Attorney w. j. Ford, OF
The prosecution, that this is not a
union. labor trial"
DO you take the Los Angeles
Times?" and DO you read the weekly
page devoted TO animadversions of la :
bor?" were other questions put.
Nelson still was being question ed
when court adjourned
Demands Separate Trials
1t was not until court opened to-day
that the defense could make formal de-
mand for separate trials for James
Mcnamara and his brother, John. Hence
the brothers. handcuffed together.
were taken to court. In the court
room, where only moderate crowd OF
spectators gathered the formal open
Ing of the case was not heard ten feet
from the bar.
Case 6s3e, James B. Mcnamara :.
said some one. casually, after District
Attorney Fredericks had announced
his selection, and the trial was OIL.
John j. Mcnamara was allowed 70
remain during the brief morning ses-
sion, but in the afternoon the Younger
brother sat alone against .he rnil
Following brief recess in the after
noon, G. C. Kemp. a venireman. was
excused, as was w. a. Spalding. secre
tary OF the Civil Service Commission
OF Los Angeles Spalding was excused
after ne had refused to plead exemp-
ton on official grounds
Tomorrow is a State holiday, and no
session of the court will be held.