Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-12-13
SOUNDS DOOM
FOR M'NAMARAS
James 3. Is Sentenced for
Life---Brother Gets
Is Years.
JUDGE BORDWELL GRILLS BOTH
Calls James Z. Murderer at Heart
and Scouts Confession-Dlstrict
Attorney Makes Plea for
CIemency for Dynamiters.

Los Angeles, Cal.-Denouncing
James B. Mcnamara as murderer at
heart, and declaring that there was
no extenuating circumstances in his
case, Judge Walter Bordwell sentenced
the man who confessed he blew up the
Los Angeles Times and caused the
death of 81 men, to life Imprisonment
in the California state penitentiary al
San Quentin.
Immediately thereafter the court
called John J. Mcnamara. secretary,
treasurer of the International Associa.
ton of Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers, before the bar and sentenced
him to serve a 15-year term in the
same prison.
District Attorney Fredericks kept
his promise to the two prisoners given
at the time they made their comics,
sions, and begged the court to exercise
leniency.
John j, Mcnamara, who was arrest
ed at indianapolis on April % last
was sentenced on his plea of guilty to
conspiracy in the dynamiting of the
Llewellyn Iron works.
Confession Is Read.
District Attorney Fredericks read
James B. McNamara's confession amid
absolute silence The confession fol
lows:
Il, James B. Mcnamara, defendant
In the case of the people, having here.
tofore pleaded guilty to the crime OF
murder, desire to make this statement
of facts, and this is the truth:
'On the night of September so, 1910,
at 5:45 p. NJ, placed in Ink alley.
portion of the Times building, suit
case containing Is sticks of 80 per
cent dynamite, set to explode at one
o'clock the next morning.
1T was my intention to injure the
building and scare the owners. | did
not intend to take the life of anyone
l sincerely regret that these unfortu-
nate men lost their lives. Ii the CIV
ing of my life would bring them back
l would gladly give it. In fact, in
pleading guilty to murder in the first
degree | have placed my life In the
hands of the state.
JAMES B. M'NAMARA."
Us that statement correct?" asked
the court
1T is" said Mcnamara
Calls 1t First degree Murder.
Then the court finds" said the
Judge, that the degree of guilt of the
defendant is murder in the first de-
gree. James B. Mcnamara, you may
stand. What is your full manner"
James Boyd Mcnamara" answered
the prisoner.
The court then began formal state
ment, reciting the indictment for MUIR
der of Charles ]. Haggerty upon which
Mcnamara pleaded guilty and asked
Mcnamara if he had any statement to
make.
Il have not" he said.
No Bargain, Says Fredericks.
Have you anything to say?' the
court asked Mr.. Fredericks.
There has been no dickering or
bargaining in this matter" he said.
Counsel on the other side are we'll
aware of the custom of granting elem
ency to persons pleading guilty This
defendant by SO pleading has settled
for all time question which other
wise would always have been in
doubt. He saves the state great ex-
penditure and serves the state in
other ways"
The defendant will rise," said
Judge Bordwell, and commented on
McNamaras declaration that he did
not intend to destroy life.
contradicts Prisoners Statement.
THE circumstances are against that
statement" he said. "a man who will
place 16 sticks of dynamite in a place
where you, as printer, knew gas was
burning in many places and knew
many were toiling, must have had no
regard for life; must have been a
murderer at heart and undeserYing OF
clemency"
John ]. Mcnamara came next The
Llewellyn Iron works indictment was
read to him by the judge. The prison.
er said he had nothing to say. Dis
trict Attorney Fredericks said that, as
in the other case, the plea of guilty
permitted consideration, but pleaded
that the defendant receive "a few
years of freedom near the end OF his
life"
Judge Bordwell declared that the
structures against James B. Mcnamara
would apply also to John j. Clemency,
he said, was not because of merit as
to intent. He then imposed sentence
of Is years in San Quentin.