The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-12-02
NJ NAMARAS OWN
UP TO GRIMES AS
ACCUSED
Younger Brother Says He Blew
Up Times Building
BOMB IN LABOR CAMP
Older Brother Destroyed Liewellyn
Iron Works-To Be Sentenced
Tuesday

Los Angeles Cal, Dec. flames
B. Mcnamara pleaded guilty to muir
der in the first degree in Judge Wal
ter BordwelPs court yesterday, Ills
brother, John ]. Mcnamara, secretary
of the international association OF
bridge and structural iron workers,
entered plea of guilty to having dy-
namited the Llewellyn iron works in
Los Angeles on Christmas day, 1910.
James B. McNamara's confession
clears up absolutely the tragedy of
the explosion and fire which at 1907
o'clock on the morning of October l,
1910, wrecked the plant of the Los
Angeles Times at First street and
Broadway and caused the death of 81
persons. For 10 OF these deaths in
dictments were returned against the
Mcnamara brothers. j. B. McNam
ara was on trial specifically for the
murder of Charles NJ. Haggerty, a
machinist, whose body was found
nearer than that of any other to the
spot where the dynamite was suppos-
ed to have been placed. Both mems
sentences were set for Tuesday when
it Is expected District Attorney John
ID. Fredericks will ask for life impris-
onment for James B. Mcnamara, the
confessed murderer and probably IA
years sentence for his brother. The
mems lives are considered saved. The
great contention that the Los Angeles
Times was not dynamited is dead be-
yond resurrection or argument
Last night as the two brothers sat
together in the county Jail, refusing
TO see anyone or TO make any state
ment, an interest second only TO the
occurrence itself hung about the ques-
ton. why did James b. Mcnamara
confess?" To this opposing counsel
gave the same answer. "He confess
ed because he was guilty, and that's
all there is to ii, said District Attor-
ney Frederlcks. HE was counseled
10 confess because that was the best
thing he could do, in the opinion of
counsel said Attorney Clarence S.
Darrow, chief counsel for the de-
tense. Il will say now that there
was no other reason or motive in it
I've studied this case for months. 1t
presented stone wall"
A summary of the days events in
cluded the following Incidents James
b. Mcnamara pleaded guilty to hav-
ing placed dynamite bomb under
the Los Angeles Times building in DC.
tober. 1910. and causing the death Of
II persons. John j. Mcnamara, sec.
retary-treasurer of the international
association of bridge and structural
ironworkers. brother of James b., did
not enter a plea TO the Indictment
similarly entered against him for the
Times explosion, but when he is ar
ralgned Tuesday II is virtually certain
proceedings against him for this
charge VIII be dismissed because the
state admits II has no evidence direct
ly connecting John ]. with this par.
ticular disaster John ]. Mcnamara
pleaded guilty. however, to the charge
OF having caused the explosion OF the
Llewellyn ironworks at Los Angeles
In which no fatalities occurred.
District Attorney John Fredericks
viii recommend life Imprisonment
for James b., and ten years sen.
tence for John j., but Judge Walter
Bordwell alone can fix the sentence.
Ortie r. McManigal who also confess
ed to having actually blown up the
Llewellyn Iron Works in December
1910, at the direction of John }. Nc.
Namara will be brought to trial, but
II Ia expected the state will recon.
mend a light sentence because he
turned states evidence. Charges of
bribery OF talesmen against Bert II.
Franklin. a detective employed by
the McNamara's defense. will prob.
ably be dropped as irrelevant to the
main Issue.
There was rush for the Enclosure
where the attorneys sat when court
adjourned. A group fiocked around
District Attorney Fredericks to con.
graduate him on the way he had
worked up his case. He smiled In
return-not smile OF exultation but
Of relief. II don't want a pound of
hesh. he said - look at this from
two viewpoints. AS lawyer. | want
cd these men to plead guilty because
they were gullty-beoause the evl
dence we gathered showed them gull.
" beyond any doubt But as n man
] want TO say that II can recon.
mend a less severe punishment than
death or be merclful In any way and
at the same time rid union labor OF
It's desire 10 use violence TO obtain
It's ends ! want To do that thing
Around Attorney Darrow, too. gath
cred a crowd. From him the cues
TONERS wanted to know how Il had
happened and why Darrow's face
was pale. The long wrinkles in his
cheeks looked even deeper than usu
al and he talked In low husky voice
which indicates great fatigue. IN
was a hard struggle to bring this
about. but Il was the best thing that
could have happened" he said u
did the best could. II I'd have seer
amy way out OF Il we would not have
done It. We have had II under con
slderation since week ago Monday
The Times building was blown up b,
James D. Mcnamara with nitroely
cerln, TO be sure. but the bomb wa,
touched on the gas and gas reall,
did H."
did you have to wrestle hard with
he McNamaras to get that admis
anf" he was asked Somewhat
he facts have been overwholm
|..... replied Every loophol,