Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

Los ANGELES. Cal, December AN
known angles in the unexpected termina-
ton of the Mcnamara murder case were
summed up tonight by Clarence S. Dar-
row, chief of counsel for the defense. in a
statement dictated to the Associated
Press.
Mr.. Darrow's statement Is as follows.
NO motive of any sort entered into the
disposition of the Mcnamara cases except
the welfare of the men accused of muir
der.
Believing as did that the action taken
would save the lives of the accused men.
L had no more right to refuse ii than a.
doctor would have to forbear an opera
ton on patient to save his life.
First Suggested by Committee.
"A committee of Los Angeles people. be-
ginning work November 20 made it pos
sible to accomplish the result Their sug-
gestions were brought to me first by MI.
Steffens that day, and every day there
after, as matters proceeded until the tnal
determination
How much their efforts had to do with
the states attorney 1 cannot tell, but it
was at their intercession that negotia-
tons We're begun by attorneys for the de-
Tense l expected the final action every
Gay after this movement was commenced,
and 1t was taken the first minute that
an understanding was reached. 1t was
impossible to delay action beyond the
time until an understanding was reached,
on account of the imminent danger We
were in for two weeks of having the mat
ter become pubic property, and thus
making the emo difficult to achieve
(SIgnedD "CLARE.>CE s. DAknON''
Requests for an authoritative statement
on the situation rather than interviews
crowded Darrow's desk through the day,
and this one, he said, was dictated to an
swer all Of them.
Indicates Difficult Situation.
The statement in itself appeared to in
dicate the complexity of conditions. The
local political situation, i'm which job
Hartman, of counsel for the defense IS
running for mayor on the socialist ticket,
with the election only three days off, WAS
taken into consideration, though Harri-
mans own position was that the trial W 5
not local issue and should make no dtf-
ference.
The recent arrest of Bert H. Franklin,
an Investigator employed by the defense.
on charge of bribery, was suggested a
having possible bearing. TINS was re
pu0lare0 by the defense, whose attorneys
pointed out that negotiations were under
way before the incident occurred. In
this particular as to negotiations they
were confirmed by District Attorney
John ID. Fredericks. who. in statement
today, dated the beginning of negotia-
tions as far back July. The defense
added a Knot. however, by stating that
1t made no proffers as early as that time.
AS far as the defense concerned,
yesterdays action, in which James B.
Mcnamara pleaded guilty to murder In
connection with the Los Angeles Times
explosion and fire. which cost twenty-one
lives, the plea of guilty entered ny his
dynamited the Llewellyn iron works, was
agan declared to have been brought
about through the agency of a committee
of influential citizens, and tonight menu
bers Of a faction which is denouncing
the move itself, agreed heartily that the
result was accomplished in this way. This
fact turned out to be part OF the grtev.
ance, on the ground that no representa-.
tive OF labor was on the committee
which aided In br nging to pass an event
considered of infinite moment to labor
organizations throughout the United
States
Edward n. Nockels secretary OF the
Chicago Federation OF Labor. about the
only out-of-.own labor ofncial of conse-
quence on the ground. refused tonight TO
discuss the interviews and resolutions
eInanating In quantities from labor Or
I'm the east. Nor would no
on the result itself.
.srm here as an individual" he said
I'm on . little business connected With