The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-03
BY Associated Press.

Los Angeles, Dec. 3.-All known
angles in the unexpected termination
of the Mcnamara murder case were
summed up tonight by Clarence >.
Darrow, chief counsel for the defense,
in a statement dictated to the Asso-
ciated Press. The statement follows:
mo motive of any sort entered into
the disposition of the McNamara cases
except the welfare of the men accused
of murder"
Requests for an authoritative state
ment on the situation, rather than an
interview, crowded Darrow's desk dur
ing the day, and this one, he said, was
dictated to answer all of them. The
statement, in itself, appeared to indi-
cate the complexity of conditions. The
local political situation in 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 Harriman's own position was
that the trial was not local issue
and should make no difference.
ARREST HAD NO BEARING.
The recent arrest of Bert H. Frank
lin, an investigator employed by the
defense, on the charge of bribery, was
suggested as having a possible bear
ing. This was repudiated by the de-
Tense, whose attorneys pointed out
+ =nGSOl1aI1OlS were fQnQ6T way b6-
fore the incident occurred. In this
particular, as to the negotiations, they
were confirmed by District Attorney
FredeFicks, who, in a statement today,
dated the beginning of the negotia-
tions as far back as July. The defense
added a knot, however, by stating that
it made no proffers as early as that
time.
AS far as the defense is concerned,
yesterdays action in which Jas. B.
Mcnamara pleaded guilty to murder
in conenction with the Los Angeles
Times explosion and fire, which cost
21 lives, and the plea of guilty by his
brother, John J. Mcnamara, of having
dynamited the Llewellyn Iron Works,
were again declared to have been
brought about through the agency of
a committee of influential citizens.
Tonight members of the faction which
is denouncing the most, itself agreed
heartily that the result was accom-
plished in this way. This fact turned
out to be part of the grievance of
the ground that no representative of
labor was on the committee which
aided in bringing to pass an event
considered of infinite moment to labor
organizations throughout the United
States.
OTHERS IMPLICATED.
- That the compromise effected yes
Mcnamara brothers was much more
extensive than hitherto has been
limited at, namely, that the state of
California had in it's possession infor-
nation that would have involved other
prominent persons, and that the agree
ment to get the McNamaras to plead
guilty practically saves a score of in
dictments and prosecutions, these two
big facts were insinuated in a state
ment by Clarence S. Darrow, chief for
the Mcnamara defense, today.
NEVER WAS SETTLED.
Asked as to when the compromise
was effected, District Attorney Fred
eFickS said today, ''it never was set
tied till it happened.
Frankly, didn't know it was really
going to happen till the last minute,
though / had every reason to expect
it." said he.
He added that strong pressure was
brought to bear upon the defense in
the last twenty four hours before the
confessions. but would give no details.
informed that business interests were
reported to have taken a hand in set
ting the trial, the district attorney
was inclined to minimize the report.
We gave them our ultimatum that
both must plead guilty. he said.
These men were guilty and we
knew II. They had a pretty good idea
or some of the things We knew about
and they perhaps saved many a reve-
lation by their action
What the district attorney chiefly
desired at all times was that both men
plead guilty. It was said that James