The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-12-08
M'NAMARAS PLEAD
GUILTY OF CRIME
Action Comes Suddenly in the
Los Angeles Court.
James 3. Mcnamara Admits RESPONSE
biIity for the Times Building Elk
pIosion and John j. for the
Iron Works Affair.

James b. Mcnamara was sentenced
by Judge BOrdwell at Los Angeles,
Cal, to life Imprisonment and John ].
Mcnamara to fifteen years.
A plea of guilty of the murder Of
Charles Haggerty by dynamiting was
made by James B. Mcnamara at Los
Angeles, Cal
John j. Mcnamara entered plea
of guilty to the charge of dynamiting
the Lleweliyn Iron works.
Both men withdrew previous pleas
of not guilty.
Judge BOrdWell came into court and
as was his custom he announced the
case: The people OF the state CT
California IS. j. B. Mcnamara charged
with murder Defendant in court. Are
you ready to proceed, gentlemen"
Lecompte Davis, of counsel for the
defense, arose from his chair as the
judge finished his statement. He said:
After long consideration, if it
pIcascs your honor, and after consult
ins With counsel in this case, we have
come to the conclusion that we shall
enter q plea OF guilty.
There was stir in the court room
as Mr.. Davis finished his brief state
meut.
Clarence barrow, chief counsel for
the defense, said;
Il have saved a human life out OF
the wreckage | hope. | do not be-
Iicyo that the Judge will sentence him
tn &c hn hoe
can expect. For six months | have
carried d terrible burden. We have
sOUlht every possible loophOle and
have tried our best to grope our way
out Of the maze, but about TWO weeks
ago | discovered from the county au-
thorities the evidence which they had
In addition to their evidence | had
further facts which, if they had dis
covered, would have only added to the
hopelessness of Jim's plight"
District Attorney Fredericks said:
81 can't say at this time whether
we will ask the court to deal leniently
with the prisoners. But when a man
comes forward and makes a confess
sion. that saves the state a large
amount of money he is entitled to
some consideration"
The crime for which James B. Nc
Nam!ara and John J., the secretary
and treasurer of the international
Bridge and Structural Iron Workers
association, were arrested and placed
on trial in Los Angeles was the blow
ing up of the Los Angeles Times news
paper and printing plant
At few minutes after | o'clock on
the morning of Oct. l, 1910, while the
Times staff was getting out the days
paper the building, situated at Broad
way and First street, was wrecked by
dynamite Time clock bombs had been
used, it was ascertained later
The effect of the explosion was
frightful. One whole wall Of the build
Ing collapsed. Floors gave way and
crashed to the cellar Flames arose
from the debris. Firemen and police
took twenty-one bodies out of the
wreckage. Some had been killed in
stantly by the explosion. Others,
caught by the sweep of flames, were
burned to death. A number of the dead
were union men. Many of them were
married and had children.
Later in the morning, bomb was
found in the home of General Harri-
son Gray Otis, proprietor of the Times
and an uncompromising opponent of
the closed shop. This bomb let go in
the street just after detectives who
had been examining it were fright
ened away by the rattle of its mecilan-
ism. Other bombs were found cum
ninely contrived mechanisms, in which
an alarm clock and a can of nitro
glycerin were the chief components
= had the personal assurances from
both John J. and James B. that they
were absolutely innocent when I Wis
tied them in Jail in Los Angeles in
September" said Mr. Gompers. "My
confidence has been imposed upon
am shocked at the news
'What effect will this termination
have upon labor unions?" he was
asked.
We'll, it will not do the labor unions
any good said Gompers. 1.-THE unions
of this country have been imposed on.
We have collected, at the last report
that l know of, $4,000 for their de-
fense
"My attitude has always been the
denunciation and the disbursement
of that sort Of thing continued MIR.
Gompers. ut has to be stamped out
it must be stamped out if the labor
unions will endure. The labor move
ment is one of peace, not the destroy
ing of peperty and lives"