Imperial Valley press., 1912-08-12
ARGUMENT BEGINS

(BY UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATIONS
; LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12-The court
room was crowded when court was
called for the opening argument in
the Darrow trial this morning. The
doors into the corridors were left open
to permit the overflow crowd to hear
the attorneys. Darrow appeared
shortly before court opened in excel
lent spirits, despite the work of pre-
pairing his own argument, with which
the defense closes Thursday
Likening Darrow to Lord Bacon,
Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold,
Assistant District Attorney Ford
scathingly arraigned Darrow in his
opening argument befor the jury. He
declared Bacon accepted a bribe as
chancellor of the British exchequer
and pleaded guilty to bribery before
the house of lords. He described Judas
as a brilliant thinker who sold his
honor. He referred to ATnold's bril-
liant record as a soldier which failed
to prevent treachery. He described
the Times disaster, declaring the Nc
Namaras knew Darrow personally. He
said many criminal lawyers abused
their privileges, teaching criminals
that there is war between them and
society; that all they need is "a smart
lawyer like Darrow"
Here an appeal for the defense was
made with noisy objection, assigning
the statement as an error The judge
instructed the jury to take the state
ment as argument and not as evidence.
Shortly after the McNamaras were
arrested" Ford recited, "Darrow knew
the case against them was hopeless
and
Darrow interrupted, saying cody:
There's no such evidence, Mr.. Ford
| take exception"
The prosecutor then assigned a bri-
berry motive, declaring the defendant
had a great reputation 10 preserve:
that he was inclined 10 preserve it bv
any means at his disposal, and said:
He knew Ortie McManigal had testi-
fed against the McNamaras before the
grand jury, and so brought Mrs. Nc
Manlgal to California to commit a
crime: TO persuade her husband to
change his testimony. George Benin
tMcManiSals uncle) vas brought
here for the same purpose
Ford personally appealed to Juror
Goldlng, who previously had ex-
pressed belief that the entire case
was frame-up, and endeavored to
convince him that he could not vote to
acqult barrow without branding as a
perjurer George Lockwood, prospec-
tive juror, whom it is charged Darrow
had attempted to bribe. He discussed
the dictographing of Darrow's alleged
conversations with John r Harring
ton, the employment By the Nc
Namara defense Of Guy Biddinger.
detective, for Burns His argument
was frequently interrupted by the de-
tense counsel, declaring the prosecu-
tlon was stating facts not in the evi
dence.
Ford lengthily discussed the alleged
spiriting away of Flora CapIan and r
4. Diekelman, state witnesses. He
went into the Mcnamara defense fund
declaring Darrow had placed a portion
OF 1t in the hands OF Olaf Tyeitmoa.
a San Francisco laborite.
You're not stating facts Darrow
interrupted, when Ford charged that
barrow had $500 of the defense fund
when he visited San Francisco August
last.
4 challenge you to show any such
state OF facts chimed Appel.
Ford ignored and continued: "Those
IN San Francisco knew Darrow was
corrupting everybody he came in con-
tact with, just as he corrupted some
OF the best men in Los Angeles. one
OF whom, am sorry to say, was LIE
Compte Davis
The defense objected to this state
ment. The exception was noted.