The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-17
HISTORY OF CASE.

The Indictment and trial of Clar-
ence Darrow, the famous criminal law
yer on the charge of attempting to
bride a juror, came as a startling Sc
quence to the now famous Mcnamara
dynamiting case.
1t was on December 1, 1912, that
John J. and James B. Mcnamara
pleaded guilty to the charge Of murder
in connection with the dynamiting of
the Los Angeles Times building, and
were sentenced to fifteen years and
life Imprisonment respectively. The
great trial had been under way only
six weeks and the attorneys for both
sides were still wrangling over the Sc
lection of a jury, when the startling
announcement was made that the pris-
oners would plead guilty to the
charge.
barrow, who had full charge of the
defense of the prisoners, had carried
on a magnificent fight during every
step of the proceedings, but he became
convinced that the evidence the prose-
tcution had was overwhelming.
Bribery rumors had been rife during
the trial, but the sensation came a
few days prior to the Mcnamara bro
Tiers plea Of guilty, when Bert Frank
lin, detective for the defense. was
placed under arrest on the charge of
attempting to bride George N. Lock
wood and Robert Balm.
His :.%rests was followed by hints
of "higher-ups," but Darrows name
was not mentioned until December II,
when the detective was given hear
ing at which witnesses testified that
tDarrow's name had been used in the
,overtures. Franklin, however, siren
uously denied that this famous law
yer had had anything to do with the
ATTEMPTED bribery of jurors.
Goes To Grand Jury.
His case was taken up by the grand
Jury and about the middle of January
rumors that Franklin had confessed
that Darrow was behind the bride
fund were circulated in Los Angeles.
barrow. through his lawyers, entered
a strenuous denial of these charges,
and when the rumors were confirmed,
branded Franklin as turn-coat and
to discredit the labor lawyer.
On January %, two indictments
were returned against barrow, con-
tanning four counts. Two of these
counts charged the lawyer with the
bribery and attempted corruption of
Robert Balm, the first juror sworn to
try James B. Mcnamara, the confess
spH tor
ing a term in San Quentin prison. The
remaining counts allege the bribery
and corruption of George n. Lock
wood, venireman summoned in the
Mcnamara case.
barrow was arraigned on February
j, and his attorneys Immediately en-
tered motions before the court to set
aside the first Indictment and ouash
the second on the ground that the
evidence was insufficient and did not
set forth facts proving the charges.
After a consideration of these mo-
tons, the barrow attorneys We're call
ed before the court on February 3
and the motions were formally denied
Darrow then entered a formal plea of
not guilty. and was released under a
heavy bail His trial was set for MAY
15.
The trial of Bert Franklin on Feb
ruary 81. dispelled any lingering doubt
as to the part the detective had play
ed in his investigation before the
grand jury. He Immediately pleaded
guilty to one indictment and was re-
leased after paying a line of $4,000,
the presiding judge significantly COM
Imenting on the influence of an older
and more experienced man" HIS 10