Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-07-20
MOST SENSATIONAL CASE
OF CALIFORNIA COURTS

SAN FRANCISCO. July 20.-De-
mand by the prosecution for the in
Fiction OF the death penalty, rarely
before asked in California in the case
OF woman; widespread interest Of
labor unions, public controversy in
Nolying credlbility of states witnesses
and charges by the defense that inn
portant evidence had been fabricated,
were features which marked the trial
of Mrs. Rena Mooney for murder re-
sulting from the bomb explosion here
last July.
Mrs. Mooney. a music teacher, wife
OF Thomas J. Mooney, was arrested a
few days after the explosion. which,
Occurring at 2:O5 p. m. in the course of
Il Preparedness Day parade July %.
killed ten persons and wounded more
than forty men, women and children.
At about the same time the MONEYS
were arrested, Warren X. Billings,
Israel Weinberg and Edward d. Nolan
were taken into custody by detectives.
The state contended that The ex-
plosion was the elimination of a con-
spiracy plot OF wide qualifications,
with the five bomb murder defendants
as the ringleaders.
Billings was tried. convicted of muir.
der and sentenced to life imprison.
ment. Mooney was sentenced TO death
on a verdict of murder in the first
degree without recommendation for
mercy. Both sentences have been
held up pending appeals to the state
supreme court. The others are now
awaiting trial. Nolan Is at liberty on
bail.
Il Dissatisfied with the verdict in the
case of Thomas J. Mooney, union la
Dor organizations, which contributed
largely To the defense fund through
the International Workers Defense
League, caused the appointment OF q
silent ury" composed of labor men
to hear evidence adduced at Mrs
Moneys trial and render an indie
pendent verdict to organized labor.
Mrs. Mooney was brought to trial
May 81 before Superior Judge Emmett
Scawell. of Santa Rosa. and n jury.
i The specific charge against her was
the murder of Mrs. Myrtle Irene Var
Leo, one of the ten victims of tho
explosion. In addition the defendant
was charged with having been a mem
Der of a 'murderous conspiracy" Il
tovTthrow the government and brinl
about a state of anarchy. Much testi
mOny and many exhibits intended tC
support this theory were ruled out by
Judge Seawell. Various letters writ
ten TO and by Mooney, extracts from
an anarchist publication called tho
Blast" edited here about the time
OF the explosion by Alexander Berk
man, an associate of Emma Goldman
and other documents, which the state
contended showed designs of the al
legged group of conspirators, were ad
mitted.
Alibi was the defense which the dc
PENDANTS attorneys sought TO estab
I lish by a score of witnesses. who de
clared Mrs. Mooney and her husband
had been on the roof of the buildinE
in which they made their home more
than mile from the scene of the eX
plosion, throughout the afternoon
Mrs. Mooney and the four other de
PENDANTS told of their movements in
detail on the afternoon of the bomt
murders. The defense sought to prov,
that others rather than the defendant:
were the persons who had been seeI
in the vicinity of the explosion by tn,
. state witnesses.
The states contention was tina
! Mooney and the others sought to pre-
ven: the parade because it was a mill
tary preparedness measure which
might interfere with their alleged plo
to overthrow the government and tina
Billings, accompanied by three of tn,
; other defendants placed a suitCas,
) which. the state contcnded, enclosed
the bomb, at the spot where the bias
occurred. One witness said he saw
} Billings. accompanied by Mooney
place the suitcase on the sidewalk.
The defense contended that tn
bomb waS hurled from the roof of
building and witnesses testified the