McNamaras plead guilty Los Angeles Times bombing

puck magazine edition of december 27, 1911 (v. 70, no. 1817) depicting flareback of bombing.

on december 1, 1911, mcnamara brothers changed pleas in open court guilty. james b. mcnamara admitted murder having set bomb destroyed los angeles times building on october 1, 1910. john j. mcnamara, setting foot first time in court, admitted having ordered bombing of llewellyn iron works on december 25. j.j. mcnamara later told interviewer darrow had kept mcnamara brothers isolated public opinion. had known how public on side, not have agreed plea deal, claimed.

at sentencing hearing, jim mcnamera s confession read in court:

i, james b. mcnamera, having heretofore pleaded guilty crime of murder, desire make statement of facts:


on night of september 30, 1920, @ 5:45 p.m., placed in ink alley, portion of times building, suitcase containing sixteen sticks of 80 per cent dynamite, set explode @ 1 o clock next morning. intention injure building , scare owners. sincerely regret these unfortunate men lost lives. if giving of life bring them gladly give it. in fact, in pleading guilty murder in first degree have placed life in hands of state.

judge bordwell rejected defendants assertions did not intend harm times workers:

man put sixteen sticks of 80 per cent dynamite in building * * * in you, printer, knew gas burning in many places, , in knew there scores of human beings toiling, must have no regard whatever lives of fellow beings. must have been murderer @ heart.

after sentencing, judge bordwell issued long statement minimizing role of lincoln steffens in bringing plea deal. bordwell wrote prosecution had long sought plea deal, not agree j. b. s insistence brother go free. judge stated broke deadlock arrest of bert franklin, detective hired defense, on charge of attempted bribery of jurors. bribery attempt, wrote, revealed how desperate defense was, , forced them agree prison sentence j. j.