James B. McNamara
Los Angeles Times Bombing
CLASSIFICATION: Mass Murder
LOCATION
Los Angeles, California
TIME PERIOD
October 1, 1910
VICTIMS
21 confirmed
On October 1, 1910, James B. McNamara detonated a bomb at the Los Angeles Times building, resulting in significant destruction and the deaths of 21 individuals. The incident occurred in Los Angeles, California, as part of a broader labor conflict involving the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers, where McNamara served as treasurer. Following the bombing, McNamara fled to various locations before being apprehended on April 12, 1911, in Toledo, Ohio, alongside his brother John J. McNamara and accomplice Ortie McManigal. The case remains a pivotal moment in labor history, highlighting the violent tactics employed during labor disputes, and McNamara ultimately died in San Quentin State Prison on March 8, 1941, while serving a 15-year sentence for his crimes. Significant evidence included the bomb components and testimonies from co-conspirators, which led to the successful prosecution of McNamara and his associates.
James B. McNamara is believed to have orchestrated the bombing of the Los Angeles Times building as a response to aggressive anti-union tactics employed by companies like U.S. Steel and the National Erectors' Association. Some speculate that his actions were part of a broader strategy by labor unions to retaliate against the suppression of workers' rights during a period of intense labor conflict. There are also theories suggesting that McNamara's expertise as a dynamite expert played a crucial role in the planning and execution of the bombing, marking a significant moment in labor history.
The Explosive Tale of James B. McNamara
Early Life and Background
James B. McNamara was born in California in 1882, a time when labor movements were gaining momentum across America. Little did the world know that this young man would grow up to play a pivotal role in one of the most notorious labor-related crimes of the early 20th century. McNamara, also known as J.B. or simply JB, would become synonymous with the infamous Los Angeles Times bombing, which etched his name into the annals of true crime history.
The Brewing Storm: Career and Union Struggles
By the early 1900s, the battle lines between labor unions and corporations were drawn sharply. In 1903, the steel manufacturing giant, U.S. Steel, and its subsidiary, the American Steel Company, established the National Erectors' Association (NEA). Their mission was clear: promote open shops and dismantle union power using agents provocateurs, private detectives, and strikebreakers. McNamara, along with his elder brother John J. McNamara, found themselves entrenched in this struggle when John was elected treasurer of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers (IW) in 1905.
In 1909, James McNamara's career took a dark turn as he became an apprentice dynamiter, mastering the art of time bombs, specifically the pipe bomb. Despite a major strike at American Bridge in 1906, by 1910, U.S. Steel had nearly eradicated unions from its plants, leaving only the determined IW to continue their fight.
The Los Angeles Times Bombing
On October 1, 1910, the simmering tensions reached a boiling point. James B. McNamara executed a bombing that would forever change his life and the lives of many others. He planted a bomb using a "clock machine" in the Los Angeles Times building, resulting in a devastating explosion that destroyed the structure. In the chaos that ensued, McNamara fled first to Salt Lake City and then to Chicago.
In December of that same year, McNamara's association with Ortie McManigal saw them planting another bomb at the Llewellyn iron works on the West Coast. McManigal later claimed he was coerced into participating, describing himself as a "cornered rat." McNamara's bombing spree continued unabated, with five more bombs planted in March 1911 alone.
The Hunt Begins
The NEA, determined to bring the bombers to justice, enlisted the services of ex-BOI agent William J. Burns. Burns, the owner of the William J. Burns International Detective Agency, set his sights on the McNamara brothers. As McNamara plotted to bomb Burns' office, the detective's agency, led by Guy Biddinger, apprehended both McNamara and McManigal in Toledo, Ohio, on April 12, 1911. Meanwhile, John J. McNamara was arrested on April 22, 1911, during an IW executive board meeting in Indianapolis.
The Trial of the Century
The trial of James and John McNamara became a national spectacle. The American Federation of Labor (AFL), convinced of the brothers' innocence, organized a defense committee. Renowned attorney Clarence Darrow, supported by Joseph Scott and Job Harriman, took up their defense. The AFL accused Gray Otis, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, of orchestrating the explosion.
The trial commenced in October and ran through November 1911. William J. Burns, through deft manipulation, secured a confession from Ortie McManigal, who cooperated with prosecutors, resulting in a reduced sentence for himself. On December 1, 1911, Darrow advised both McNamara brothers to plead guilty. John received a 15-year sentence, while James faced a life sentence. McManigal's confession implicated other IW executives, leading to 38 indictments and significantly crippling the union.
Imprisonment and Advocacy
James B. McNamara served his life sentence at San Quentin Prison. Throughout his incarceration, various organizations, including Communist front groups like the All-California Conference for Defense of Civil Rights and Aid to Labor's Prisoners, campaigned for his pardon or release.
Personal Life and Death
Despite his notoriety, McNamara was an honorary member of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties, alongside notable figures such as Joseph R. Brodsky, Franz Boas, and others. McNamara's story came to an end on March 8, 1941, when he passed away in San Quentin Prison. He was laid to rest at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael, California.
Legacy and Aftermath
The guilty pleas of the McNamara brothers dealt a severe blow to labor lawyer Job Harriman's campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, just four days before the election. Clarence Darrow, despite his successful defense, faced accusations of jury tampering, an issue that remained unresolved.
In 1913, Ortie McManigal penned a 91-page account of the bombings, a chilling narrative of the "National Dynamite Plot." The McNamara brothers' story, along with correspondence with Clarence Darrow and Upton Sinclair, is preserved in the archives at the University of Cincinnati, serving as a stark reminder of the turbulent labor struggles of their time.
Sources
For further details, visit the Wikipedia page on James B. McNamara.
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Los Angeles Times Bombing
James B. McNamara sets off a bomb at the Los Angeles Times building, causing significant destruction.
Additional Bombing
McNamara assists in planting a bomb at Llewellyn iron works on the West Coast.
Multiple Bombings
McNamara plants five more bombs in March 1911, escalating the campaign.
Arrest of McNamara
James B. McNamara is arrested in Toledo, Ohio, along with Ortie McManigal.
Trial Begins
The trial of James B. McNamara and his brother begins, with Clarence Darrow as their defense attorney.
Guilty Plea
McNamara pleads guilty, receiving a life sentence, while his brother receives a 15-year sentence.
Death in Prison
James B. McNamara dies in San Quentin State Prison.
On October 1, 1910, James B. McNamara detonated a bomb at the Los Angeles Times building, resulting in significant destruction and the deaths of 21 individuals. The incident occurred in Los Angeles, California, as part of a broader labor conflict involving the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers, where McNamara served as treasurer. Following the bombing, McNamara fled to various locations before being apprehended on April 12, 1911, in Toledo, Ohio, alongside his brother John J. McNamara and accomplice Ortie McManigal. The case remains a pivotal moment in labor history, highlighting the violent tactics employed during labor disputes, and McNamara ultimately died in San Quentin State Prison on March 8, 1941, while serving a 15-year sentence for his crimes. Significant evidence included the bomb components and testimonies from co-conspirators, which led to the successful prosecution of McNamara and his associates.
James B. McNamara is believed to have orchestrated the bombing of the Los Angeles Times building as a response to aggressive anti-union tactics employed by companies like U.S. Steel and the National Erectors' Association. Some speculate that his actions were part of a broader strategy by labor unions to retaliate against the suppression of workers' rights during a period of intense labor conflict. There are also theories suggesting that McNamara's expertise as a dynamite expert played a crucial role in the planning and execution of the bombing, marking a significant moment in labor history.
The Explosive Tale of James B. McNamara
Early Life and Background
James B. McNamara was born in California in 1882, a time when labor movements were gaining momentum across America. Little did the world know that this young man would grow up to play a pivotal role in one of the most notorious labor-related crimes of the early 20th century. McNamara, also known as J.B. or simply JB, would become synonymous with the infamous Los Angeles Times bombing, which etched his name into the annals of true crime history.
The Brewing Storm: Career and Union Struggles
By the early 1900s, the battle lines between labor unions and corporations were drawn sharply. In 1903, the steel manufacturing giant, U.S. Steel, and its subsidiary, the American Steel Company, established the National Erectors' Association (NEA). Their mission was clear: promote open shops and dismantle union power using agents provocateurs, private detectives, and strikebreakers. McNamara, along with his elder brother John J. McNamara, found themselves entrenched in this struggle when John was elected treasurer of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers (IW) in 1905.
In 1909, James McNamara's career took a dark turn as he became an apprentice dynamiter, mastering the art of time bombs, specifically the pipe bomb. Despite a major strike at American Bridge in 1906, by 1910, U.S. Steel had nearly eradicated unions from its plants, leaving only the determined IW to continue their fight.
The Los Angeles Times Bombing
On October 1, 1910, the simmering tensions reached a boiling point. James B. McNamara executed a bombing that would forever change his life and the lives of many others. He planted a bomb using a "clock machine" in the Los Angeles Times building, resulting in a devastating explosion that destroyed the structure. In the chaos that ensued, McNamara fled first to Salt Lake City and then to Chicago.
In December of that same year, McNamara's association with Ortie McManigal saw them planting another bomb at the Llewellyn iron works on the West Coast. McManigal later claimed he was coerced into participating, describing himself as a "cornered rat." McNamara's bombing spree continued unabated, with five more bombs planted in March 1911 alone.
The Hunt Begins
The NEA, determined to bring the bombers to justice, enlisted the services of ex-BOI agent William J. Burns. Burns, the owner of the William J. Burns International Detective Agency, set his sights on the McNamara brothers. As McNamara plotted to bomb Burns' office, the detective's agency, led by Guy Biddinger, apprehended both McNamara and McManigal in Toledo, Ohio, on April 12, 1911. Meanwhile, John J. McNamara was arrested on April 22, 1911, during an IW executive board meeting in Indianapolis.
The Trial of the Century
The trial of James and John McNamara became a national spectacle. The American Federation of Labor (AFL), convinced of the brothers' innocence, organized a defense committee. Renowned attorney Clarence Darrow, supported by Joseph Scott and Job Harriman, took up their defense. The AFL accused Gray Otis, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, of orchestrating the explosion.
The trial commenced in October and ran through November 1911. William J. Burns, through deft manipulation, secured a confession from Ortie McManigal, who cooperated with prosecutors, resulting in a reduced sentence for himself. On December 1, 1911, Darrow advised both McNamara brothers to plead guilty. John received a 15-year sentence, while James faced a life sentence. McManigal's confession implicated other IW executives, leading to 38 indictments and significantly crippling the union.
Imprisonment and Advocacy
James B. McNamara served his life sentence at San Quentin Prison. Throughout his incarceration, various organizations, including Communist front groups like the All-California Conference for Defense of Civil Rights and Aid to Labor's Prisoners, campaigned for his pardon or release.
Personal Life and Death
Despite his notoriety, McNamara was an honorary member of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties, alongside notable figures such as Joseph R. Brodsky, Franz Boas, and others. McNamara's story came to an end on March 8, 1941, when he passed away in San Quentin Prison. He was laid to rest at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael, California.
Legacy and Aftermath
The guilty pleas of the McNamara brothers dealt a severe blow to labor lawyer Job Harriman's campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, just four days before the election. Clarence Darrow, despite his successful defense, faced accusations of jury tampering, an issue that remained unresolved.
In 1913, Ortie McManigal penned a 91-page account of the bombings, a chilling narrative of the "National Dynamite Plot." The McNamara brothers' story, along with correspondence with Clarence Darrow and Upton Sinclair, is preserved in the archives at the University of Cincinnati, serving as a stark reminder of the turbulent labor struggles of their time.
Sources
For further details, visit the Wikipedia page on James B. McNamara.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Los Angeles Times Bombing
James B. McNamara sets off a bomb at the Los Angeles Times building, causing significant destruction.
Additional Bombing
McNamara assists in planting a bomb at Llewellyn iron works on the West Coast.
Multiple Bombings
McNamara plants five more bombs in March 1911, escalating the campaign.
Arrest of McNamara
James B. McNamara is arrested in Toledo, Ohio, along with Ortie McManigal.
Trial Begins
The trial of James B. McNamara and his brother begins, with Clarence Darrow as their defense attorney.
Guilty Plea
McNamara pleads guilty, receiving a life sentence, while his brother receives a 15-year sentence.
Death in Prison
James B. McNamara dies in San Quentin State Prison.