Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1912 — AIDS DARROW’S CASE [ARTICLE]

AIDS DARROW’S CASE

LINCOLN STEFFENS GIyES IMPORTANT EVIDENCE? Believed Testimony of Magazine Writer Will Be Deciding Factor in Reaching a Verdict. Los Angeles, Cal., July 19. —Lincoln Steffens, the magazine writer, gave testimony in the Darrow case of the highest importance to the defense. Steffens testified that on Saturday before the arrest of Bert Franklin, on the following Tuesday, November 28, Darrow consented that if it was necessary in order to affect a settlement of the McNamara cases, he would let J. J. McNamara plead guilty, as well as J. B. McNamara.

Steffens testified further that this decision of Darrow was kept secret between himself and Darrow, and he went on representing to the citizens’ committee, which he had interested in the peace negotiations, that Darrow would not agree to any terms that did not include the discharge of J. J. McNamara.

Further the witness testified that on Sunday; November 26, he and Darrow and former Judge Cyrus F. McNutt of the McNamara counsel, went to the county jail and disclosed the plans to the McNamaras and secured their separate consent to the plan which involved changing their pleas to guilty. , .

Judge McNfitt died since the beginning of the Darrow trial. In consequence Steffens’ testimony on these two facts, it seems, can, in the nature of things, have no other corroboration than the testimony of Darrow himself. If the jury believes Steffens, his testimony probably will become the deciding factor in the verdict. The defense went into this line of evidence to show that with that understanding having been reached and arrangements practically completed for the McNamaras to plead guilty, Darrow could have no <iotive to bribe a juror. Steffens’ testimony was definite and positive.