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Los Angeles Times bombing

SOLVED1910Los Angeles Times Building, First Street and Broadway, Los Angeles, California3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Photo-los-angeles-times-building-post-bombing
Photo-los-angeles-times-building-post-bombing — Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Overview

On the night of September 30–October 1, 1910, a suitcase containing sixteen sticks of dynamite was left in "Ink Alley," a passage between the Los Angeles Times Building and its printing annex. The device, rigged to a windup clock and electric battery, detonated at 1:07 a.m. on October 1, 1910. The blast ignited natural gas piped into the building and started a fire that collapsed part of the structure. Of roughly 115 people inside, 21 died, most in the fire, and more than 100 were injured. Similar unexploded bombs were found the same morning outside the homes of Times publisher Harrison Gray Otis and Merchants and Manufacturers' Association secretary Felix Zeehandelaar.

Background and investigation

The bombing occurred amid a bitter Los Angeles labor dispute: the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers (IW) was engaged in a citywide strike against open-shop employers, and had for several years conducted a broader campaign of bombings against non-union iron works nationally. Private detective William J. Burns was hired by the City of Los Angeles to investigate. Using an informant inside the union and undercover surveillance, Burns identified James B. ("J.B.") McNamara and his brother John J. ("J.J.") McNamara, an IW secretary-treasurer, as suspects, along with Ortie McManigal. On April 14, 1911, Burns and police arrested McManigal and J.B. McNamara in Detroit; J.J. McNamara was arrested on April 22, 1911, during a raid on IW headquarters in Indianapolis. McManigal signed a confession implicating the McNamaras and others.

Legal proceedings

The McNamara brothers were arraigned May 5, 1911, and initially pleaded not guilty, becoming a rallying cause for the American labor movement, with attorney Clarence Darrow leading their defense. As jury selection proceeded and evidence mounted, plea negotiations occurred involving Otis and Times executive Harry Chandler. On December 1, 1911, the brothers changed their pleas to guilty. James B. McNamara admitted to placing the bomb that destroyed the Times Building and expressed regret that people had died; he was sentenced to life imprisonment. John J. McNamara admitted to ordering a separate bombing of the Llewellyn Iron Works and received a fifteen-year sentence. Related federal prosecution in Indianapolis in 1912 resulted in convictions of 38 of 40 remaining defendants on federal dynamite-transport conspiracy charges. Two additional men connected to the Los Angeles bombings, David Caplan and Matthew Schmidt, were arrested in 1915; Schmidt was convicted of murder in December 1915 and given life imprisonment, while Caplan was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in December 1916 and sentenced to ten years.

Aftermath

James B. McNamara died of cancer in San Quentin State Prison on March 9, 1941. John J. McNamara, released after nine years, later returned to union organizing, was convicted in a separate matter, and died in Butte, Montana, on May 8, 1941. The bombing and its prosecution had lasting effects on the Los Angeles labor movement, which saw significant membership losses in subsequent years.

Key facts

Victims
On file
Date
1910
Location
Los Angeles Times Building, First Street and Broadway, Los Angeles, California
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1910-06-01

    1,500 union members strike Los Angeles iron manufacturers over wages and overtime.

  2. 1910-09-30

    James B. McNamara plants a suitcase bomb containing sixteen sticks of dynamite in 'Ink Alley' beside the Los Angeles Times Building, set to detonate at 1:00 a.m.

  3. 1910-10-01

    Bomb explodes at 1:07 a.m., igniting a gas-fed fire that kills 21 people and injures more than 100 in the Los Angeles Times Building.

  4. 1910-10-02

    Los Angeles Mayor George Alexander hires private detective William J. Burns to investigate the bombing.

  5. 1910-12-25

    Ortie McManigal detonates a bomb at the Llewellyn Iron Works in Los Angeles on orders relayed through J.J. McNamara.

  6. 1911-04-14

    William J. Burns and police arrest Ortie McManigal and James B. McNamara at the Oxford Hotel in Detroit.

  7. 1911-04-22

    John J. McNamara is arrested during a raid on Iron Workers union headquarters in Indianapolis.

  8. 1911-05-05

    The McNamara brothers are arraigned and plead not guilty.

  9. 1911-12-01

    James B. and John J. McNamara change their pleas to guilty in open court.

  10. 1911-12-09

    The McNamara brothers enter San Quentin State Prison.

  11. 1912-12-28

    A federal jury in Indianapolis finds 38 of 40 remaining Iron Workers defendants guilty of conspiracy to illegally transport dynamite.

  12. 1915-02-13

    Matthew Schmidt is arrested in New York City in connection with the Los Angeles bombings.

  13. 1915-02-18

    David Caplan is arrested in the Seattle area.

  14. 1915-12

    Matthew Schmidt is convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

  15. 1916-12

    David Caplan is convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison.

  16. 1923

    David Caplan is released from prison after six and a half years.

  17. 1941-03-09

    James B. McNamara dies of cancer in San Quentin State Prison.

  18. 1941-05-08

    John J. McNamara dies in Butte, Montana.

Best coverage

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People

  • John J. McNamara

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty on December 1, 1911, to ordering the bombing of the Llewellyn Iron Works; sentenced to fifteen years in prison.

  • James B. McNamara

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty on December 1, 1911, to murder for planting the bomb that destroyed the Los Angeles Times Building; sentenced to life imprisonment.

  • William J. Burns

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Private detective hired by the City of Los Angeles on October 2, 1910, who led the investigation resulting in the arrests of McManigal and the McNamara brothers.

  • Ortie McManigal

    CONVICTED

    Arrested with James B. McNamara in April 1911; turned state's evidence and signed a confession implicating the McNamaras; served two and a half years in prison before parole.

  • Matthew Schmidt

    CONVICTED

    Indicted in 1911 for helping acquire dynamite used in the bombings; arrested in 1915 and convicted of murder in December 1915, sentenced to life imprisonment.

  • David Caplan

    CONVICTED

    Indicted in 1911 for helping acquire dynamite used in the bombings; arrested in 1915; first trial ended in a deadlocked jury, second trial in December 1916 resulted in conviction for second-degree manslaughter and a ten-year sentence.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • Los Angeles Times building, after the bombing disaster on October 1, 1910 (CHS-5728)

    newspaper

    Los Angeles Times building, after the bombing disaster on October 1, 1910 (CHS-5728)

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • Photo-los-angeles-times-building-post-bombing

    archival location

    Photo-los-angeles-times-building-post-bombing

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • Clarence Darrow

    unclassified

    Clarence Darrow

    Credit: Herzog · Public domain · Source

  • Talesman in McNamara case (LA Times bombing trial)

    other document

    Talesman in McNamara case (LA Times bombing trial)

    Credit: The Library of Congress · Public domain · Source

  • The flareback 27801u original

    unclassified

    The flareback 27801u original

    Credit: This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ppmsca.27801.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing. · Public domain · Source

  • William J. Burns

    unclassified

    William J. Burns

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 03

    other document

    John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 03

    Credit: California Department of Corrections · Public domain · Source

  • John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 02

    unclassified

    John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 02

    Credit: California Department of Corrections · Public domain · Source

  • John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 01

    mugshot

    John Joseph McNamara James Barnabas McNamara Los Angeles Times bombing 1910 01

    Credit: California Department of Corrections · Public domain · Source

  • Los Angeles - Talesmen in McNamara Case LCCN2014689887

    unclassified

    Los Angeles - Talesmen in McNamara Case LCCN2014689887

    Credit: Bain News Service, publisher · Public domain · Source

  • Los Angeles - Talesmen in McNamara Case LCCN2014689887

    unclassified

    Los Angeles - Talesmen in McNamara Case LCCN2014689887

    Credit: Bain News Service, publisher · Public domain · Source

  • Jurors playing cards - their bedroom McNamara case LCCN2014689888

    unclassified

    Jurors playing cards - their bedroom McNamara case LCCN2014689888

    Credit: Bain News Service, publisher · Public domain · Source

Places

Los Angeles Times Building, First Street and Broadway, Los Angeles, California

34.0528, -118.2450

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On October 1, 1910, a dynamite bomb planted by union activist James B. McNamara exploded in an alley beside the Los Angeles Times Building, sparking a fire that killed 21 people. He and his brother John J. McNamara were later arrested and pleaded guilty.
Where did the bombing happen?
Los Angeles Times Building, First Street and Broadway, Los Angeles, California.
Who was convicted?
John J. McNamara (Pleaded guilty on December 1, 1911, to ordering the bombing of the Llewellyn Iron Works; sentenced to fifteen years in prison.), James B. McNamara (Pleaded guilty on December 1, 1911, to murder for planting the bomb that destroyed the Los Angeles Times Building; sentenced to life imprisonment.), Ortie McManigal (Arrested with James B. McNamara in April 1911; turned state's evidence and signed a confession implicating the McNamaras; served two and a half years in prison before parole.), Matthew Schmidt (Indicted in 1911 for helping acquire dynamite used in the bombings; arrested in 1915 and convicted of murder in December 1915, sentenced to life imprisonment.), and David Caplan (Indicted in 1911 for helping acquire dynamite used in the bombings; arrested in 1915; first trial ended in a deadlocked jury, second trial in December 1916 resulted in conviction for second-degree manslaughter and a ten-year sentence.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in California

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICLos Angeles Times bombingWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — motorsportmemorial.orgmotorsportmemorial.org · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026