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, . " > - ->.v vT ; ' ' >!,' 'i.-"?* '' Supplement to The AfobbeviHe Press and Banner, ^foveanfeerlff, 188T. . THE AKARCHISTS. History of the Ilaymarket Trag edy in Chicago. CAUSES OF THE TROUBLE Deeds of the Fateful Day?Maj 4, 1886. AEEEST, TRIAL AND CONVICTION Judgment of tho Illinois Courts Affirmec by the Nation's Supreme Tribunal. Portrait* and Sketches of the Police, th< Judges, the Jury, the Convicted an<3 Other Interested Persons?Pictures ol the Scene of the Tragedy, Court Scenes, Etc.?Closing Events -of the Drama Letters of the Condemned, in Which They State Their Case. ANARCHY IN AMERICA. OON after tho close m V of the civil war in the United States I immigration, alMr J ways of no mean [W , proportions, in7 croasod rapidly. |L It was then the Vjgi^gfljf American public miich of commun U y anarchism. In 18bthe maximum was reached when 733,902 Europeans landed in the United States. Immigration from England had declined and that from Ireland fallen to a minimum; but from southern Germany there was an immense increase, while eastern Europe sent Poles, Bohemians, Russians, Hungarians and their congeners by tens of thousands. In many of these people hatred of government had become a hereditary sentiment. Chicago became headquarters for the discontented, and The Arbeiter Zeitung (Workers' Journal) their organ. Then spruug up in that city the International Workingmen's association. The platform or declaration of principles of this organization, as was testified to at the trial, urged that "the present system under which property is owned by individuals should bo destroyed, and that all capital which has been produced by labor should be transformed into common property." The association was divided into "groups," of which there wero eighty in the United States in March, ISSo, located principally in the cities of industry. AM sce:>*e ok the bomb thkowixo. The Chicago groups were known r.s the North Side, the Northwest Sub, the American, the Karl Marx, the Freiheit, the Southwest Side and Jefferson No. 1. Schwab, Neebo and Lingg belonged to the North Sido "group;" Engeland Fischer to the Northwest Side, and Spies, Parsons and Field'.'!! to the American. There was also an armed socialistic organization called the Lehr und WchrVcrein, whose members seem to have also been members of the International4 ?roups,'* but to have been of a higher rank. The branch of the International "Workingmen's association which existed in Chicago during 1S85 and up to May 4,1SS0, was a compact, well disciplined organization. At the head of it was a general or central committee. Next to it came tho Lehr und WehrVerein. Then came the''armed sections" of the various "groups," and then came tho unarmed members of the "groups." JUST BEFORE THE TRAGEDY. The evolution of the tragedy was curiously regular. First, as has been shown, theso men taught radical Socialism. Next, they organised discontented workingmen to act more efficiently in strikes. The usual trouble arose: "scabs" took the place of striking workmen, they were attacked by the strikers, the police wore called on for protection and the inevitable question was presented?shall wo fight? Tho Anarchists, in speech ami in Tho Arhciter z.ei:ung, venementiy urgea uesirueuve measures. They exhorted the strikers to fight both tho "scabs" and the j)olico, gave minute instructions how to use nitroglyccrino and manufacture bombs, and had "armed sections" of their supporters who drilled nightly and were instructed in the use of bombs. At length it was boldly announced that tho Anarchists had 5,000 armed and well drilled revolutionists in Chicago, and it was proved that they really had 3,000 at this time, as was sworn to during the trial. Tho Arbeiter Zoitung and The Alarm published many such sentiments as these: Daggers and revolvers arc easily to be gotten: hand grenades are cheaply to be produced. Will the workingmen supply themselves with weapons, dynamite and prussie acid? The workingmen ought to take aim at every member of the militia. And while tho writers acted with what they probably considered caution, the speakers used language mm a ver^ 'n*i,ani~ \ Still, though ono of tho Chicago paiicrs p tad predicted seriJB fj ous trouble, tho iJ T I meetings were not V I suppressed. But ajfqtL p<odcrick-^')cr" ent, and John Bonficki inspector of Y - aware of the extent elaborate preparations to meet tho outbreak when it should come. Capt. John Bonfleld, who assumed tho responsibility on tli? night of the tragedy, as 011 tin* day of the previous riot, was born in 1KW i:i New Brunswick, his father buiug a County Clare Irishman lately arrived in that province. In 1644 tb? I family moved to Chicago. vrliero John I< th,> trade of a machinist and afterward bee locomotive engineer. In 1KT7 he became a i in.in a:id rose rapidly in rank. S-.'perinteiuieat of Police Frederic!; J. El w.us born in Bavaria iu 18-11, emigrated to ] in HC>7, enlisl "n. the Twelfth 1 f/f \5v at the outbrr the war, and i ft'" ) -ljtj tdl the last C IM crate had laid ' j \ $ his arms. Ilev "\A QP 0s a corpora I / ./!r\ i/.fcwbl came out ft ca , July 9, lficr, ii j //&' ' A first enrolled a J-A ' <y>' liceman, and i l'l; / tober, 18S3, he' /, A / the head of the In the army13 0'J?r. FBSlSOi-^ 123 days undc 1 ^ in battle orskii i The agitation growing out of tho atl . i to enforce the eight hour law led direct ' , tho tragedy. As early as May, 18S4, tl i ganized workingmcn of Chicago gave i | that on the 1st of May, 18SG, they wou rist upon tho general observance of the I It is not ncccssaryto detail the nuin I strikes and occasional riots of tho folic I i two years in various sections of tho cou f ! sufiluc it, that each one was eagerly ! upon by the anarchists as fresh proof ' | capital was crushing labor. : On Anril 25.1SS5. the new board of building was formally opened; there i somewhat riotous popular domonstr against it, and Ficlden and Parsons addr tho assemblago in language more inflai tory than ever before. In July, 18S0, was a general strike of street car empl 1 One riot was excited which was mm " EXPLOSION OF BOMB, suppressed by the police with great diffic In February. 1SSC, the workmen at tb? Cormick factory struck, and Pinker men were employed to defend tho prop and there was a riot. On May 1, lSSi worliingmcn of Chicago, with few e: tions, carried out their plan of a ge: sti*il:c for an eight hour day. The strike well managed and partially successful. May :i August Spies delivered a fierco pi pic against the non-union men still empl at'tho McCormick works, and there ws encounter between the "scabs" and polii one side and the strikers on the other short and terrible light occurred; so1 men were killed and many more woundi various degrees. From the battle gr August Spies hurried to the office of Arbeiter Zoitung, wrote and had printed distributed the noted revenge circular. On Hav 4 there was rioting nearly all on Blue Island avenue, near tho MeCor works. The First regiment was orderi bo in readiness at its armory and the e: police force was kept in instant readi The Arbeiter Zcitung of that morning u destructive action, and the Anarchists' busy among the strikers all day. Thous of copies of the following notice were i tcrcd through the city: ATTENTION, WORKINCJIES! Great rrca?s meeting to-night at 7:30 o'clo< the Ilayinarket, Iiautlolph street, between pliii.es and Halstead. Good speakers wil present to denouueo the latest ctroeious ac the police?the shooting of our fellow wort yesterday afternoon. Worliingmen, arm ] selves and appear in full fores! Tai: Exccotivs Comkitt; / / // // ' ' ' ' CKSPLAIKES STREET STATION*?BRINGING THE WOUNDED. The vror<l "Rulio"' (Gorman for 'Tea alleged t:> hava bcon agreed upon as tho iial for iniinediatj revolution, also appei in that number o? tho paper. THE FATEFUL NIGHT. On tho evening of 2 lay 4 about 2,000 pc assembled. Tho manager.-; placed tho wj on which the cpcakivu were to stand a! way up Dcsplair.e: stroc-t from tho I market, by tho mouth cf a convenient a. and at a point v. hero they could have a view of tho polica as tho latter adva: j from their Desplaine3 Street station. 31: Carter Harrison vras in tho crowd c:ul pressed some surprise at tho mildness of llrst speakers, Spies and Pardons. The cr was disappointed, too, and was fast me! away, v.hen Fieldea took his stand in wagon, llis most intimate English fri could not have recognized the mild Mt r-lui'-f/ r mid lnlinrcv of other rl;iv:j frenzied declamation excited what rcma of tbo crowd, and their applauso roactei hiin. It was testilbd ct tho trial tba called for immediate action in tlicso wor Arm! Arm: I Tarottle nnd kiii the law! Then Inspector llonfield decided to disi tho meeting. Seven companies of polieei 1"> men, in platoons reaching from cur curb, marched from their station of plamcs htirct north to the wagon. As drew r.er.r, Ficlden is sworn to have shoi "Here como tho bloodhounds; you do ; duty and I'll do mine!" Capt. Ward, of the police, called ont: "111 the name of the people of the sta Illinois I command you to peaceably perse!'' Ficlden stepped down from the wagor claiming: "We aro peaceable 1" It was claimed by the prosecut ion thai word "peaceable" was the signal agreed There was deud silence for perhaps seconds, the crowd slowly moving oif the police standing firm, when a str Sizing sound was heard near the mou' tho alley nn<l 1 hence a littlo ball rose in eurvo :arac.l 0VR>* tho wagon and fell between tho cecond :ame a and third companies of police. Thero was a police blinding flash, an explosion that was heard lorsold :ilinci9 , ' :> (! in F H llinow ^ F ^ ?S rs ffltw ivaa at / L r f,re (> ' miKh. vSSIISSs^ SnT ^YW\ g? lotice Varv/f ) law. jk'./^n erous V 'As'' /, J >wing S . ' Kt>ewt's t.hat POLICE VICTHI8. two miles and a deep prolonged roar, echoing trade from tho buildings?then appalling screams vas a aa'^ a vo^?y ?f pistol shots. Tho' smoke aticn lifted, and tho ground appeared covercd with essed slain?but only for an instant Two whole nma. companies of polico bad been thrown to the there Ground, of whom one, Matthias J. Degan, loyes. was distantly lulled, six mortally woundod onjy and sixty others hurt in various degrees. p But tho police rallied at once and with tho ifljjjj firmness and steadiness of veterans, they 11(| II sprang forward, emptying their revolvers III into tho flying crowd as they went, and fol^ lowing their shots with their clubs they cleared tho street in less than three minutes . of all Gave tho dead and wounded. From f J alley, gutter and hallway came deep groans and curses. j Is is estimated that twenty of the crowd - J wcro killed and about 150 wounded. An Anf)* archist named Kistler was killed by the bomb. Besides OCiccr Degan, killed outright, tho policemen who died of their wounds were yXii J. J. Barrett, George Miller, Timothy Flaniban, Michael Sheehan, Thomas Reddin and ^j-jf Neil Hansen. After the dispersion of tho mob came the saddest scenes of the occasion. v Tho dead and wounded policemen were rapidly conveyed to the station, the latter made as comfortablo as possible and surgeons Ap called; but not before their wives and near w]| relatives huiried there, for bad news flies IjjI fast. The tears of some, tlio sobs and loud // cries of others, tho groans, the gashes, tho wfeti bio 3d and mangled bodies?all these formed a sccno to wring tho hearts of the pitiful. Within a few weeks Chicago had contributed $70,000 for the care of tho wounded police and tho relief of their families and those of ulty. tho dead. Mc- Tho bomb used is said to have been of tho ton's same pattern used to lull tho czar of Russia, orty, and is very well shown in tho initial letter i, tho cut of this account. It was made of composeep sition metal cups fastened together nearly in ncral tho form of a sphcro with a bolt and nutf. ) was On ARREST?TRIAL?CONVICTION. lilip- On tho day after the tragedy tho police dcoved sccnded on every known Anarchist resort in is"an Chicago and arrested every suspcctcd man; ;o on before morning man.v had been dragged from . a their beds. Every 0110 in The Arbeiter . oral Zoitung cfiice was arrested: August Spies, od in editor in chief; Christ Spies, his brother; rand Michael Schwab, associate editor; Mrs. ElizTho abatii May Holmes, editorial contributor; i and eighteen printers, two reporters and two messengers. Rudolph Schnaubelt, who, it day was afterward mick claimed, throw tho sd to bomb, was among atiro thoso arrested, but K A aess. the evidence jfo I rgod against him was fi| {5y?{ ivere not deemed suffl- Cj' i jj auds dent to hold liim i /<?j| J scat- nud ho was ro- ^ leased, ilo imme- - ' ~'S& diatcly left Ameri;k at caand is now sup-<<y Dos- posed to to in Ger- ifes . 1 bo many. A do lull Pproppr ts of Fischer was ona cf ;men the printers, and on v /MjyW$U * r 5CHWJM a -14-calibcr revolver and a peculiar knife* macic irom a uat rao. AU were rcieuspu ai3 ler tlio inquest exccpt Schwab, Fischcr and ? August Spies. Tho condemned and somu 1 others were held without bail. May 17, the 5fJ grand jury met and listened to a chargo by ;A the late Judge Rogers; on the 27th they Jt handed in indictments against the men since Tfi condemned and Anton Hirschburger and ^5 Jolm Apel besides. On making up his case tho prosecutor nollied tho indictments I against tho last two, tho ovidcnco being in1 suEcicnt. On tho 2let of Jur.o tho trial began before Judge Gary. Three weeks and rrt three days wero cousamed in making up a;j|| jury; 1,051 talesmen wero cr.ami::cd, both pit sides exhausting every power the law gavo I / them. Tho names of the jury were as fol/ lows: / Fran!: S. Osborne, foreman: James II. Cole, Scott G. Randall, Theodore E. Deafcer, Charles B. 3 IN Todd, Andrew Hamilton, Charles A. Ludwi.?, Jasnes II. Brajton, Alr.uson II. Iteed, John B. LCO"'? Grenier, George V. Adams, Howard T. Sanford. Rig- The trial lasted from July 15 to Aug. SO in ired du^ivo and attracted the attention of tho civilized world?scarcely more by tho importance of tho issues than by tho abilities of the counsel. On behalf of tho stato appeared or)jn States Attorney Julius fc?. Grinnell, assisted .' by Mcssn;. Frank Walker, Edmund Furth, man and (Jcorgo C. Ingham; for tho accuccd, ' Capt. IV. P. Black, Moses Salomon, W. A. Foster and Sigmund Zeisier. The jury liUV, ?7y toot TBI TRIAL* ^ '"''''^ i' ^ dis. retired at 3:30 p. m., and at 10 a. m. next i day, Any. 20, returned a verdict of guilty i i ox- against all the de fendants, with a sentence of j liftcen years in the pouitentiary for Oscar j Nec'bo, and death for ilio other scvcu. ; tho trial began and ended with sensations, j I on. On the first day A. It. Parsons, who had tea escaped and been in hiding, talked into tha and courtroom, announced his voluntary surango render and took his place in the dock with th o f his friends. At tho done, when asked by tho court if thoy had aught to say why sentonco de of death should not bo pronounced, they ail made long addresses, those of Parsons and Sr Fielden bring the best. That of Spies con- ni sisted of pleading and defiance, rtiasoning on ai liberty and quotations from Scripture. In tho courso of his remarks he spoks of Christ as a Socialist. Schwab and Neebe gave arguments against tho regularity of tho triaL Fielden excited somo astonishment by saying: "The great Socialist, Jesus Christ, said 1,900 years ago: 'Better that ninety-nino guilty men should go unpunished than that ono innocent man should suffer.Judgo Gary then sentenced tho seven men to be hanged. APPEALS TO HIGHER COURTS. * The usual application for a new trial was filed and the entire method of the trial ro- M argued for several days. Tho application be- < ing refused, an appeal was taken to tho supremo court of Illinois, and once more the whole caso was thoroughly argued It is needless to detail the legal steps; suflico it that so much time was consumed that the caso did not reach the supremo court till 0f March 17, 1S87. Then Messrs. Grinnell, pi Walker, Ingham and Attorney Genoral ^ Hunt, for tho state, and Messrs. Black, Salo- jn mon. Zoislcr and Leonard Swett. for the de- ,> fenso, discussed tbo issues as to whether the pr court below had erred, whether the Anar- no chists had been legally condemned to death ff? for mere conspiracy, whether the jury was 111 properly constituted and many others. m Tho weight of argument before the ?j' supreme court turned upon tho proper con- gc D? Ai Gi 7 P' jj JcsriteQt*'* 1? SUPREME COURT ILL.IXOI& m struction of the two sections in the revised of statutes .of Illinois 'chapter 38, div. 2, sections ^ 2 and 3), which abolish tho previous th'stinc- (lc tion between principal and accessory, and is; provide that any ono who, "not being prcs- 0f sent, hath advised, encouraged, aided or tic abetted, * * ? shall bo considered as l'i principal and * * may bo punished as such, whether tho principal is convicted or * c not." On tho 14th of September the court rendered an opinion, which fills twenty-one closcly printed columns, and is an exhaustive exposition of the law, fully confirming the decision of tho court below. And so tho prisoners wero sentenced to be hanged on the 11th of November, 1387. Another hopo remained. Gen. Roger A. Pryor, Gen. Bcnjar min F. Butler and Hon. Randolph Tucker were employed as experts in constitutional law, and an appeal mado to the supreme court of the United States, the chicf allegation being that tho accused had not been tried by an 'f "impartial jury," as required by the national constitution. Tho revised statutes of Illinois permit tho choico of a juryman who has formed an opinion from reading newspaper accounts of the case, provided he makes oath that his opinion is not cuch as could not be overthrown by evidence. The question of tho taking of a letter without warrant from Spies' desk was also brought up. Tho supremo court of the United States rendered its decision on tho 2d of November, holding, in brief, that tho jury law of Illinois doc3 not contravene any provision of the national constitution, and that tho question as to whether tho state constitution and laws had been strictly observed was one for the stato courts alone. Tho court con fined itself very strictly to tho caso beforo it, entering 1 into the general questions raised only so far m: as absolutely necessary. But two points, ^ therefore, wero passed upon in regard to tho spj amendments. Tho court held that tho first j ton amendments limit tho powers of the Fed- m: eral government, not tho powers of a state coi over its citizens; anci mo ruux-uxuiui amendment has not changed the rulo in that co' respect. In all other matters the court holds I' ^H/1 k. f ? Ge PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS. Ar that it bas no jurisdiction; C3 tho questions be! as to violating tho national constitution were co: not raised or argued in tho Illinois court, es Therefore, a writ of error could not issue. Of tho various appeals and petitions and meetings protesting against tbo execution or to tko Anarchists wo havo not room to speak at j length. Spies and cir Parsons havo writ- iuf ton tiutobiog- \ 6ta raphies, and tho f\ we condemned men, Z&fi. raj" their families and u?(y y\ p?Miss Nina Van VitVa (&r-i of Zandt, who mar- f."1 riod Spies by *m\ In: proxy, have been I'? tho objects of gen- ?ni cral attention cat eilico the tragedy. haDusky Mrs. Par- j?] sons, who has/* ^V? fit., worked so hard j?? , bci for her husband's <UrJrJ ' ?'j' life, has become ** "cf (ook (oJliT/ hai personally known c the in many cities by reason of her speeches in 'j,l! his behalf. Mrs. Schnaubelt, mother of tho ia{J alleged bomb thrower, und Mi's. Schwab, her cat daughter, wero recently brought into special prominence by reason of tho elder lady's visit ^ to America and tho rumor that she had the brought with her a full statement of tlio ^ facts in tho case from her sou. Spies, Fielden |K.t and Schwab finally signed petitions for cor commutation. All these things can only bo ulluded to hero. Among other cuts we } 0'[1 give a portrait of Sheriff Matron, of Cook | "i? county, Ills., who, by virtue of his office, baa Tot charge of all executions in Chicago. THE CONDEMNED MEN. g Brief biographical sketches of the consumed uro hero given: w August Theodore Vincent Spies (pronounced iecs) is credited with be in;? the brains of tlic tL ovenierit. llo lias given his experience in an tr itobiograpby which is regarded as the work of in Senius by his friends, and as "eloquent insanity print" by those who p.ro opposed to hiin. He is born Dec. 10,185.">. in the "old robbers1 castla n! ^ O f! | KM?** I f counsel foii defense. ^ Landeclc," central Germany; one of his early ~ aythings was an old torture rack with which ^ e nobles used to extort money from Jews or y( emulate" the peasants, and his favorite haunt c childhood was cn the edge of a deep chasm o! to which the robber barons used to throw "the 7< ctty girl3 of the village '1 whom they had k:dtped and of whom they had tired. There he ew up, and thence he came to America to teach e Anarchistic doctrine, reaching the new world 1S72 and Chicago a year later. There he :>rked aa an upholsterer for a number of years. B first showed an interest in the theories of icialism in 1675, and in 13" joined himself to the ihr und Wehr-Verein. He was attached to The rbeiter Zeitung in 18S0 and succeeded Paul ottkau as editor in chief in 1884. Everybody members the attachment that sprung up becen him and Miss Nina Van Zandt during tho la.!, and which resulted.in their marriage "by oxy." Samuel Fielden was born in Todlrnorden, Lanshire, England, in 1847. Ho grew up to be a borer and a Methodist field preacher. In 18G3 > came to America, and soon located in Chicago, lere he joined the Liberal league in 1860; there i met Spies and Parsons, and thereafter grew ifiAttn fiono IWm nn/1 Pntv no. all the condemned are Germans. Albert R. Parsons is the only native American nong the condemned men. Born in Alabama 1&13 and early left an orphan, ho was reared hi3 brother, who was afterwards the noted mfederate general, TV. II. Parsons. He served the Confederate artillery when but 14 years 3; but after the war he became a Repub:an, and in 1872 married a woman "suspected having negro blood in her veins,"' for which s brother disowned him. Before this he had on first a printer on The Galveston (Tex.) News id late editor of The Waco (Tex.) Spectator, th jcauao of this marriage he was obliged to leave of xas, and locating in Chicago he worked in in .rious printing offices, but after a time became ari professional labor agitator; was at one time 23 aster workman of District Assembly &1, Knights Labor, and was president of the trades asmbly for three years. He was nominated for T o presidency by the Socialistic party in 1880, but dined. as be was not then 33 years of age. In i0' S3, at Pittsburg, he helped frame the platform de tho International Working People's associa- pr >:i. Ho was named for city clerk of Chicago by ^ o Socialists in 1683, and became editor of The arm, the organ of the "American Group," a ^ ar later. vii '?^ of f | E K*| 8 my = ' ?-? - l0? PARSONS. FJS???E' SPIES. no EXGEL- SCHWAB. Fn3LDEX- V [x>u!s Lins?, who ia convicted of baring ] ids tlic bombs, is but S3 years old and carr.iot tbi jak r.j^iiah. Ho ia said to havo been expelled tio >in Germany, where he was born, for coniracy. fr( Hiekacl Schwab is a native of Manheim, Ger- gu my, was born in 1S>3 and was educated in a cis fivent. (joining to .".merica in my, no worKeu v-"> a time at the book binders' trade. Ho became ref ancctod with The Arbeiter ZeituDg at the sama ae cs Spies. ce^ Jeorgc En pel was born in Cassel, Germany, in pu G, received a common school education,learned ru] : printers' trade and came to America in 1S73. eqi ft-ar later he located in Chicago, where ho soon P.u ibraced Socialism and became an Anarchi3t. established tbo "Northwest Group" in 1?33. hr. tdolph Fischer is about .">0 years of age and t3 a go, nnan. He came to America when a lad and th( rned the printers' trade with his brother, who ?u blished a German weekly at Nashville, Tcnn. 'er Adolph edited and published The Little ck (Ark.) Staats Zcitung, which he sold in 1881. me en he worked at his trade in St. Louis and Chi:o. He sometimes accused Spies and Schwab r being too mild, and at one time established J r Anarchist, a paper intended to supplant The ln bcitcr Zcitung. Za )scar Neebe, who received a sentence of fifteen hi:; irs in the state prison, is also a middle aged ter rmajL juj. THE ANARCHISTS' SIDE. orn Perhaps tho best possible summary of tho larehiste* defense of their action and their j-0i iief i3 found in tho letters addressed by tho yoi idemned to Governor Oglcsby, of Illinois, tracts from which are given: nia FISCHER'S LETTER. wa cot Cook Cocxtt Jail, Chicago, Nov. 1887. aln 5Ir. R. J. Offlesby, Governor of the State of Uinois: )eab Sir?I am aware tbat petitions are being ciliated and cign?*d by the general public nsk; you to commute the sentence of death which > s'inflicted upon ine by a criminal court of this f te. Anent tiiis action of u sympathizing and \ 11 meaning portion of the peopie, I solemnly \ :lare tbat it lias not my sanction. As a man of \ ;oi\ as a man of conscience and as a man of uciple, I cannot accept mercy. Iam not guilty tho charge in the indictment?of murder. I i no murderer, and cannot apologize for an acn of which I know I am innocent. And should s!t "mercy" en account of my principles, which onestly believe to be true and nobie? No. I i no hypocrite, and have, therefore, no excuses oiler with regard to being an Anarchist, be18c the experiences of the past eighteeu uiontha i-e ocl.v strengthened my convictions. Tho ' ?stion is, Am I responsible for the death of tho j icemen at the IlaymarKet? and I say no, un- | , ? you assert that every Abolitionist could havo j / m held responsible for tho deeds of John j L wn. * * * * * * I n listory repeats itself. As the powers tbat be / re at dil times thought that they could steir [Ai ! progressive tide by exterminating a few .ckers,1' so do the ruling class of today imagine .t they can put a stop to the movement of or emancipation by bangiug a few of i:s advoes. Progress iu its victorious march has bad oviTcome many obstacles which seemed in- ditii cible, and many of its apostles have died plai t dent ii ot' martyrs. The obstacles which bar tho 1 road >if progress today seem to be invincible, thej , I.nt they will be overeonie neverthel.'ss. tiga r. nil ti:>h?c wlw n f hr? pnniliriiin nf v.ifii'fv bnq :ome such that u large portion <;f the pcnplo root uplniued of Use <-::istispr injustice, t!us ruling stro ss'. s liavc denied tl.o truth of these complaints, snid liave t:at t!ie discontent of t!:e portion soei, the people in question was due ouly to l!io logi< ruicious inC.sence" of ' malicious agitators." iliza lay, a uin, scnie people aeiei t mat the "d?<# ciai jflators" are the cntise of Che Immense uTssatistetioii anion,? tlio working jicople. Ob, you people who ?;:eak thus, can you not, or ill you not read the signs of the times? Do ycu jt see that the clouds on the social firmament e thiekeninir? Are you not, for instance, aware lat tin: control of industry and of the means of nnsportation, etc., is constantly concentrating i fewer hands; that the monopolists, i. e., the mrps among the eapitalists, swallow the little les among them; that "trusts," "pools," and her combinations are Ix'ing formed in order to ore thoroughly and systematically fleece the >opIe: that under the present system the delopmeiit of technic ana machine] y is from year i year throwing more workmen on the wavside; tut in some parts of this great and fertde land a ajority of the farmers are obliged to mortgage ie:r homes in order to satisfy the creed of monrous corporations; that, in short, the rich oro instantly growing richer and the poor noortr. rils And their origin iu the present institution of iciety which allows one portion of the human tee to build fortunes upon the misfortunes of hers?to enslave their tellow men? Instead of trying to remedy these evils, and inead of ascertaining just what the cause of tfco idening dissatisfaction is, the ruling classe:;, irough their mouthpieces?press, pulpit, etc.? ?fanie and misrepresent the character, f-scb- , gs and motives or the advocates of social rrvouruction, and use the ritle and the club on them, id, if the opportunity is favorable, send them to ic gallows and prisons. Will this do any goodV s an answer I may as well quote the following ords with which Benjamin Franklin closed his itirical essay, "Rules for Reducing a Great Entire to a Small One," which he dedicated to tl'ii nglish government in 1T7G: "Suppose all their ho "kickers') complaints to be invented and proloted by a few faetious demagogues, whom if ju could catch and hang all would be quiet, itch and hang a few accordingly and the blood ! the martyrs shall work miracles in favor of dut purpose" (i. ? , your o.vu ruin). ^cKffoiP INTERIOR OF THE JAIL. So I say society may bang a number of disciesof progress who nave disinterestedly served e cause of the sons of toil, which is the causo ' humanity, but their blood will work miracles bringing about the downfall of modern society id in hastening the birth of a new era of civil!tion. Magna est Veritas et prevalebet. Adolph Fischer, LOUIS LINGO'S LETTER. ) Mr. R. J. Oglesby, Governor of Illinois: Anent the fact that the progressive and liberty ving portion of the American people are enavoriug to prevail upon you to interpose your erogativo in my case. I feci .mpelled to ceire. with my friend and comrade Parsons, th:tt demand either liberty or death. If you wo . ally a servaut of the people according to tho nstftution of the coufitrv, then you will, l>y itue of your office, unconditionally release m*. Referring to the general and inalienable rights men, I nave called upon the disinherited and iprcsssd masses to oppose the force of their cpessors?exercised by armed enforcement of iamous laws, enacted in the interest of capital? th force, in order to attain a dignified and ly existence by securing the full returns of eir labor. This?and only tills?is the crime lich was proven against me, notwithstanding 0 employment of perjured testimony on thn 1 t of the state. And tnis crime is guaranteed t only as a right, but as a duty, by tho Amerin coustitution. the representative of whichyoo o supposed to bo in the state o* Illinois. Dill ?l .> uu mc 11 uu iuu iL-picacuiiuivo U1 lUO nstitutioa, lilic the great majority of ofilco Iders, a mere tool of the monopolists or a eeific political clique, you will not encroach ton the thirst for blood displayed by the exitiouers, because a mere mitigation of the ver;t would be cowardice and a proof that the ling classes which you represent are themIves abashed at the monstrosity of my conmnation, atid, consequently, of their own vio;iou of the most sacred rights of the people, if our decision in that event will not only judge but also yours^f and those whom you repreat. Judge, then.* Lcuis Lingo. P. G.?In or.Ier to be sure that this lett'.rwill me to your official notice, I will send you the iginal manuscript as a registered letter. L.L. GEORGE ENGEL'S LETTER. Dear Sir?I, Oorge Engel, citizen of the United iter! and of Chicago, and condemned to death, ira that thou^amis of citizens petition yea, aj <> highest executive officer of the stata of llliis, to commute my sentence of death to imisonment. I protest emphatically agr.inst this the following grounds: r nm not aware of iiavin? violated anv Iatvr nt is country. la my (Inn belief in ttio coastitum wuich the t'ouuiiors of this republic beeathcd to this people, nnd which remains unered, I have exercised the rteht of free speech, H3 press, free thought and free assemblage, aa arenteed by the constitution, and have critied the existing condition of society and sucred my fellow citizens with my advice, which I jard as the right of every honest citizen. The perieuce which I have h:i<l in this country, dur; the lifteen years that I have lived here, con ning the ballot and the administration of our blic functionaries who have become totally corpt, have eradicated my belief intheexisteucoof ual rights of poor and rich, and the action of the blic ollicers, police end militia huve produced < firm belief in me that these conditions cannot t long. In accordance with this experience I ve taught and advised. Thi3 I have doae in od iaith of tee rights which are guaranteed by 5 constitution, and, uot being conscious of my ilt, the "powers that be'1 may murder mc. but jy c&r.not legally punish me. I protect against commutation of my sentence, and demaud her lilicrty or death. I renouuee any kind of irey. Itespectfully, George Engcl. spies' defe.vse. rhe defense of August Epics may bo found many centenccs of his letters to Mis3 Van ndt and others, and in his biography and ; notable address to the court before sen? , ico v.as pronounced. In tho latter he said, tons ether things: Your honor, I spealc as the representative of s class to the representative of another. I will ;in with ti:o words uiternl by the Venetian je Falieri to the council of ten: 'My defense ia lr accusation; the causes of my alleged crimo u- history.' " A little le.ter he says: "The conlplated murder of eight men, whose only _ tne ia that they have dared to speak tho truth, ,y open wue trjw 'oujiltju^ minions, may Uc them up. Iudeed, I have noticed that r.uf iviction his worked miracles in this direction sady." I eT'ia &'i* \ S w 1% rm *\v :7-m f X&^SiVr **$&/ ,\'o have interpreted to tin people their ooc? ins and re!;:! iens in waV-iy. V.'e have ex? tied to them tho difTercr:; fecial phenomenao? social laws and eiivumstanevs ?:?: : r which r occur. We have, by way of scientific invostiuii, ineoir.ro vertibly proved uud liroupht to r knowledge that the sysicm of wages i.-. llirt ,of the social iniquities?ini(|iiiiies so inoau.4 that they cry to heaven. \\ < i-.-ve htitrer tuat t .e wapre system, as a specific fontii.P ;il development, would l>v ti?? i.. msi-y >.t t have t ) make room for Lir-ha* U>ni:soiYivtion: that it w:ts ilrep.-rin.'c the w.;,- icr a nv system of co-oix-ration?thut is, sn. 1 , .'< (