DECISIVE TLES OF THE LAW

"""-'~....., .. ~.,. ~ _TCDIES OF EIGHT LEGAL CONTESTS _~: _CT:);G THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED "'~.-\~ BETWEEN THE YEARS 1800 AND 1886

BY

• EDERICK TREVOR HILL

AUTHOR OF :....::::~CO:...::-.. THE LA WYEH. IJ II THE ACCOMPLICE" .4"7R.E CASE AKD EXCEPTIONS" ETC.

~;::... YORK A='ID LONDON BROTHERS PUBLISHERS ~C~VII PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. ot find seats must instantly leave the room," h otnmanded, sharply. "The bailiffs will im­ ediately enforce this rule." There was no mistaking the determination of VIn he speaker. Slowly, but without resistance, he unseated spectators were herded from the PEOPLE VS. SPIES et at.: ourt and the doors closed behind them. Then THE CHICAGO ANARCHISTS' CASE he judge turned to the prosecutor's table at the 'ght of the low platform supporting the bench HE atmosphere of the Criminal Coul' III nd nodded to an intellectual-looking man, who TCook County was ominously business - IiI eemed to be awaiting the signal, for he imme­ on the morning of June 21, 1886. Save f r til I .ately rose and broke the intense silence by group of women gathered about the judg It bserving that the State was ready in No. 1195. hind the judicial desk, no one in the huge., b I' II This conventional announcement, uttered in like court-room seemed to be in attendance f"PIII quiet, conversational tone, marked the opening mere idle'curiosity, and every one, from I.It f a cause wholly unprecedented in the United judge upon the bench to the bailiffs guardin t 1.11 tates, and in many respects unparalleled in the doors, looked unmistakably grave. Far 10. II istory of the world, but those who anticipated audiences had frequently assembled in that \111 omething more dramatic were to have their ex­ pretentious chamber, for the long galleri II ectations realized in a most surprising manner either end were closed to the public, and '0111 efore many minutes had elapsed. paratively few of the spectators on th (111111 For nearly seven weeks Chicago had been were standing; but unusual as this condit, till everishly awaiting judicial action on an out­ of affairs was for the opening of an imp 1'1,/1111 age which had at first horrified, then frightened, murder trial, it did not apparently satisfy III nd finally exasperated the community to a presiding official, whose severe glance sw pl. I int which threatened the due administration approvingly over the scene. "Persons wh 'III f justice. On the night of MaY-4 1886 a~­ 24° 241 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et at.

meeting had been held near Ha:arket SqUill itizens.J All sorts and conditions of m n­ - uncleI the ausptce'Sof certain an ~st o..rgan i~ I age-earners and capitalists alike through ut hons 0 ro es agams!....!.££..§tctioEt...E0he p Ii (II he country-vied with each other in demanding ifnepressmg sor ~gJ!.1Yid~-spre~9-sLri I he prompt suppression of anarchy, and al­ to eriI9!c~~J~!gJit-1?Pl:lT_!~~rd.<:I' . Whil Lli hough the first burst of popular rage,had un­ meeting was in progress a company of polic III III oubtedly spent itself before the accused men had appeared under the command of Insl 'I II ere arraigned at the bar, the feeling that follow- Bonfield, and Captain Ward, one of the su 1)( II d was perhaps even more dangerous to their dinate officers, ordered the crowd to dis] ", afety. The wild denunciations of existing so- The words had scarcely left his lips when IIII ial conditions which had been openly uttered one hurled a dynamite bomb among th III II n the city for years, only to he disregarded or behind him, killing seven of them and inj III i I aughed at, had suddenly become infamous, and sixty others, and in the excitement and '!III here was no mistaking the popular temper in fusion that followed the assassin had. tL I, egard to them. If fr:~~?p_e.echhaq ~een abused, \"'" made his escape. nd its abuse encomaged by the indifferEmceof a \" It did not take long for the citizens of Chi, I II God-natured people~ it was high time that those to realize the menacing nature of this aLL/II ho had overstepped their privileges learned upon law and order, but before they fair! I hat they had done so at their peril, and public covered from the shock the authorities b gill I II pinion demanded that the lesson be so taught Ii investigation which for thoroughness 1 I" hat it would never be forgotten. telligence has never been surpassed in th 1111 II This was the spirit animating the crowd which of the American police. Withi~ a week {l11I1" ung upon the prosecutor's opening words on every prominent anarchist in the city wa: \llld he longest day in the year, 1886, and a more arrest, an e newspapers, teemmg-witl ,1.1" h9roug~l~ informed audience never assembled Y OItheir plots for wholesale murder, r u II I II n a court of law. Not only was every detail of public to the point of fury. Execration () II' he police investigations familiar to all news­ outrages was confined to no particular 'J I aper readers, but, through the publication of 242 17 243 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. ~ photograJ2~~d-recofcds,_altthe prin ·Iplll f prepared his case in almost record time, and had a.cJorSJ!2._:~li"e "impending ,dreu.na_h~

Bitter as was the public feeling against LIlI t~on, as far as it was directed against any par­ closel uarded risoners who sat atthe IcC (" ~lcu1ar individual, centred upon the only Amer­ their counsels' table, it was generally unci 't Ican accused of the crime, and the fact that he was not in court was a bitter disappointment to st..?..?.9 thfl:! ~p~_ of th~B1Jla -;-'~Ql!~)Y co III ·mi1Je_Louis Lingg, there was nothing VI'li escape. It was not because the authorities had not suggesting a criminal in their appearan '( I August Spies, the editor of the anarchist p'ljWI sought him diligently that Albert R. Parsons was Die Arbeiter Zeitung, looked like a Germtlll still at large. Never had a fugitive from justice student, his little mustache with waxed Ill! bee? more systematically hunted, but though the giving him quite a military air. His associaLl, P?hce force of the entire world had been upon Michael Schwab, with his long beard and sp \' hIS track, they had not run him down. For a tacles and intellectual face, might easily het \ time his disappearance was interpreted as a con­ fessi~n passed for a German professor. Samuel Field '11, of guilt, and it would have surprised no the English agitator and anarchist, likewise "Ul: one If he had been indicted as a principal, but gested the student and scholar, and his str 1% the Grand Jury merely named him as an ac­ intelligent face bespoke a man of unusual abilil . ~ess?ry, charged, like the others, with having Adolph Fischer, George Engel, and Oscar . lllstlgated"and encouraged the crime. Mean­ while the@)earch for him continued unabated Neebe, the other defendants, were weak ratll II I ' than :vicious. looking) and a glance at their hel' for as long as he remained at liberty the record was sufficient to suggest how dangerous a Ii LLI of t~e police ~as seriously marred. The day 'knowledge might prove to their minds. All (II of tna:l had arnved, however, without the slight­ - .' these II].~n ~ere ioreigners; and some of thelll est clue to his hiding-place, and not the least did not even speak the English language, lHIl damaging circumstance that confronted the there was absolutely no prejudice against th III seven prisoners on trial was the incriminating on this account. In eed, -the public indi 1'IHI flight of the leader who had addressed their 246 247 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. meeting only a few minutes before the explosi 1\ "I present myself for trial with my comrad s, of the fatal bomb. Your Honor," eobservea;witfi perfect calmn s . Such was the situation when Mr. Grinn II lij~-dge Gary did not entirely retain his c m­ moved his case to trial, but the preliminal' posure, he at least gave no outward evidenc of examination of talesmen for the jury had scar ' astonishment. ly begun before the proceedings were interrupt \( I "You will take a seat with the prisoners, Mr. by the entrance of two men, one of whom WIl Parsons," he directed, as though nothing un­ readily identified as Captam Blask~ the mis i 11)1 usual had occurred, and immediately instructed counsel for the defence. The other was not it n the counsel to prepare the necessary papers, mediately recognized, and he had almost reach (I allowing the new defendant to enter a plea and the bench before the prosecutor sprang excit \(1 stand trial with the others. An eighth chair ly to his feet. was thereupon added to the prisoners' tow, and "I see Albert R. Parsons, indicted for murd I', Parsons was soon shaking hands and conversing -, ,. >" -~-""--""-"""""''''''''" "" ~.- ~ ~,- ,• in this court, and demand.his i.!?:s.t.9-nt arre LI with his co-defendants, while his lawyers com­ he shoute(r:---'--'-'--"~"""- plied with the legal formalities, and in a few Captain Black halted, turning savagely u II minutes the great case was again under way. the speaker. Whatever may be thought of the strategic "This man is in my charge, and such a I' expediency of Parsons's move-·and there is mand is not only theatrical cla.p-trap,. but /111 strong evidence that it was positively disap­ insult tQ me!" he retorted, indignaritly. proved by at least one of his counsel-there can Captain Schaack, Inspector Bonfield, an 1 I be no question that it displayed courage and un­ dozen other detectives and police officials W(II'I selfishness of a high order. Had he continued instantly upon their feet, but the audi n '\ I in hiding until a jury had been empanelled, h scarcely believing its eyes or ears, sat in dtlllll, would have secured the immense advantage of amazement as the two lawyers angrily faced '/1 ,II a separate trial after the public clamor had been other. Before another word could be utt 1'('d, satisfied or diminished, without depriving the however, Parsons himself set all doubts at 1" • other defendants of the benefit of his presence or 248 249 \ \ DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et ai. much better success, and the days stretched into his testimony. Mr. Foster urged this cour~ I pointing out the danger of a trial with SCV('II weeks. Everybody seemed to have an opinion other persons, where all sorts of testimony wall 1< I -and a decided opinion, too-that the men on ~a.not be admitted, and the innocent be likely to sufl" 'I' trial were guilty, and the few l1c>ld with the guilty, but his advice was disregard ,d. such positive views were sC; ~onvinced that Parsons deliberately chose to share the haznrd something raaic-afought to be done to discour­ f of his friends' fortunes, and in so choosing it call age lawlessness that they coUld. not trust them­ not be denied that he displayed a fortitude and selves to judgethe-case lipopjts merits. Finally devotion well worthy of respect. the defeE~e e~au~allits peremptory chal­ Such, however, was not the opinion of J i­ lenges, ,and after twenty-two days of unremit­ o cago where his return was inte reted as furth 'j' ting [email protected],...!lJ1Ji1:Lg..-whifl!:..J!:!2 less...than_{)81 persons f ~idence of his notorious contempt arid'defian were examined, twelve.----men were sworn-into...---.- the ~ _. --- _._.--:----::--- - of the law, ana: the fact that e was--an Am ri- jury-box who, whil~.Jlat..iQ€la-I-j'\:ir()rs-;-we-re·-per- ~an-dee'ened hi~ .B~t !laps as'opeii:minded as could pe expected un­ o the feeling against ir, as has been claImed, he was unaware that th \ der the~xisting condition of public sentiment. public indifference to anarchy had given pIa (\ No enviable fate awaited those twelve good men to detestation of its teachings, the examinati 11 and true. From the moment of their accept­ of the citizens summoned for jury duty mu: ance as jurors they were virtual prisoners, con­ have completely disillusioned him. Cert§!-inl y fined when out of court in an adjoining hotel, no court record in the United States reveals It guarded by bailiffs night and day, and cut off d~-; or more Wi e- -read-ptfDll~judi' from all communication with the outer world. than that disclosed by the swam.testimony 0 It was July 15th before Mr. Grinnell rose to P e alesm . his c _s~ Hour after hOll r make his opening address, which, despite the passed without the discovery.of even one can· minute information furnished by the press, was diggteJitted for dispassionate service, and pan ,I a revelation to his audience, and not until they "'"---_.- ""'------after panel_ oJ prospeCtive jurymen was x had listened to his bitter, forceful arraignment hausted ;ith like result. Days 'passed witholl~ did the counsel for the defence fully realize the 25° -- 2.')1 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et aI. desperate fight that lay before them. Amid, some with another. Fischer and Engel belonged breathless silence the prosecutor claimed that h( to what was known as the Northwest Side group; would show that the defendants were not in. Schwab, Neebe, and Lingg to the North Side; directly- btU-directly responsible' for" the crim , and Spies, Fielden, and Parsons to the so-called having deliberately planned it and other simib,' American group. Each of these groups or chap­ . outrages, and that he would' produce the man ters had a sub-organization of a rrii!it9ry_char­ who had done the deed. acter-known"as the"Armed'Section, in which all The sensation created by this announcemel L ~eriil?er~!Iaving.w;apQils.-~~r~·~m:9ikd.-· was not confined to the outsiders, for in th· The conditions of the strike which began on \ excitement of the moment Mr. Grinnell had May 1st were then developed by the"testimony of promised more proof than he had in his pos­ the witnesses, and it was soon shown that.spies session, and under different circumstances hi:; had been present during~rio!,~~ McQarmick over-zealousness in this and other respects might factory whicli n~§:re"d_on..MaY-3d, resulting have seriously damaged his case. The detail' in-cCC.~istEibuted E ? ~ause of their...-opiniens, and_that no direct proof an inflammatory circular, h~..

.;iI to that end and signally failed of their purpose. for veracity were utterly unconvincing. There Even Fielden's address, which apparently moved was some corroboration of this witness in the the police to interfere, was less violent than the testimony of a man named ~hompson, and the 25 6 257 "

DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al.

disappearance of Schnaubelt and his relati II Most's Science of Revolutionary Warfare. The ship to Schwab were suspicious circumstan '., a-mission of this last eilibit w~ bitterly op­ but the proof fell far short of the prosecut r't pO,seg. by_the defence, but upon proof that the

claim that he would produce the actual assas ill, book had been advertised fox..s..ale.gy-the.editors, I whose identity has not been satisfactorily'.­ and' tha£itliaa-be~llJ2eddied,at anarchist fairs tablished to this day. attenaeo. by-some of the defendants, it was re­ Some policemen then attempted to sh w celved and its diabolical cont-ents r~ad in full 'to that Fielden had fired u on them from behin I t~e jury. This, however, ;'as not the most-­ the cart which served as the spea er's plat­ questionable ruling at the trial, for the court .form -a ter f~ bomb had been thrown, buL permitted the prosecution to place in evidence -vJth~ir a~~ertions partiallydlSpiO'Veo tliemselvcs, several bombs which had been discovered by an --fhe'i-e~s an ~tt;;;r abse~c~of ~nvincing the police weeks after the crime and miles away confirmatiDn. In fact, n ne of the oral testi­ from the scene of action, and to exhibit their mony str~ngly inculpated ~itheL.spies,_S~b, destructive qualities despite the fact that not Fielden, or Parso12s, but before long telltal , one of them was clearly traced into the posses­ exhibits which could not be impeached began sion of the defendants. There has never been to pile up against them. any satisfactory defence of those extremely For some years Spies an Schwab had been dubious rulings, but it is very doubtful if they cond,,:~ti~g Die Aroei!!!..".._Zeitung, and E.a£§..ons affected the result, for the most damaging evi­ had-been editing The Alarm, and very close re- dence of the whole trial was furnished by the -lations existe<:l between ,thesetW'C)"j01.1rnaIs.-In written words of the prisoners themselves. t1i;-clfice orth~rst-1Jemed 'the-police found Copy after copy of the A rbeiter and the Alarm dynamite and dynamite bombs, which were pro­ was produced, and their articles and editorials, duced and exnibited to th~jury. Then red as read to the jury, must have convinced any flags and banners inscribed,with_ i.cenqiary intelligent body of men of the purpose for which mottoes seized in the same office were carried they were written. Certainly nothing could int;cour --;-aha. from-tile edito~ library came have been more injurious to Spies, Schwab, and -. 2$8 1~ 2$9 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. Parsons than their editorial utterances, whi,·11 Indefatigable as Spies and Schwab were in included every possible incitement to the use I) the dissemination of such information and advice dynamite and the commission of wholesale mlll' Parsons was even more active. In the columns d~r. In the issue of November 27, 1885, till of the Alarm on February 21, 1885, murder was editors of the Arbeiter made the significant all openly advocated as follows: "Dynamite! Of nouncement that" Steel and iron are not on hand, all good stuff this is the stuff. Stuff several but tin two or three inches in diameter. TIll pounds of this sublime stuff into an inch pipe price is cheap "-a virtual advertisement (If (gas or water), plug up both ends, insert a cap material for bombs. with a fuse attached, place this in the immediate On April 8th the same paper observed: "A vicinity of a lot of rich loafers who live by the sweat number of strikers at Quincy yesterday fired upon of other men's brows, and light the fuse. A most their bosses and not at the scabs. This is recom­ cheerful and gratifying result will follow." mended most emphatically for imitation." Again, in another issue, this sentiment ap­ On June 27th of the same year Spies wrote a peared: "Nothing but the uprising of the people signed essay in the Alarm, explaining in detail and a bursting open of the stores ... and a free the preparation of dynamite bombs, and closed application of dynamite to everyone who opposes it with these words: "It is necessary for the rev­ will relieve the world. ... Seeing the amount of olutionist to experiment for himself. Especially needless suffering about us, we say a vigorous should he practise the knack of throwing bombs." use of dynamite is both human and economical." Advice of this nature appeared in almost It is not probable that Parsons himsel~_wrote every issue of the Arbeiter up to the time of th eithe J5fJliose'-paragraphs?_"'?ut-dai after ay outrage, and in the copy of March 15, 1886, the he had sanctioned this·olicy in vary"ing forms, editors answered a suggestive communication and on April 2C1886, only a short time before signed "Seven Lovers of Peace" as follows: 'the Haymarket meeting, the paper he ~ted­ "A dynamite cartridge explodes not through mere emphasized it in this fashion: " Workingmen concussion when thrown. A concussion-primer to Arms! War to the palace-peace to the cot­ " ~s. necessary. tage, and death to luxurious idleness. ... One 260 261 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs, SPIES et al, pound of dynamite is better than a bushel oJ directin their efforts _.to_proving that neither bullets. Make your demand for eight hours with Fischer, Engel, Schwab, Lingg, nor Neebe was at weapons in your hands to meet the capitalisti ornear t e - aymarl{et wfien-th~-~rime was com- c: blood-hounds, police _and militia, in the proper mlti~((;~tIlaL£lie meeting:fj~Q.:p:e~ri.Qr4erly, and 1:./"\ resist~(r manner." -:--that_ none__~ of the defendants__had~H ._._._ _ the Not only did these and similar exhortations police. In all 0 tliisthey were fairly successful, reveal the editors' int~ntions, but their printed -bufthe''proofs did not meet the issues, for the and spoken words proved that their only remedy pr:~seI!Q~u?r.absence .of the defendants was not for grievances was terrorism through wholesale ~aJeria~in-yiei;Ith;~~;;pr;~~y~1i~ged,More­ murder and violence. With the eight-hour over, in its issue of March 16, 1885, Hie'Arbeiter strike or the ballot or any similar effort on the gave specific advice on this very point to those part of working-men to better their condition contemplating a "revolutionary deed." "Whoever they displayed little or no sympathy. In fact, is willing to execute a deed," wrote the editors, they frankly declared their disbelief in such "has to put the question to himself whether he is methods, and it was evident that their only in­ able or not to carry out the action by himself, ... terest in the labor movement was the chance If not, let him look for just as many fellows as he it afforded for collisions with the authorities must have. Not one more nor less; with these let and the carrying out of their desperate pro­ him unite himself to a fighting group. ... Has gramme. the deed been completed? Then the group of ac­ This sort of evidence accumulated day after tion dissolves at once ... according to an under­ day, until the court-room was fairly littered standing which must be had beforehand, leaves with papers, and when the prosecution closed its the place of action, and scatters in all directions." case on July JIst, the preaching if not the prac­ Finally, Spies, Fielden, Schwab, and Parsons tice of the defendants had been demonstrated led a forlorn hope by taking the stand and en­ beyond any chance of contradiction. deavoring to overcome the unfavorable im­ Confronted by this overwhelming proof, the pression which their writings and speeches had counsel for the defence set ygJ.ie-.p.:tJy. to.work created. But though they stoutly asserted 262 26 3 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. their innocence of any specific plot against the pression upon the jury had they been permitted police, and' denied all kriowledge-bf the per­ to follow the tactics adopted by Mr. Foster, petrator-of~t1re-cfime:-tl1eycould not but admit who, without attempting any defence of anarchy that they had, adv()cated similar deeds for years, made a dispassionate, logical,.' and lawyerlike and the fact that they disap2roved and dep­ argument, admitting the criminal folly of his recated the particular ;[~lenc.e_~2men1J clients' utterances, but insisting that there was was no answer to the charg~ that they hag.9pen­ n2.-J2roof that any word of theirs, written or ly encouraged murderous defiance of the law, spoken, had -everreadied -thebomo-thrower's and zealously endeavored to commit other less ~~s: or that his m~had iilatiy way .c: , intelligent men to the execution'of their mad been instiitted by th;(Iclendants. ~TIie jury I designs. had no right to-'suppose tnlswas so. The mere For seven days the fight continued on these fact that the defendants advocated,violence was lines, but on August 11th, both sides having rest­ n'ite,?ough. Fo~' y~~~f;eed~m of speech had ed, Assistant State's-Attorney Walker began to been ':flagrantly abused, without 'remonstrance, sum up for the prosecution. During the next tIl;license of tl].e, pre?s, h;;cl'b~-e; R'ermitted to eight days the lawyers for the defence and the menace true libert~~4 im u.t¥!y,. and there State alternated in addressing the jury, but here were other circ?mstanc~~igculpating th~ public again the exhibits spoke louder than any words, and inviting mitigation of severity towards the fo on theYaDle 15eforFw1llCh Mr. Ingham stood accused. . ' during his summing-up lay bombs of all descrip­ Th~prisoners themselves, however, some of tions, fulminati~g caps" shells, melting-ladles, whom seemed not unanxious to pose as martyrs and other tools of the dynamiter's trade, and for the "cause," hotly resented Mr. Foster's in plain sight of the jury were the red banners plea, which resulted in his withdrawal from the and flags of the terrorists blazing with mottoes case, and they practically dictated the policy of urging defiance of the law. their other counsel. But the public was in no Even with such odds against them the counsel mood for a defence of terrorism, and although for the defence might still have made some im­ Messrs. Zeisler and Black made admirable pleas 2 64 265 DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW PEOPLE vs. SPIES et al. along lines acceptable to their clients, the aud­ or to punish the defendants with imprisonment ience was visibly unsympathetic, and when Mr. for any term of years not less than fourteen. Grinnell replied, declaring that no one in Amer­ In his closing address Mr. Grinnell had not in­ ica was afraid of anarchists, the galleries, which voked the extremityof-the"law against Neebe, had been unwisely opened to spectators, thun­ but-he had declared all the"'"'others deserving of dered with ominous applause. This outbreak death, and the 'speedy agreement of the jurors was the only disturbance which marred the was regarded as highly significant. The mo­ dignity of the trial. ment they resumed their places in front of the The judge then charged the jury, reciting, bench the foreman rose and handed a sealed among many other points, the Illinois statutes paper to the clerk, who opened it and read as defining an accessory as one who stands by and follows: "We, the jury, find the defendants, \ \ aids in the commission of a crime,or 'who, not August Spies, Michael Schwab, Samuel Fielden, being pr.e.~f!J:l,~gfivises ,encourages, .. aid$, -or .abets Albert R. Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George in its commission:'"and declaring' that such ac­ Engel, and Louis Lingg, guilty of murder in the cessories be considered principals and punished manner and form charged in the indictment, accordingly. and fix the penalty at death. We find the de­ It was late in the afternoon of August I 9th­ fendant Oscar W. Neebe guilty of murder in the almost two months after the opening of the trial manner and form charged in the indictment, and -when the jury retired, and a few hours later fix the penalty at imprisonment for fifteenJ it was rumored that they had reached an agree­ years." . ment, and would render.a sealed verdict the next No demonstration on the part of the audience mornmg. greeted this announcement, but a roar of cheers Under the Illinois law the jurors were re­ from the crowd gathered before the court-house quired not only to declare the guilt or innocence floated in through the windows, and in the hush of the accused, but to prescribe the penalty in that followed the jury was solemnly polled, each case of conviction. It was therefore in their juror signifying his individual concurrence in power to acquit or to demand the death penalty the verdict. Thus ended the first capital case 266 267 r----

DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE LAW in the United States involving abuse of the liberty"of the press-:- - --- "- "The fight for-the prisoners' lives did not, how­ ever, cease with the verdict. At the October term of the court, on a motion for a new trial, all of the condemned made long and some of them very able speeches, demonstrating that they were right-hearted though wrong-headed men, and a year later, after an elaborate argu­ ment, in which Leonard Swett, Lincoln's old associate, appeared for the defence, the Supreme Court affirmed the verdict, although one of the judges declared, however, that the trial had not been free of legal error. f·" LIngg then committed suicide; Spies, Parsons, { Fischer, and Engel were executed; the sentences ( of Schwab and Fielden were commuted to im- ' prisonment for life, and they, together with ) I Neebe, were pardoned, after serving seven years, I by Governor Altgeld, whose action, bitterly re- I sented at the time, has come to be regarded as I a legitimate exercise of executive discretion. '-..-/"

THE END

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