Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1887 — VICTIMS OF GRIM JUSTICE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

VICTIMS OF GRIM JUSTICE.

The Wives and Little Ones of the Condemned Chicago Anarchists. Women and Children Who Will Be Widowed and Orphaned by the Hangman. [CHICAGO COBBEBPOXDENCE.I -—lt is a trait of bain an nature, as universal as it is admirable, to extend sympathy to the families of men who meet with misfortune or are led into crime and up to the prison door or gallows’ step. “Can't you tell us something about the families of the condemned anarchists?" is an oftrepeated inquiry these days. One of the pris*v? ers aa already gone to the penitentiary, and the other seven are slowly approaching the gallows.

These circumstances seem for the moment to divert public attention from the men themselves and from tho crime for which they have been adjudged to suffer death to those who are to become widows and orphans. So much has been printed denunciatory of the prisoners and of their doctrines that the reader is not very well prepared for good words on behalf of the wives and mothers who have these many months ministered, so far as lay in their power, to tho comfort of the condemned. The conduct of Mrs. Lucy Parsons in preaching anarchy from one end of the country to the other, and in declaring that, although she “looked into the hereafter through a nooze, ” she would continue to proclaim herself an anarchist, has not produced a public feeling favorable to her; while, on the other hand, the eccentricities of Nina Van Zandt, who by a proxy marriage became the wife of Spies, have produced much more ridicule than sympathy. Notwithstanding these circumstances, a majority of the wives of the anarchists have kept themselves out of the newspapers by very properly attending to the duties of wife and mother. A grief too deep for tears was portrayed in the comely features of a young, neatly dressed woman who was seen emerging from the County Jail with two beautiful children dingtag to her skirts. Old, kind-hearted Jailer Folz looked wistfully at the retreating group os he remarked; “There’s a snbject worthy of sympathy. Poor woman ; in three weeks she is to wear a widow’s crape and her three babies destined to become orphans.”

The unfortunate mother had just been paying her regular morning visit to her husband, Adolph Fischer, one of the condemned anarchists. Some of his comrades wore still chatting

with their little ones and their faithful wives, who have these many months ministered, so far as lay in their power, to the comfort of the condemned men. But they have come and gone in a quiet way, without flaunting their grievances by expressions of wild vituperation against the “capitalistic system." They have been patient sufferers, hoping against hope, suppressing all outward signs of resentment, if they ever en-

tertained any. against the authorities. And the current of public Bymjathy is rapidly directing attention to the families of the anarchists, whose domestic relations a casual inquiry will prove exceedingly pathetic. There is, for instance, the-blighted life of Mrs. Johanna Fischer. Her maiden name was Pfantz. She was bom in Baltimore in 1860, and married her stoic husband in St. Louis when

she was but 19 years of age, They settled in Chicago in 1883. Mrs. Fischer is a woman of quiet manners, rather inclined to be reserved. She knows nothing of the doctrines of anarchy, in the propagation of which her husband came to face the gallows, and has never interested herself in public ques-; tions of any sort. She is the

mother of three children, the youngest having been born Oct. 10 18S0, the day following that upon which Judge Gary pronounced sentence of death upon the seven prisoners. Hence her life has been full of family cares and duties. To these she has applied herself with motherly devotion, and has wen for herself the kindest regards of all her neighbors. Her parents reside in St. Louis In comfortable circumstances, and are highly respected by the better class of Germans in that city.

Although twenty-seven years of age, she looks much younger, notwithstanding the terrible ordeal which she has passed through dur-

ing the past eighteen months. But her moment of greatest anguish must have been when she received the message that the court had decreed Adolph Fischer should suffer the pena ty of death. \ When she had been partially .restored, she pressed the ‘•new-born babe to her heart and asked: “Is it a boy?"

The nurse affirming her query, the poor mother exclaimed: “Thank heaven, then his name is Adolph.” When the little incident above related was told the condemned father a few hours later, the hardened man was touched to the heart. Tears dimmed his eyes, but he was unwilling to expose his emotion, and walked off to his cell without uttering a word. The Fischer children are admired by everybody as particularly bright and pretty. Emma is five and a half years old, but she is so tall that she looks much older. She is a brunette, has soft, rich, flowing hair, and a pair of hazel eyes that sparkle like diamonds. The second

child is a boy named Charley. He is nearly three years of age, and is a most witty, talkative child. The baby, Adolph, has now attained the age of one year. Less than five years ago Mrs. Schwab, then Miss Schnaubelt, came to Chicago with her brother Rudolph, who, according to the theory of the State inf, the anarchist trial, was! the bomb-thrower of the Haymarket. Her husband, Michael Schwab, was assistant editor of the Arbeiter Zeitung up to the time of his arrest. They have two children, Ida, ■who will be four years old next Christmas, and little

Rudolph, who Is nearly two years of age. Mrs. Schwab is a large woman of Imposing carriage, and very good-looking.

Ida and little Dolph have been daily visitors at the County Jail, and have always been permitted to run within the jail proper to play with their unfortunate father. Mrs. Schwab is very proud of them and has 'kept them dressed in the | most fascinating fashion. ! They are exoeedinglv Uively children, and so jpretty that they are loved 1 wherever they go. It is their habit on entering the outer door of the jail to make a stampede for the visitors’ cage, yelling

"Papal Papal” at the top of their voices. Schwab comes forth in a dejected manner to meet them, and fondles them with manifest deep fatherly affection. Mrs. Fielden is an Englishwoman, considerably under the medium size, with a pleasant,

blushing face and a shy, diffident manner. Her life from the very start has been in an atmosphere entirely the opposite to that of anarchy. To see her and talk with her is ample proof of this. She is one of the most innocent, harmless, and domestic of women The i calamity whioh has be- 1 fallen her husband has almost crushed her, and / it is believed by Borne of her nearest friends that

■he cannot possibly survive his execution.

Her eldest child, Alice, is five years old, and a very attractive little thing she is. Mrs. Fiel-

den frequently takes her alone to the jail, and when allowed to go behind the bars she hn variably goes up to her father's cell and ransacks his clotnes for candy. it seems that before his .imprisonment he was in lthe habit when returning f from work of taking her | candy or fruit , and permitting her to hunt for it in his pockets She still remembers it. and of course is too young to

comprehend her father’s trouble. He is very fond of.her, as well as bis little boy, who bears his name, and who first saw the light on the day previous to that which Judge Gary pronounced sentence of death upon him. Lucy Parsons differs essenti&llv from her sisters in misfortune. SI e Lad taken ective

part in the labor movement before the Haymarket trouble aa an agitator, both on the platform and in the press. She had marched in labor processions, and had carried the red flag in the face of the police more than once. In short, she was one of the boldest of the 1 anarchists, and was never known to occupy a place in the rear rank on any occasion when the' battle raged hottest.

But •with all her impetuous temper, there is not one of the anarchists’ wives who has shown

a more unwavering devotion to her husband since the trial began than Mrs. Parsons. They have two bright, intelligent children, one a girl ten years of age and the other a l yof seven. She resides in a humblo tenement on Milwaukee avenue and is regarded by her neighbors as an industrious, faithful wife and mother. 1 Lulu is a smart, precocious little girl, with 'sparkling black eyes and a smiling face. She is fond of her books ana is making rapid advancement with her

studies. Albert, who is named for his father, is a lively

boy, with large, bright, hazel eyes. He sees everything, and persists in getting an explanation of everything. The mother, who, since the condemned man’s incarceration, has been thrown upon her own resources, keeps her/ children neat and tidy and well clothed, and seems to be devoted to them. Since* his conviction Mr. Parsons finds it almost too much for his fortitude to receive his children in the presence of visitors, and thev are OnnnvnlKr X,.*

generally brought to him at an early hour when there are but few people around. Oscar Neebe’s three half-orphaned children are tho wards of their aunt, the wife of Louis Neebe, since their mother died of a broken

heart last March. On one of the walls of their cosy, comfortable home hangs her portrait, which they cherish with much childish affection. The eldest of the Neebe children is a girl of thiri teen, named Lillie. She Ois the picture of her dmother, with long, lux'(uriaut golden hair that falls down to her waist. , She has bright blue eyes, a handsome lace, and

already possesses womanly graces much beyond her years. She has been attending school for six years, and has made very commendable progress. Nettie, the second child, is eleven years of age. She resembles her father, and possesses

much of his disposition. Young Osoar Neebe attends the Franklin Street School, and is a noisy, good-na-tured boy, who enjoys a decided propensity for all sorts of fun, Engel has a -wife and a considerable family of children, most of whom have grown up, married, and settled by themselves. He has one daughter, a pleas-' ant miss of about seventeen, who takes frequent turns with her mother visiting the jail. 1

Spios is married, but l>y proxy, and of course has no family. Lingg is tho only unmarried of the condemned, but several young ladies are devotedly attached to the handsome young anarch.

Mrs. Tischer.

Emma Fischer.

Ckarley Fischer.

Mrs. Schwab.

Ida Schwab

Rudolph Schwab.

Samuel Fielden

Alice Fidlden.

Mrs. L. E. Parsons

Albert parsons

Lolo Parsons

Mrs. Neebe.