People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1894 — THE DEBS TRIAL. [ARTICLE]

THE DEBS TRIAL.

VitnesseMTell Stories of Violence ol the Mobs. Chicago, Sept. 12.—Tuesday morning the United States circuit court. Judge Woods presiding, took up again the contempt cases against the officers of the American Railway union. General Superintendent Charles Dunlap, of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, was the first witness sworn. Witness was very sure that if there had been no violence the Rock Island would have had no trouble in filling the strikers’ places. Plenty of men came voluntarily, wanting work. Many who were eager to work were timid, because of fear of violence. He had had twentysix years’ experience in the management of railroads. He had known of various strikes during that time, but he never knew of one that was not accompanied bv violence. Mr. Gregory conducted the cross-ex-amination. After some general questions Mr. Gregory began a series of interrogatories that seemed to indicate a purpose on the part of the defense to bring into court the telegrams and correspondence of the General Managers’ association. He asked many questions as to the General Managers' association. Mr. Walker said that while the government would not interpose a formal objection he would suggest that this line of testimony was irrelevant. Judge Woods replied that he did not see the relevancy of the testimony which Mr. Gregory was trying to elicit. Mr. Gregory replied that he considered the matter very important. “If the court will admit the testimony, and the witnesses who know most about the facts will be obliged to testify', we can show, I think, that this General Managers’ association whs preparing to reduce the wages of the employes of these railroads and to do so by a combination, and that this was the real cause of the strike. From one end of this country to the other we have heard the sympathetic strike denounced. It is said that some strikes may be all right, but the present strike is wicked and criminal. Judge Cooley said that no board of arbitration —and I add that no injunction of a court —can compel men to w r ork if they’ do not want to. Since the adoption of the thirteenth amendment to the constitution no man can be kept in involuntary servitude unless for a crime of which he has been properly? convicted. Now, these employes on the Rock Island had a right to quit work. No injunction could prevent them from quitting or from advising others to quit. The government has offered certain telegrams sent by? these defendants; they have proved violence; but there has been no proof of connection between the facts. A man has a right to quit work whenever he wishes.” There was some further discussion of the admissibility of the evidence suggested by Mr. Gregory. Mr. Erwin made a brief but impassioned speech, in wiiich he said that all evidence tending to mitigation of the defendants’ acts should be admitted. "if these men were on trial for criminal acts, as criminals, the plea of mitigation would be more in order,” replied the court. “If they were worked up by passion and by wrongs, real or fancied, and were carried away by their feelings to do some acts before reason and judgment resumed their sway, this might be offered in mitigation. But this is a case where the court issued an injunction, and, it is charged, the injunction was violated.” Mr. Gregory contended that even the information on which the present proceedings are based did not make out a case of violation of the injunction by' the respondents. It was not even charged that the acts of violence set out were the result of the telegrams sent by Debs. In the afternoon Elmer E. Clitheron, an engineer on the Burlington, gave a long account of liis adventures July 6 with engine 4Gb, which the mob derailed and ditched at Millard avenuo by laying steel rails across the tracks when he was going 20 miles an hour. The proceedings of the day closed with the testimony of George Cone and ; James Conniff, two 14-year-old messenger boys of the Western Union, who were called to testify? as to the telegrams they received and delivered at Uhlich’s hall and the Revere house. But, according to tlieir evidence, they received no telegrams from Debs and delivered only one to him. and the receipt for it had mysteriously? disappeared. They ; said Debs’ name was signed to receipts freely by one or more men around the headquarters. As to Debs himself they : hardly ever, if ever, got their ey?es on ; him.