The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-08-28
THE VERDICT.
Closing Scene of the Great Chi
cago Anarchist Trial.
The Accused All Found Guilty of Murder
Except Neebe, and He Gets a Peni-
Tertiary Sentence--The Death
Penalty for the Rest.

morning and the first applicant was
woman, who became angry when re-
fused. She appealed to every one of the
forty officers gathered about, but they
were firm in their refusal, and the
five hundred people who applied between
that time and nine O'Clock were given
the same answer. Every conceivable
ruse was resorted to, but the officers were
memorable, and when the verdict was
brought in there were probably less peo-
pie in the courtroom than at any time
during the trial. The crowd outside
numbered a thousand, and they were
kept informed of the progress of affairs
inside by the police.
Some people succeeded in getting up
stairs and took seats. At the west end
of the room were Mrs. Spies, Mrs. Par
sons, Neebe's wife, Linggs sweetheart,
Aug. Spies sister and his brother Ferdi-
nand, Mrs. Ames, General Parsons,
Spies mother and half dozen others,
who have been regular attendants at the
trial.
Judge Gary was on time, and at four
minutes to ten the court opened, and the
judge sang out to the spectators to take
their seats and make ne demonstration.
The prisoners were then brought in and
ranged along the south wall by the win
dows. The Judge. turned and told the
clerk to call the names of the Jurors.
This was done amid an oppressive ST.
| lence, except on the part OF Neebe, who
was probably the most affected of the
prisoners. He turned and looked across
| the room to the place where his wife was
sitting, craned his neck forward and said
something in an undertone to himself.
Parsons looked straight ahead to the
place where his brother, the General, was
standing. He then turned and looked
| into the street, where, under the burning
sun thousand men and women gazed
anXiously at the upper windows. Par
| sons glanced hurredly around, and, with
bold, defiant look in his eyes, pulled
something from his pocket. 1t was a
battle flag of the Anarchists-a dirty red
silk handkerchief. Turning so that all
in the streets might see, but in such a
manner that the court could not, he
waved 1t for a moment or two. Some
one in the street caught sight of it, and
cheer was uttered, but quickly stopped.
|
turned to ascertain the cause of the
demonstration, Parsons sat stifily in his
chair and gazed vacantly at the clerk
The others gazed anxiously into the
faces of the Jury and of their friends
and then looked upat the Judge, as if il
the hope OF cleaning some indication o.
their fate.
The relatives and friends OF the pris.
oners were the most affected. Over i,
the corner sat a little old woman nearly
hidden by big policeman, 1t was the
mother of Spies, and during the hal
hour that she was in the courtroom she
Wept constantly, holding handKerchie
to her eyes.
Mrs. Parsons and General Parsons sale
nothing, and betrayed no evidence of the
suspense they must have experienced.
Mrs. Schwab looked at her husband
with fearful eyes and once or twice
wiped the tears away. Lingg's sweet
heart was next TO her, and during tn,
; calling OF the Jurors names kept up
constant signalling with him.
The rol-call was finally finished
, and then it was that the prisoners anC
their friends betrayed the first excite
ment. At two minutes after ten o'cloCI
Foreman Osborne rose to his feet anC
faced the court. The suspense was ter
. rible, and as if already aware of the fat,
in store for them, trcmOr ran over thu
prisoners, while the feelings of their rcla
tives and friends were manifested b,
7 twilchng muscles, hard breathing ant
SHAKING limbs.
"Have you agreed upon a verdict"
Tho ypipa of N iuIora ,voc a1 oct IN
audible, and even he gave way to momen
" tary solemnity and suspense.
, "Have you agreed?'
All eyes were withdrawn from him an
n turned on the foreman, who reached lol
2 ward and gave the paper which he hel
- In his hand to the clerk, who gave it t
= the Judge. The foreman's work wa
'' done. The Judge and clerk held a wills
pered conference, and finally the cler
raised the paper where the light fell o
t 1t, and the judge bent forward and fixe
= his eyes on the spectators.
The people were like marble figure!
t Not word or sign did they make. The
eyes merely shifted from Judge to clerl
r The latter then began reading slowly q
follows:
4 THE VERDICT.
a We find Spies, Parsons, Fielder, Schwal
Fischer, Lingg and Engel, luilty as charge
j. IN the indictment, and punishment by deaf
We md Neebe guilty OF manslaughter an
ak his punishment at fifteen years in Il
IS oententarv.
= The clerk then sat down, but the iud.
and foreman still remained standin
e There was not sound, and for over
minute the people seemed stricken DUN
&c Then there was fain. sob; low wal
Inc moan came from the corner where u
little old mother of Spies sat, and it ",
the signal for the outbreak Of a murmI
which ran over the assemblage.
y "QUET. EVERYBODY SIT DOWN."
IT and the judges voice came clear al
distinct. But even his authority cou
# not prevent expressions of surprise al
d Outburst of pent-up feelings, and su
pressed muTmurs of anguish that can
m from friends and relatives of the co
Y demned men. The unfortunate deien
ants themselves said nothing; nor ev
did they mOve-Only looked into spaC
and it was as if all hope had gone, al
10 now for the first time they knew tn
b their lives had been failures.
The judge was the first TO make
10 movement Stepping to the front, he
n dered that the jurors be polled. Ea
Juror was then asked bv the clerk 90 1