The Labor enquirer., 1886-09-04
History Repeats Itself in the
Trial of the Chicago
Anarchists.
All Law and National Principle
Violated From the
Beginning.
The Word "Friend" for "DOllars.' ,,
A Direct Blow at Liberty's
Foundations.
For The Enquirer.

fOE Inc EnQulTeT.
That Chicago trial against Anarchisn
and Socialism, which has en1ed in or
dering the judicial murder of seven o
our bravest and noblest fellows, marks
an era in history similar to the Boston
massacre and the John Brown affair
which two events preceded the great
struggl for human liberty.
In both cases the high handed and
bloody workers of the government OF
tory faction boasted that that they had
crushed out bad element and history
is again repeating itself. 1t is the open
boast of the whole tory element to-day
that the verdict against those eight men
has put a final veto on Anarchism and
Socialism. Judge Gary of Chicago has
so completely duplicated the vindictive
ness of Chief Justice Waits Dred Scott
decision that the comparison is striking
and the whole conduct of the trial forci-
bly, reminds one; of old Judge Jeffries
court under George III.
Not man was allowed to sit on the
jury who had any belief in, knowledge
Of or sympathy for, either Anarchism or
Socialism, thus DENYING the prisoners a
trial by their peers in the outset. Had
they been in fact tried for murder, as
set forth in the indictment, or for con-
spiracY, then no particular ''ism" would
have been barred from the jury. But
Anarchism and Socialism being on trial,
instead of murder or conspiracy as
charged, every one presented for Juror
was promptly asked if he had any sym
pathY with Anarchism or SoCla ism, and
if he admitted any the judge declared
him, distinctly for that reason, unqual-
fed to sit on the case. The law strictly
provides that every man shall be tried
bya jnrv Of his peers; in other words,
he shall be tried by those of similar
calling and rank in society, and not
preiudiced against him by creed, ism
or anything that will give their judg
ment or sympathy pitch against him.
Judge Gary deliberately violated this
principle in the beginning.
The prisoners claimed to be advocates
of the rights of labor and Of organized
labor, but not day laborer was allowed
on the jury, nor man who belonged to
ally labor organization, or ever took any
part in the labor movement, or studied
or knew anything about the cause. All
were so o, enly questioned and rejected
that it was not even pretended that any
friend of the labor cause would be
allowed on the jury. 1t would le i'm
pos able to find twelve men farther from
beng the peers of the accused. Trying
a slave for attempting to get his liberty,
before twelve slave owners, would not
be greater violation Of the principle
that Every mgn has right to be tried
by Jury of his peers
Having begun the trial on violation
of the whole Jury system it was then car
ried through in the same high handed
manner. The jury we're allowed through
the whole trial to carry on correspond l.
ence with the outside world, the Judge
seeing the letters they received, but no
one seeing those they wrote. Thus the
lurvmen could advise their friends to
write the word "friend" when they
meant dollars" and by lis process
ANYTHING could be said and pass the
Judges inspection. But tt conduct o.
Judge Gary, all throu gh the trial, will
lead no one to believe that ne was over
scrupuIous about what reached the jury
to prejudice them. In fact it NAV have
been matter of design that he instead
ofany other Judge was chosen to try the
case.
But this was not the worst feature Of
the case. The jury while out of court
we're continually in the presence OF a
body of strongly prejudiced officers who
had every possible means to communl'
cate with the vindictive police and Il
corrupt and prejudice the minds OF The
Jury, and the lurY's minds were no douO
soworked upon that they would have
condemned the prisoners in any event
no matter how little evidence had beer
sustained against them before the court
The prisoners needed only to be ar
ralgned to be convicted. No proceed
ings before old Jeffries was ever so high
handed and corrupt as this. And thu
and similar inquisitions are Labeled
courts Of justice"
This open vindictiveness Of capitalism
against its disobedient slaves, first ex
pressed by Chief Justice Wait and now
re-echoed by Mr.. Gary, is not all we haV'
to complain of. The verdict, and espe
cially the Judges rulings that made
possible, are direct blow at the founda
ton of our liberties.
4IlOT w 4fio' WHICH Jul
fathers assembled to discuss their grleV
ances, they were promptly dispersed as
disorderiy mob and afterwards whe
they established this government, the.
were careful to provide in the constitr
ton that the right of the people to as
semble and discuss their grievance
shall not be abridged" Yes, Judg