The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-08-27
THE VERDICT.
Closing Scene of the Great Chi
cago Anarchist Trial.
The Accused All Found Guilty of Murder
Except Neebe, and He Gets PenI-
tentIary Sentence-The Death
Penalty for the Rest.


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
Tuse was resorted to, but the officers were
inexorable, 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, Lingg's sweetheart,
Aug. Spies sister and his brother Ferdi-
nand, Mrs. Ames, General Parsons,
Spies mother and half a 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 no 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{he
place where his brother, the General, was
standing. He then turned and looked
into the street, where, under the burning
sun a thousand men and women gaZed
anxiOusly at the upper windows. Par
sons glanced hurriedly around and, with
l. i Ia
something from his pocket. 1t was a
battle fac 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 moment or two. Some
one in the street caught sight of it, and
a cheer was uttered, but quickly stopped.
When the people in the courtroom
turned to ascertain the cause of the
demonstration, Parsons sat stiffly 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 up at the judge, as if in
the hope of cleaning some indication of
their fate.
The relatives and friends of the pris-
oners were the most affected. Over in
the corner sat a little old woman nearly
hidden by a big policeman. 1t was the
mother of Spies, and during the half
hour that she was in the court-roo she
wept constantly, holding handkerchief
to her eyes.
Mrs. Parsons and General Parsons said
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 10 her, and during the
calling OF the jurors names kept up a
! constant signalling with him.
The TOll-call was finally finished,
! and then it was that the prisoners and
! their friends betrayed the first excite
ment. At two minutes after ten o'clock
! Foreman Osborne rose to his feet and
! faced the court. The suspense was ter
! rible, and as if already aware of the fate
! in store for them, trcmOT ran over the
! prisoners, while the feelings of their rela-
tives and friends were manifested by
tWitChing muscles, hard breathing and
! shaking limbs.
"Have you agreed upon a verdict"
The voice of the judge was almost in.
audible, and even he gave way to momen-
tary sOlemnity and suspense.
"Havc you agreed?'
All eyes were withdrawn from him and
/ turned on the foreman, who reached for
! ward and gave the paper which he held
in his hand to the clerk, who gave it to
the judge. The fOrcman's work was
done. The judge and clerk held whis.
| pered conference, and finally the clerk
| raised the paper where the light fell on
it, and The judge bent forward and fixed
his eyes on the spectators.
The people were like marble figures
| Not Il word or sign did they make. Theil
eyes merely shifted from judge to clerk.
The latter then began reading slowly as
follows:
THE VERDICT.
We find Spies Parsons, Fielden, Schwab
| Fischer. Lngg and Eugel, guilty as charged
/ IN the indictment, and punishment by death
/ We find Neebe guilty OF inanslaughter and
| fix his punshmcnt at fifteen years in the
| pcnitentiary
The clerk then sat down, but the jud &c
and foreman still remained standing
! There was not a sound, and for over
minute the people seemed stricken dumb
Then there was a fain- sob; low wall
ing moan came from the corner where the
| little old mother OF Spies sat, aud it was
| the signal for the outbreak of a murmuT
| which ran over the assemblage.
"QUIET, EVERYBODY SIT DOWN."
and the judges voice came clear and
distinct. But even his authority couC
not prevent expressions of surprise and
Outburst of pent-up feelings, and sup
! pressed murmurs of anguish that came
from friends and relatives of the con
demned men. The unfortunate defend
ants themselves said nothing; nor ever
did they move-ouly looked into space
and it was as if all hope had gone, anC
now for the first time they knew tina
their lives mad been failures
The judge was the first to make
movement. Stepping to the front, he or
dered that the Jurors be polled. Eacl
Juror was then asked by the clerk if tht
verdict expressed his true conviction, ant
if he agreed to the verdict. In answer
there came
FIRM, But Low, 81 Do.'
Then the Judge glanced for the frs
time at the prisoners and their friends
/ He allowed his gaze to rest for a momen
on the cringin- forms of the little oil,
mother, Wccping sisters and wives. The
bringing his eyes to the jury again, h
told them they had done their work well
ssYou have listened attentlvely to tin
evidence given, in every detail, both 70
and against the prisoners. Your clos
attention and verdict is the expression
of your convictions. This has been
/ long and tedious trial, but you hav
served we'll. l think you for your atten
tion."
The Judge then in a few words dis
charged the Jury. and notified them tina
that they were at liberty to 90. Their
was not one of the twelve good and tru
men but looked thankful aud drew a sig
of relief The Jury then rose and ale
out of the room, and the bailiffs mad
their way 40 the sides Of the prisoners
Not one word escaped any one OF tn
eight Their faces siiil wore the sam
vacant look. and as they rose from thei
seats and followed the baiiiffs, II wa
with slaw, unsteady steps. Rene hln
the door. Lingg turned 70 look at hl
/ sYyer Lhgart and mis- anguish was uDpaI