The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-21
THE ANARCHISTS.
Conclusion of the Great Criminal
Trial.


that tine and . o'clock were given the
same answer Every conceivable ruse was
resorted TO, but the eilioers were inexorabIe
and when the verdict was brought in tbara
were prof. ably less aple in the courtroom
than at any time during the, trial The
crowd outside numbered about .ptlO people
and these were kept informed of the prog
ress inside by tho police Some of the pee
pie who succeeded in getting up stairs and
took seats ut the west end of the room we're
Mis- spies Mrs, i'ursons, kueebe's wife
L'ngg's sweetheart, August Spies sister
and bis brother Ferdinand, Mrs Ames
ten. Parsons, Spies mother, and half a
dozen Others who have been regular attend
ants at the trial
Judge Cary was on time and at four
minutes to 10 the court was opened and he
Judge sang out to spectators to take seats
and not TO make any demonstration. The
prisoners We're then bronsh t out and RANGED
along the south wall by the windows. TIE
Judge then turned and told the clerk to call
the names of the jury This was done, amid
oppressive silence except on the part of
Neebe, who was probably the most affected
of the prisoners. Neebe turned and looked
across the room 10 the place where bis wife
was sitting. He GRAINED his neck forward
and said something in an unlcrtone to him
self Pars ous Ioplad- STRAIGHT oI,aaa o., a.,
Place where his brother, the general. was
standing. He then turned and looked into
the street, where under tie burning sun
1909 men and women ga ell anxiouSly at
the upper windows Parsons glanced huf-
rledly around, and with bold, defiant
lcok IN his eyes pulled something
FROM his pocket 1t was tho
battle flag of the Anarchists dirty
red silk handkerchief Turning SO that all
IN the streets might see, but in such a man
ncr that the court could not, be waved it
for moment or two Some one in the
treet caught sight OF it. and a cheer was
uttered, but quickly stopped When tho
people in the court room turned to ascertain
the cause of the demonstration, Parsons sat
stlii!y IN bis chair and gazed vacantly at
the clock. The Others gazed anxiousiy into
the faces of the Jury and friends and then
up at the diGniiied Judge, as if in hope of
cleaning sone indication of their fate
The relatives and friends of the prisoners
we're the most Affected over in a corner
sat Il little old woman nearly hidden by
hIg policeman 1t was the mother of Au-
gust spies, and during the hat hour that she
was IN the court room she wept constantly.
holding a white handkerchief to her eyes.
Mrs Parsons and Gen. Parsons said moth
ing AMI betrayed no evidence of the sus-
pense that they must have experienced
AIRS. Schwah looked at her husband with
fearful eyes, and once or twice wiped the
tears away Linggs sweetheart was next
to her. and during the calling of the Jurors
names kept up constant signalling with
him. The roll call was finally finished,
and then it was that the prisoners and their
friends betrayed the first excitement
Just two minutes after 10 Foreman Os-
borne ross to his feet and faced the court.
The suspense was terrible, and as if already
aware of the fate III store for them I.
tremor ran over the prisoners while the
feelings of their relatives and friends were
manifested by twitching of the muscles.
hard breathing and shaking limbs
Have you agreed upon verdict" and
the voice ct the Judge was almost iuaudi-
bic, and even he gave way to the momen-
tary solemnity and suspense Have you
agreed"
Then all eyes wore withdrawn from him
and turned on the foreman, who reached
forward and gave the paper, which he held
in his hand, to the CLERK, who in turn gave it
TO the Judge, The foremans work was
done The judge and the clerk held
whispered conference and finally the clerk
raised the paper where the light would fall
on it aud the Judge bent forward and fixed
his eyes on the spectators The people were
like marble figures, not word or sign did
they make, but their eyes merely shifted
from the nudge to the clerk The latter
then began reading slowly as follows
we hnd Spies Parsons, Fiellen, Schwab.
Fischer, L,ngg and Engel guilty as charged
i'll the Indictment, and punishable by death
We find Needle guilty of manslaughter and
fix his punishment at fifteen years in the
penitentiary The clerk then sat down, but
the Judge ana the foreman still remained
over minute people seemed to he dumb
stricken. Then there was faint sob-e
low, wailing moan. 1t came from the cor
ner where the little old mother of Spies sat.
and it was the signal for the outbreak OF
murmurS which ran over the assem- blaGe
Quiet livery body sit down, and the
Judges voice came clear and distinct But
even his authority could not prevent the
nv # auth
up feeling and ri,e suppressed murlnur oil
anguish that came from the friends and
relatives of the condemned men. The un-
fortunate defendanta themselves said moth
ing. Not even did they move. They only
looked-nDd into space. 1t was as if all
hope had gone, and now for the first time
they knew their lives had been a failure
The Judge was the first to make move
ment Stepping to The front he
ordered that the jurors Ire poiled
Each juror was then asked by the clerk II
the verdict expressed his true conviction,
and if be agreed in the verdict. In answer
there came firm, but low, a do" Then
tho Judge glanced for the first time at tie
prisoners AMI their friends. He allowed
his eyes 10 rest for momont on the cring
ing forms of the little old mother, weeping
sisters aud wives Then, bringing his eyes
to the Jury again, he told them that they
had done their work we'll you have
listened attentively to the eviden, Q, given
every detail, both for and against the pris-
oners, your close attention, and your YER
dict Is an expression of your convictions
This has been a long and tedious trial, but
you have served we'll | thank you for
your attention
The Judge then in few words discharged
the Jury and notified thom that they were
at liberty to 60 There was not one of the
twelve good and true men but looked
thankful and drew a sigh of. relief The
jury thon rose and filed out of the room,
and the hailitrs made their way to tho sides
of the prisoners Not ono word escaped any
one OF the eight. Their faces still wore
the same vacant look and as they rose from
thor seats aud followed the baililis it was !
with slow aud uustea iy step As they
reached the door l4ingg turned and looked
L. Al Il