The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-04
DYNAMITE BOMBS.
How They We're Used by the
Chicago Anarchists.
Startling Testimony at the Trial Of
the Accused Prisoners.

| An entire day in the Anarchist trial at
Chicago was devoted to the examination Of
William Seliger, a carpenter, in whose house
the dynanit, bombs were manufactured
under the supervision Of Louis Lingg, one Of
the prisoners on trial. Seliger was an Anar-
chist, member of a Socialist group, and
Recording Seeret tary of the Carpenters
Union. He was one of the leading witnesses
for the prosecution. His testimony startled
every one, and the anxiety of the eight pris-
oners was plainly depicted in their faces.
Seliger testified that on Tuesday, May 4th,
he was up early. He had previously told
Lingg he wanted those bombs removed from
his dwelling. Lingg told him to work dill
| gently at them, and that they would be taken
! away that day. Witness worked at some
bad shells, drilling the holes. 1t took him
about half an hour. Lingg returned from
meeting on the West Side about 1 o'c.ock
and tod witness he did not work very
much he ought to have done more. Witness
| told him he had no pleasure in the work
! Then Lingg said: "Wc will have to work
harder this afternoon" Lingg told him to 60
| to place on Clayborne avenue to get some
bolts to put in the shells. He got about fifty
bolts. Huetner, Munzenburg and HewmaHn
worked with him all the afternoon. Lingg
worked at the gas. pipes putting in tubes
Aoont forty bombs were made by the
| party that afternoon. Mr.. Ingham, for the
| prosecution, here presented two wrought-iron
| tubes about two inches in diameter and SIX
| inches long, alluded to by the witness.
Lingg cast the round bombs once alone in
| the rear room of witness store, six weeks be-
fore May L. Lingg told him every working
man should haI o dynamite and learn to use
10 ktor ifofi
he said, and all workingmen ought to
leara the use of dynamite. On
the Tuesday afternoon when they were
making bombs, Lingg said the bombs would
be good fodder for the capitalists and the
police who might try to protect the capital
ist'. The bombs ought 10 be completed that
evening, as they were to be used that night,
Lingg said. When witness left the house i'll
the evening, Lingg accompanied him, and
they carried little trunk containing the
bombs. Tney were all loa led with dyna-
mite and hal caps fged on them.
While they were carrying them they met
Mit.enberg, and the three of them carried
the trunk to Neff's Hall, No So Clybourne
avenue. They took them In through a side
door and into hallway. There the trunk
was opened and several persons came
three men took bombs. Witness took
RNShSeo.
Then they went away, leaving the bombs
in the rassageway. This hall, witness said,
was called the "shanty" of the Communists
Anarchists and So ialists All used to meet
there. When he left Neff's saloon Lingg
Helen and Gustave Lehrlnan were with him,
and they were afterward joine by two men
of the Lehr and Wehr Verein. All had
bombs.
Witness said that it was understood that
disturbanoe was to be made on the North
Side that night. Other disturban Q; were
to ba made on the West Side to prevent the
police from massing at any one point. Lingg
said disturbances should be made all over
the North Side, to prevent the police
from going to tie West Side. AS
station Lingg said it would be beautiful
thing to throw in a couple of bombs From
Lar1abee STREET Lingg and he went up to the
Webster avenue station. A patrol wagon
came I'D and Lingg said he was going to
throw in bomb; that it was the best time
to do it. Witness said that it was not good
time; that it would be useless. Lingg
became excited and wanted witness
to give him some fire from his
and struck match as if he were going to
give, it TO Lingg. The patrol wagon passed
before the match lighted. Lingg wanted to
follow the wagon. He thought there was
trouble on the West Side and wanted to
know what it was, but the witness persuaded
him to 90 home n little before IL o'clock.
Lingg aeked If witness had seen notice in
the paper that the armed men were to hold
meeting on the West Side. He showed copy
of the Arbeiter Zeitung and pointed to the
word ''ruhe,' which he said meant that there
was to be meeting, and that everything
was 10 be turned upside down. LinSg anu
witness went to Neh's Hall, where number
Of others were. Herman said to
Lingg, in a very angry voice: "You
are the cause of it all." There some one
told of the Haymarket affair and
said that a bomb had killed great many.
Lingg said nothing. On our way hom, Lingg
said that even now he was scolded and gibed
at for the work he had done; that his
brothers in the cause did not appreciate him.
They hid their bombs under the sidewalk. 1T
was about midnight when they reached
home. Witness said Engel often made
speeches to the effect that every workingman
should make bombs.
The prosecution at this point made sen.
sation by holding up bomb and asking II
that was the way bombs looked when they
were ready to go off. Considerable nervous
ness was displayed by Court and audience
whea it was learned that the thing was
loaded, and Judge Gray insisted that it and
the other bombs should be taken down to the
lake side and stripped Of their caps, which
was done.