Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-14
SPIES SPEAKS.
He Denounces Capitalists, Berates Justic'
and Says He'll Die Game.


and Says He'll Die Game.
August Spies rose before q little table upon
which his notes we're placed, along with glass
of water wearing plain black SUIT with put
ton-hole bouquet. stroked his hair back over ms
somewhat intelligent forehead, and perspired
freely, indicating the great strain upon his
physical powers which the critical situation I'M
posed upon him He spoke for three-quarters
of an hour. We present u few choice extracts
from his remarkable speech. He began by as
serting that there was no evidence connecting
him with the Haymarket massacre, and de-
clared that the execution of the sentence
against him would be nothing less than
willful malicious and deliberate murder, as
foul a murder as may be found in the annals OF
religious, political or any other sort OF persecu-
tion.
@The class that clamors for our lives, the
good and devout Christians, have attempted in
every way, through their newspapers and
otherwise, to conceal the true and only issue in
this case by designating the defendants an
archists and picturing them as newly dis
venting shocking and horrifying stories of their
conspiracies These Christians sought to keep
the naked evidence from the working people.
namely, that the evening of May two hundred
armed men under the command OF notorious
ruffian attacked a meeting of peaceable citizens
with what intentionp Win the intention OF
could. refer to the testimony given by two
of our witnesses The wage-workers of this city
began to object to being heeeed too much.
They began to say some truths that were highly
disagl eeable to our patrician class. They
were dscontented. They put forth some
very modest demands. They thought that
eight hours hard toll day for scarcely
two hours pay was too much. This low
rabble had to be silenced The only way to
silence them was to frighten them and murder
those whom they looked up to as their leaders.
Yes, these foreign dogs had to be taught les
SON. SO that they might never again interfere
with the high-handed exploitation OF their be-
nevolent and Christian families Bonheld, the
man who would bring blush OF shame to tho
murderers of st. Bartholomew night-Bonheld,
the illustrous, with a visage that would have
done excellent service to Dore in portfaying
Dante's Fiends of He'll -Bonheld was the man
to consummate the conspiracy OF the Citizens
Association Of our patricians. And IL 1 had
thrown that bomb, caused IL to be thrown,
or had known of it, would not hesitate mo-
ment to state so. 1t is true q number of lives
were lost and many were wounded but hun
dreds of lives were thereby saved. But for
that bomb there would have been hundred
widows and hundreds of orphans whore now
there are few. These facts have been sup
pressed while we were accused and convicted
OF conspiracy by the real conspirators and
their agents. This, your Honor, is one reason
why sentence should not be passed by court
of justice.
ait has always been the opinion OF tho ruling
classes that the people must be kept in fgno-
rance. They lose their servility their modesty,
and obedience to the arbitrary powers that be
as their intelligence grows. The education Of a
blacksmith quarter of a century ago was q
criminal offense. Why2 Because the intelli-
gent slave would throw off his shackles at what
ever cost, my Christian gentlemen. Why is the
education Of the working people to-day looked
upon by a certain class as treason against the
state? For the same reason. The state, how
ever wisely avoided this point in the prosecu-
tion of the case. The court this morning stated
that there is no case in history like this. have
noticed during this trial that the gentlemen of
the legal profession are not well versed in his
tory Again, In all historical cases OF this kind
the truth had to be perverted by the priests OF
the established powers that were nearing their
ends.
I'VE have explained to the people the different
phenomena of tho social laws and circum-
stances under which they occur We have
further stated that the wage system as a spe-
cihc form of social development would, by the
necessity Of logic have to make room for a
higher form OF civilization; that the wage sys-
tenn was preparing the way and furnishing the
foundation for a social system Of cooperation
That is socialism. We have said that the ten
dency OF progress seemed TO be toward anarch
| ism that is q froe society, without king and
| classes-a society OF soveregns in which the
| liberty and economic quality Of all will fur
nish an unshakable equilibrium as a condition
| Of natural order IL is not likely that the Hon
| Bonfeld and Grinnell can conceive OF con
/ dition of social order not held intact by the
| policemen's club and pistol, nor OF n free socie
| ty without prisons, galowses. and States At
L torneys. In such n society they would probably
/ fail TO ind place for themselves. And is thii