The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-26
GUILTY.
So Say the Jury In the Anarchists
Trial.
Spies, Schwab, Fielder, Parsons, Fischer,
Engel and Lingg Sentenced to Hang
Neebe Gets Fifteen Years
Scenes In Court.

CHICAGO, Aug. 20.-It was known late
last night that a verdict in the anarchist
cases had been reached and the brief time
in WHICH the jury were out led to the con-
clasion that it was not favorable
to the defendants. At ten O'Clock last
evening their labors had been completed.
At $50 in the afternoon they had retired,
and thus within seven hours they had VIZ
tually concluded that the evidence was
sufficient to convict all but one of
the men of murder in the first degree.
the penalty for which. according to the
laws of Illinois, is death.
AS early as six o'clock a swarm of peo-
pie sbecan gathering about Judge Gary's
court room. Only the janitors had arisen
and they were sleepily sweeping up the
rooms and corridors OF the massive build
ing in which few hours later. seven of
the greatest criminals ever brought before
bar of justice, were to hear their DOOM
Within the court room the judges
and attorneys were i'm secret consulta-
ton and il was decided not to
admit more than one hundred persons in
addition TO the privileged characters. Sew
eral relatives of the accused who sought
their former seats were directed to places
behind the line of police. Mrs. Parsons
was given seat in the rear of the room be-
tween two police officers.
When the jury entered at $50 O'Clock,
escorted by dozen bailiffS, the judge had
not yet arrived.
At 9:45 he reached the court room. By
this time the court room was
fairly crowded. The court enjoined
absolute silence when the jury had taken
seats in the box. Then the foreman handed
in the following verdict:
1--WE, the jury. find the defendants, Aug
ust Spies, Michael Schwab, Samuel FieIden,
A. X. Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George
Engel and Louis Lingg guilty of murder
and conspiracy as charged in the indict.
ment, and fix the penalty at death. We
also find Oscar Neebe guilty of murder
in the manner charged in the indictment
and sentence him to fifteen years in the
penitentiary."
At the request of Captain Black of the
counsel for the defense, the jury was polled
each man answering in firm voice. The
judge then thanked the jury for their pa
thence and discharged them. Captain Black
request of States Attorney Grinnell, the
motion was continued to the September
term.
When the verdict was pronounced, few
cries were heard from the rear of the
court room. Somebody said Mrs. Parsons
had tainted. Strong men wiped their eyes
when the limp body of the unconscious
woman was carried into an adjoining room.
Lingg seemed unprepared for the verdict
lie changed color. Tears streamed on. from
his eyes ana he seemed completely broken
down. Parsons, FieIden and the Spies
brothers bore up brayely under the fearful
burden of the verdict.
The motion for new trial, it is expect
ed, will be heard early next month. If
Overruled, Judge Gary will pronounce SEN
tence and fix the date for the carrying out
of tile death penalty. The case will then
go to the Supreme Court for a review. 1t
is the generally expressed view of lawyers
that the Supreme Court will not interfere
II Judge Gary refuses a new trial, as the
court, it is contended. ruled with great lib
erality toward the defendants counsel, and
read to tile jury nearly every instruction
asked for OH behalf of the defendants.
AS the condemned men were being led
back TO the Jail through the elevated iron
passage way FieIden required support;
Lingg and Engel walked firmly and showed
little emotion; Spies and Fischer looked
pale but retained their strength, and
Schwab tOttered behind Parsons. but it was
on Neebe that the blow fell heaviest He
had been confident of acquittaI. While
seated in the bailiif's office last night he
was asked by BaiItf Selden: What will
you take right now as a compromise SEN
tence9" Not one hour" stoutly declared
lie. AS he entered the Jail OH the march
from the court he looked like a corpse,
his haggard cOuntenance speaking unutter-
able woe.
The court room was quickly emptied,
the crowds pouring out to join the cheering
throngS i'll the street.
HISTORY OF THE TRIAL
The trial of the eight anarchists who were
to-day convicted and with one exception
sentenced to be hanged, has been in pro-
Cress fifty-six days, of which about three
weeks was occupied in the einpaneling of
jury. The evidence was closed on the
fifty-second day after the case mad been
called. The defendants were alleged to
have been the plOtters of and active par
Elephants in the Haymarket riots at Chicago
of May 4, the throwing of a bomb at which
iVouIlOu III thC VI oONOH pOlJOC VIII
GERS and the manning of number
of others. They were all charged with
murder. Although it was not alleged that
all were guilty of the act of throwing the
fatal bomb, they were al believed to be
equally guilty on the ground of having
conSpred with each other to do the act
which resulted in the slaughter of the
police officers. The judge held the law
was that if tie defendants were parties 10
All anarchist conspiracy, they were all
alike guilty of murder, although the date
of the conspiracy might not be fixed. The
particular crime of which the defendants
have been found guilty was the murder of
Officer NJ. J. Degan; and the theory of the
was that at meeting
held at Greif's Hail OF May 8, as we'll as
at other times the defendants participated
in determination that in the event of q
collision between the police and the strikers
certain organizations should meet at certain
places; that committees should be appointed
to attend the places where attacks by the
poIics might be expected and report attacks
to the armed sections: that such attacks
might be resisted and police stations and
and other public works DESTROYED, and that
the act causing the death of began, namely
The throwing of the bomb was the result in /
which all Of defendants alike participated. |