Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-08-19
THEDRAMATIC BLACK.
HE MAKES A STRONG EMOTIONAL PLEA
FOR THE ANARCHISTS,


tion of his long and dramatic argument tc
the jury at 10 o'clock this morning. Th,
court room was again crowded, rs it ha:
! been since the speech making became {
feature of the trial. A large portion oi tn,
spectators was made up of ladies, whC
have frightened the dingy room day afteI
day by their presence. The wrinkleC
mother and the blooming sister of Angus
! Spies sat near the chiet of the eight de
PENDANTS. Mrs. Parsons and General Par
sons were early on hands to give encour
agcment to the inhammatory \. X. Par
sons. The defendants were still trim il
appearance, and some of them still wor,
flowers, but over the faces of all fluttered
an unmistakable look of anxiety.
Captain Black began his talk with the
statement that he would review a few
cases which he had been advised the State
would cite in the closing speech. He read
from Supreme Court decisions and asked
Was the Haymarket meeting in itself q
felony? Was the calling of that meeting
an indication ofmurderous design? twill
not he so ordered. The connection he,
tween calling that meeting and the events
which followed must he proven i'll the
guilty intent of the alleged Conspirators.
Is it justice TO hang men who had no in
timatiOn of the calamity TO follow, who
were not even present ut the meeting.
If there was conspiracy 10 throw that
bomb, and if il can he proved that the
bomb WAS thrown by one of the defendants,
then the case is clear; but is there one who
can say that the bomb was thrown by one
of the prisoners? 1t is not 80 claimed. II
is held that these men were members of a
conspiracy, and that they are therefore
guilty. With no knowledge of the criminal
intent, with no hand in the commission oi
the crime, they are held answerable for the
act of one man who has not been found and
whose identity has not been proven.
BLACK BECOMES VIOLENT.
Toward the close of his speech Captain
Black became very violent in his remarks
directed at the police and what appeared
to be defense of Socialism. ''The Hay
market meeting" he said, was called for
the purpose of discussing the common good
of those participating, 1t had gone on
peaccahly. 1t was nearing peaceful close
when the police made an unwarrantablc
and uniustifable and outrageous invasion
of these citizens right. Inspector Boniicld
ordered the formation of that column IN
which began the march of death" Con-
tinued Captain Black: 81 ask you, gentle
men, on your oath before God, who WAS
responsible for the Haymarkct massacre:
II Inspector Bonfeld had not marched
would there have been any murder:
when peaceful meeting is on the eve oI
dissolution, can petty police officer
take the law into his own hands and com
pei them 10 diSpcrsc? That were anarchy
gentlemen; nay, that were ChaOs-chaos o
constitutional rights. | charge no legal
responsibility here, hut | ask you, gentle
men, who was the man who prccIpltatcd
that riot, that massacre!
BLACK DEFENDS SOCIALISM.
When the followers of the great Socialist
of Judea sought 10 spread the great prncl'
ples of the teacher, there were those who
thought by cruciiNiOn Ia strangle the great
truth. But it would not be strangled. II
burst forth in spite of the puny efforts ol
its foes and cnvclopcd the world. Capt.
Black concluded his address 10 the jury ~
follows: These defendants stand in this
room true To their convictions. Let III
change their convictions, il wc can, 10y
argument let us persuade them, il We
can that they shall not do
violence. But tell YOU that
if the only answer you have 10 them * the
hemp and moose, yOu are turning back To
the barbarism of eighteen hundred years
ago. You arc turning back 10 the time Of
those past centuries. You rccant the
thought and passion and inspiration oi
God in this great hour of civilization. Until
YOU can blot out Jesus Christ from the
worlds history, until you can seal up his
doctrine of fellowship and love, set upon IT
some seal of absolute despotism and cast II
into SOME sea Of Oblivion whose waves will
never stir, until then you
CAN NOT DRIVE SOCIALISM ouT
Of the world: until then you can not make
man stop thinking; until then, when
men see wrong, oppression, injustice
crime, death, they will think, advise, and
hope for brighter tomorrow. lfthcrc comes
from the State an appeal for vengeance; II
you are told To think of the dead who died
in their place Of duty on that sad May
night; ifagain there are mentioned to you
the tears that fall upon these new made
graves and you are asked under the old LTJ
faIionis to give life for life and one for
intcreSt--eight for Scycn-l say To you
again, il il right? Will the tears Of those
widows with whom we weep he aSsuaged
because a few graves dishOnOred break the
sweet green earth? Will the verdurc be
brighter, tendercr, fairer upon the grassy
plots Of those uncOmplaining dead because
their graves have been multiplied? Will
those children bcreft find compensation
that the OrphanhOOd is multiplied! WIZ
the State be richer because other Of her
children are snatchcd from her fostering
care and strangIed without right? viii
humanity step upward-G0dward-Over
their graves? ]
PLEAD FOR LIFE.
I do not have TO satisfy you that my
theory may he corrected, that is within
reason, ana u IL Dt "ltbhI I@eN'b tp'b
there arises that reasonable doubt which
shelters every accused man. Gentlemen,
the last words for these eight lives. They
are in your hands, with no power, to
whom Won are answerable, but God and
history and ] say TO you in closing only
the words Of that divine Socialist: "As
We would that Others should do TO you do
90 oyor On IN them -
Mr.. GRISNELL, STATES ATTORNEY,
stepped in front of the Judges bench and
said:
May it please the Court and gentlemen
Of the Jury, I shall have to ask your great
indulgence az / approach this part OF my
duty. in which there Is no pleasure to me,
in humility and fear. Humility in view
Of the importance of the interests which
are placed in a measure in my charge and
that the result may in some way depend
upon me: fear that may leave undone or
unsaid something that should be said.
Therefore shall need your careful consid-
Grafton, which / know you will accord
me-
Mr.. GrinneIl devoted the first part OF his
aJJro.g tp