Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-12
Sohbiing Anarchists.
Weird Scene at the Chicago
Memorial Meeting.
LETTER FROM THE DEAD PARSONS.


Year After His Funerai-speeches Over
the Graves of the Reds" at waldheim
Observation-Disclosures of the Day Else
where-some Lrrid Utterancss.
CHICAGO, Nov. l2-Between 1000 and
5000 men and women braved the bleak No
vember wind and stood for two hours on the
damp sod in Waldheim cemetery Saturday
afternoon to do honor to the memories OF
Spies, Parsons, Engel Fischer and Lingg.
Most of the women were in deep mourning,
while the men had Grape bands around their
coat-sleeves or hats, or badges of the same
material upon their breasts Five out of six
displayed red satin ribbon, the symbol of
revolution. As a result Of the ultimatum Of
Mayor Roche there was no parade in the
city although about $50 members of Labor
assembly No. !, of the Knights of Labor,
formerly known as the Albert R Parsons
assembly, marchsd in body from their hall
to the Wisconsin Central station. At the
latter place number of policemen in civ
ilian attire mingled with the throng. Police
Lieut.. Wilson, who was also at the station,
had received orders to suppress any display
OF flags at half mast, attempt at paradins,
or playing of funeral music, but there was
no effort looking toward demonstration
within the city limits. The early train
was packed with people bound for the
cemetery and at noon two special trains
one Of fourteen and the other OF sixteen
coaches, were called into requisition to trans
port the crowds who beSeiged the station.
II was . O'ciotk when the formal exercises
at the cemetery commenced. Previous to
this number Of magnificent floral offerings
had been placed upon the five graves The
various organizations formed in line on the
road outside and marched into the cemetery
in regular file, preceded by band of music
playing funeral dirge The speakers stand
was profusely decorated with frs. smilax,
and red ribbon, and was located few feet
from the grave lot of the dead Anarchists
The mother Of August Spies, her two sons
and daughter, Mrs Engle and her family
| and the two little children left by Parsons,
occupied a space near the speakers stand re-
served for the relatives Of the dead and impris-
| oned revolutionists Nina Van Zandt, Mrs.
| Parsons, and Mrs. Fischer, were conspicuous
| by their absence The first Is in Pennsyl-
vania, Mrs. Parsons in London, and Mrs
| Fischer in st. Louis
The assemblsge was called to order by
| George A Schiliing, who reminded those
| present, that they had met together on that
beautiful autumn day to celebrate the death
| Of five American heroes, and Robert Reit-
gel, editor of der Teufel," of Detroit, de-
| livered a brief address IN German. He
| eulogizrd the executed men, and the cause
for which they died; said that their teach
| ings were those of Thomas Paine, the same
that actuated the people of the United States
in rebeiling against Great Britain, and
| pointed to the demonstrations held Saturday
and yesterday in New York, Pittshurg, St
Louis. Cincinnati, Detroit, and other Ameri
can cities, as well as in London and Paris
as a proof that the dead men were remem,
hered, and the cause of Anarchy growing.
When he had concluded. fifty pupils of the
Northwestern Socialist Sunday school, BOYS
and girls, sang in German the song, "Fol
Truth and Right Then, with letter in
his hand George Schilling stepped forward
aud read the letter written BY Parsons e
his children With the injunction that II wa.
not 10 be opened until the first anniversary
OF his death. Schiiling broke the seal with
trembling hand and commenced TO read witt
a voice choked with emotion. The effect Of
the first few sentences upon the audience
was electrical Tears began to roll down tbs
faces of the men and women, and before thu
reading was completed it seemed as thougi
one weird sob and moan from thousands o
threats was mingled with the ~ailing of tn
wind as it swept through the lifeless branche
Of the trees The letter in full reads as fol
lows:
| DuNGEos No z Cook County JAN CHICAGO
Nov g. 50 To Ny DARLING, Precious LIT11l
CHILDREN. ALBERT r PARSONS, Jr., AND HIS Sis
| TYR Ltlu EnA PARSONS AS write this word
blot your Uarne with a tear We never NEE
again Oh, my chidr how deeply dearly, you
| papa Loves you We show our love, by living 70
loved ones We also prove our love. by dy3n
when necessary, for them OF my life and tn
cause of my cruel death You will learn from 9th
ers. Your father is a self-ofiered sacrifice upo
the altar Of Liberty. and happiness To You
leave the legacy of az honest name aud dut
done Preserve it circulate it. Be true 10 YOU
selves You can not then I've fsl~- TO others B
sober industri,al. and cheerful Your mother
all she is the sraudeSt, the nubiest of women
love hnuor snd obey her
My children, my precious ones, ! request you {
read this parting eSsage on each recurring al
niversary Of NY death IN remembrance Of hin
who dies not aloue for you, but for the childre
yet unborn.
Bless sup. my darlings farewell Your fathe
ALBEIT r. PARSONS.
The weepin. nd sohblng continued 70
some minutes after the reading had con
; cluded. when $50 voices Of the United Mar
; nercbor sang. al the Grave Of Ga
Friends"
Other addresses followed in English an
German, and after a final song by the Mai
:, rerchor, the exercises closed, and the crow
: quietly returned to the city