Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-15
CURSES FOR CHICAGO.
Anarchists Meet in Memory OF the
Haymarket Murders.
THE SIGNIFICANT DECORATIONS.
All the Speakers Approved of Bomb Throw
ing as Pastime.
AUGUST SPIES HELD UP AS A MARTYR

A meeting in memory of the Anarchist:
hanged in Chicago on November
II, 1887, for the murderous Hay
market riots in that city on the night O
May q, 1886, was held last night at La
fayette Hall. About 500 people attended
The audience looked fairly intelligent. A
number of women were in the gathering.
They had with them their children, from
the squeaky-voiced babe to the noisy boy Of
years.
Over the stage was hung an emblem
stretching across the entire front of the hall.
On the black oilcloth was printed in large
white letters the following extract from
August Spies speech at Chicago, on No
vember II, 1887. 1t read:
"There will be time when our silence
will be more powerful than the voices you
are strangling to-day
A huge black flag floated from the left OF
the stage, while on the right red flag was
spread Directly under the black flag was
crayon OF A. R. Parsons. On the opposite
side was a picture of August Spies, and
suspended from the first gallery were the
pictures of George Engel, A. Fischer and
Lewis Lingg, who were hanged at ChicagoNo
vember IL, 1887. From the second stage in
the rear of the hall the huge folds of the
Anarchists favorite emblem f1oated overthe
audience, and all seemed content and CON-
Portable under its shadow. Prof Pfann-
kugh's orchestra furnished the music,
and when they reeled off "Annie
Laurie" with rare, delightful melody the
audience applauded literally.
Deep Curses for Chicago.
Hy Weismann, of New York, was the
first speaker. He talked in broken English.
He said the nation had Thanksgiving Day
and the Anarchists had day observed in
every civilized nation of the world for curs-
ing and condemning the murderers of Spies
and his fellows He attacked the
press of the United States, and
Chicago was the rottenest on earth.
The speaker said the Worlds Fair in Chi
cago would not be a success on account of
the police of that city. and he charged
Mayor Washburne. of Chicago, with being
a coward and traitor, who is being infu-
enced by political ambitions. He re-
ferred to Spies and his omr'des
as martyrs to the cause of labor,
and told of the rousing protests
that have been made by the work.
ing people of the world against their kill
ing. He predicted that two decades will
not pass before the principal cities of the
United States will not have halls large
enough to hold the people vino will gather
to commemorate the memory of the An
archists hanged for the Chicago riot. Mr..
Weismann declared without the color of
his face changing that all the rights guaran-
a;4 h. Al
tion are theoretical, and he argued that a
free Government or republic is not posi-
BILE where the great army of laborers is COM
PEELED to work from II to IA hours day.
He denounced the late William L. Scott for
his theories or the labor problem, and he
said the late riots in !he coke country tn
which II strikers were killed were the
natural results of the teachings of Mr..
Scott.
Applauded Boom Throwing.
In forcible burst of language Mr.. Weis-
mann applauded the throwing of the fatal
boom at the Chicago riots and insisted that
the rioters had the right to defend them
selves against the police. He attacked the
Jury that convicted the Anarchists and said
they had been bought by capitalists. He
contended that if capital employs officers
to kill workingmen the workingmen had
the same right to kill and murder, and in
conclusion he said the Pyramids of Egypt
will have crumbled in the dust long before
the memory of Spies and his companions is
forgotten.
Robert Steiner followed in German
speech. He repeated the ideas advanced by
Mr.. WeIsmann. as did also Fred Choura,
who delivered short speech in Bohemian.
JuliIs Brinkhoff followed with recitation
in German and the band played the Mar
seiilaise, and the audience arose and chat
tered in q dnzen diffarent tonnues