The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-27
THEIR GUILT NOT PROVEN.
Or, at Least, the Governo
Thinks That Way.
JUDGE AND JURY PREJUDICED.
An Act That Will Require a Vast
Deal of Explanation From
the Executive.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, June Ex-Governor
Altgeld to-day pardoned Feilden. Neebe
and Schwab. anarchists serving life terms
in the Joliet penitentiary for completely
in the Haymarket riot, Chicago, on the
night of May s. 1888, in which large num-
Der of police were killed and wounded,
and for which Parsons. Spies and others
were hanged, and over whose grave a
monument was unveiled by Chicago
anarchists yesterday.
Early this morning the Secretary of
State received a note from William F.
DoZe, the Governors private secretary,
transmitting the papers pertaining to the
application for a pardon and an executive
order granting pardon to the men. The
papers were Immediately made out and
given to E. D. Dryer, who left on the
noon train for Joliet. He delivered the
papers to Warden Allen, and the men
were at once released.
Governor AltgeId's opinion is very
lengthy. After reviewing the history of
the Haymarket riot, the trial and convic-
tions. he says that the people who urged
the exercise of executive clemency based
their appeal on the ground that, assuming
the prisoners to be guilty, they had been
punished enough. But others assert that
the jury which tried the case was packed,
and according to law the jury was not COM
petent and the trial was therefore not
legal. Further, it was claimed that the
defendants were not proven guilty of the
charges in the Indictment and that the
States Attorney had declared that there
was no case against Neebe The trial
Judge was either so preiudiced or elso so
determined to win the applause of GER
tain class that be did not grant fair trial.
After reviewing these reasons the Gov
ernOr says that if the defendants had been
given fair trial there should be no eXecu-
tive interference in this case. On the first
proposition the Governor shows that the
jury was not selected in the usual way,
but that men were summoned who were
known to be prejudiced against the de-
PENDANTS. On the question of the compe-
tency of these jurors TO act as such the
Governor quotes from the record of the
Supreme Court of Illinois in what is
known as the Cronin case, in which Jurors
answering questions almost the same as
those in this case were held to be incom-
petent.
On the Indictment question the Cover
bomb. He further shows that the actual
throwing was probably an act of vengeance
by one who had been maltreated by PO-
lice Captain Bonfed. The Governor
quotes the statement made by the then
Chief of Police. Ebersold, from which it
appears that it was the policy of a number
of police officials to stir up sentiment by
largely eXaggerating the number and ac-
tivily of the anarchists.
Ebersold is quoted as saying: II began
to think that there was perhaps not so
much to the anarchy business as they
claimed"
The Governor holds from this that most
of the so-called couspiracies were really
mere creations of police officers in search
of glory and reward by subsequently dis
covering" this. AS to Neebe's innocence.
the Governor quotes a letter written bv
Mayor Harrison, in which it is shown that
there never was any evidence against him.
Harrison's letter is indorsed by Fred S.
Winston, then Corporation Counsel of
Chicago.
In conclusion the Governor refers to the
conduct of Presiding Judge Gary showing
that on every point his rulings were in
favor of the State, aud throughout the
trial Judge Gary manifested feeling and
venom against the defendants which left
pronounced mark upon the jury.
CHICAGO, June 26.-Governo Altgeld's
action in pardOning the anarchists created
no great surprise here. While it was not
looked for to-day it was expected, from
the Governors opinion on the matter that
the pardons were merely matter of time
to Inli
there has been a strong movement on foot
for their release. and few petitions so large
as those sent in their behalf were ever pre-
pared in this country.
The Times. commenting on the pardons,
says: "These men were wrong but not
capitally wrong in the method of their
agitation for redress of what they consid-
cred grievances. Governor Altgeld has
done no more than right in giving them
freedom for the rest OF their days"
The Inter Ocean says: governor Ait
geld did not stop with the exercise of his
con Institutional prerogative. He went out
of his way to criticize the Judge who pre-
sided over the trial court and the chief
detective who ferreted out the testimony
in the case. This was without excuse"
Fieiden, Schwab and Neebe arrived in
the city this evening in company with
Banker E. S. Dryer. The latter when he
reached Joliet this afternoon made brief
speech to the men. saying that clemency
had been extended to them on condition
that they promised forevermore to refrain
from associatng with men who preached
the doctrines which had brought them
within prison walls, and refrain also
themselves from again propagating an
archis;ic theories. The men got off at
Tween ty-third street to avoid possible
demonstration at the depot, but neverthe-
less found large crowds about their resi-
dences. No demon strations were made,
SHOT HIMSELF.