The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-06-27
ANARCHISTS FREED.
Queer Action on the Part Of Gevornor
Altgeid Of Illinois.


Queer Action on the Part Of Governor
Aisg~id Of Illinois.
SPRINGFIELD. H., June 2G.-Governor
Altgeld to-day .,parioned F,clden, Neebe
and Schw nh. narcliists, serving life sem
tence in Joliet penitcntiary for completely
in the Haymarket riot in Chicago on tho
night Of May 4. 1856, IN which a large
number were killed and wounded, for
which Parsons, Spies and others were
hanged.
This morning the secretary OF state re.
ceiyed a note from William L. Doze, the
governors private secretary. Transmitting
the papers pertaining to the application
for pardon and the executive order grant
ing pardon to the mon. The papers were
Immediately made out and given to Z. ID.
Dryer. who left on the noon train for
Joliet. He delivered the papers to Warden
Allan and the men were II once released.
Governor Al,gcld's opinion is very
lengthy. After reviewing the history Of
the Haymarket riot and the trial and con-
viction Of the men. he SAYS that the peo-
pie who urged the executive clemency,
based their appeal On tho ground that, as
suming the prisoners to be guilty, they
have been punished enough. But others
assert that the jury which tried the case
was packed and, according To law, the
jurors were not competent and the trial.
therefore, was not legal. Further. that the
defendants were not proved guilty OF the
charges In the indictment and that the
states attorney declared that there was
no case against Ncebc that tho trial judge
was either SO prejudiced or else SO deter
mined to win the applause of certain
class, that he did not give a fair trial.
After reviewing these reasons. the COVER
nor says that II the defendants had fair
trial, there should be no executive inter-
ference in this case. On the first PROPOSE
tion. the governor shows that tho jury was
not selected in the usual way, but men
were summoned who were known to be
prejudiced against the defendants. On
the question of the competency of th.
jurors to act rs such, the governor quotes
from the record Of the supreme court Of
Illinois, in what is known as tho Cronin
case, In which jurors. answering the aues-
tions almost the same as in this case, were
held tn be incompetent.
On the Indictment question, tho COVER
nor says that IL IL not known who threw
the bomb. He further shows that the
actual throwing was probably an act Of
vengeance by some one who had been
maltreated by Police Captain Bonfield.
The governor also quotes u statement
made by the then chief of police. Eber-
sold. from which !, appears that il was the
policy of n number OF police officials Ia
stir up sentiment by largely exaggerating
the number and activity Of the
anarchists. Fbcrsold is quoted as saying
Il began TO think there was perhaps not
80 much to the anarchy business as they
claimed"
The governor holds from this that most
of the so-called cons piracies were rcall,
the creation Of the police officers. IN
search Of glory and reward by suhse.
a,sently discovering them. As to Necbe's
Innocence, tho governor quotes a letter
written by Mayor Harrison. ia which II is
shown that there was never any evidence
against him. Harrison's letter is in,lorsed
by Fred s. Winston. then corporation
counsel OF Chicago.
In conclusion, the governor refers TO
tho conduct of Presiding Judge Gary,
showing that. on every point, his ruling
was in favor OF tho state, aud throughout
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