The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-14
They Inform Judge Woods That They
Rest Their Case on the Evidence
Presented by the Prosecution.
COURT ADJOURNS TO SEPT. 25
No Decision Expected Before Some
Time i'm November.
Contracts Between the Pullman Car
Company and the Railroads Produced
by Secretary Weinsheimer.

CHICAGO, Sept. 13.-Much to the sur
prise of everyone the attorneys for the
defense in the Debs case announced this
afternoon, when the last witness for the
prosecution had been heard, that. they
would stake their case on the evidence
before the court. Mr.. Gregory said that
the defense had some witnesses who could
modify the testimony but that the cardinal
points would probably not be affected. He
said that he and his associates would
therefore refrain from putting witnesses
In rebuttal on the stand and would be
ready, after a reasonable time for the
preparation of abstracts of evidence to go
before the court with their arguments.
This was apparently a great surprise to
Mr.. Walker and his associates. who rep
resent the prosecution. However, after
some preliminary stipulations as to the
preparation of papers, Judge Woods adj
journed court TO Tuesday, Sept. %, when
the arguments will be heard. Twenty days
after that the defense will present its
briefs, and the whole matter will go TO the
court.
Counsel for the defense express them
selves as confident that the government
has not made its case on the testimony
presented. and are confident of being able
In the end to free Mr.. Debs and the other
officers and directors of the American
Railway Union from the contempt charge.
On the other hand, the prosecutors are
quite as confident of success. The judge
has never through the trial given the
least intimatiCn as to what he thought of
any point In the proceedings. He said to-
day in court hat he wanted rather TO
hear some collateral proceedings Of a sim
Ill IL ~
case. 1t is thought the case may run well
into November before it is finally ended.
CLOSING TESTIMONY.
When court opened this morning the
government attorneys asked that
President Debs and the other defendants
be called upon to testify. The defense OBJ
jected. and Judge Woods allowed the mat
ter to pass without a ruling.
Roy Baker. a reporter. was the first wit
ness called. His testimony related to a
manifesto against the Pullman company
issued by Debs.
Joseph Ellers, night clerk at the Leland,
testified that he had delivered numerous
kilograms TO Debs. and that the latter had
read them In his presence.
Wallace Rice, a reporter who. as a del
egate from a local union. was present at
the A. r. U. convention, told OF the scenes
during consideration Of the Pullman strike.
The witness said that Debs made a fiery
speech urging the boycott and declaring
that he would rather see the a. r. u. go
to wreck in so righteous a cause than to
drag along uselessly- Howard. Mr.. Rice
said, was much more conservative, and
opposed the ordering of the boycott.
nag milford. of the Western Union
Telegram Company, was recalled. and pro-
ford to Debs. on July 2. skiing him to
grant permission to. the trainmen 10 take
her private car to San Francisco.
Mics Becker, a telegraph operator, testi-
fed that Debs had replied to Mrs. Stan
ford, telling her the trainmen would take
her car through This was the first evil
sages relative to the strike.
J. b. King, jr:, a switchman. testified
regarding the strike of the Illinois Central
and at the conclusion of his testimony Mr..
Walker announced that the government
case was closed with the exception of the
defense refused to outline it's testimony.
Most OF the afternoon session was con-
to violence committed along the Santa Fe
road. G. K. Resseguie. superintendent of
the Chicago division of the Santa Fe road.
testified that he was in the Chicago yards
OF The road from June n 10 July II. He
said that the company had had no difficulty
with its employees and the switchmen had
told him when they were out that the A.
Z. u. had ordered a boycott on Pullman
cars. and as the Santa Fe would not cut
them of its employees had gone out. Wit
ness also told of the crowds that mo
tested the tracks and the ordering of the
deputy marshals- On cross examination
Mr.. Gregory ELECTED the fact that the COM
pany was thirty or more days behind in
the pay TO their men and that there had
been some complaints in regard to this
condition OF affairs.
"a committee of switchmen came to me-
said witness, j. a. Tfley, general yard
master for the Santa Fe road in Chicago.
and. said that they had been ordered to
strike by the A r.. L., and that they had
10 grievance against US"
rd 3D. r. to,a BLISS hnw S an bs e5g baen n on the same same
20 strike. He said that a mob had threat
ened to FIX him. ''For fear they would
fix me-" he said. Il quit work when 1 did
PULLMAN CONTRACTS.
Alfred w. Weinsheimer, secretary of the
Pullman Palace-car Company, was called
and identified two contracts-one between
his company and the Eastern Illinois road
and the other between his company and
the Santa Fee road. They were the con.
tracts about which there was so much con.
lecture during the strike. In them the
Pullman comrany agrees to furnish cars
equal to the standard OF the best sleeping
and parlor cars in the country. furnish
their with attendants and keep them in
repair. II also agrees 10 furnish free
tickets and save the railway company
IN from the damages incident Il
any claim growing out Of letters patent
On the other hand. the railroad company
agrees to haul the cars on any road II
now owns or any that ii was TO acquire
possession OF during the life OF the con-
tract, bear the cost of ordinary running
gear TO the amount OF 2 cents a mile. hau
Pullman cars from the shops, furnish oil
lights and Ice Tor them, and bear the re
sponsibility for damage from accidents anc
casualties. 1t also agrees to furnish free
storage room for supplies and to give the
officials OF the Pullman company passes