The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-18
DEBS SNONAPR|S)NER.
lie and His Three Aides Re-
fuse to Give Bail.
CHARGED WITH CONTEMPT.
The Accused Convicted by Their Own
TGlesramS.

Howard, Keliher and Rogers the Trio
Under Prosecution With Debs-one
of the Lawyers of the Labor Leaders
Intimates Thst the Case Is One of
Persecution by the Corporations.
The Court Cuts the Discussion Short
by Ordering Attachments for Con-
tempt Issued Against the Accused.
Chicago, July 17.-The report that ad-
ditional proceedings were likely to be
taken by the federal authorities against
President Debs and his associate officers
of the American Railway Union had the
effect of bringing a big crowd to the
United States circuit court room in the
government building this morning.
Judge Seaman of Milwaukee presided,
in the absence of Judge Grosscup.
President Debs was present at the
opening of court accompanied by w. w.
Erwin, the noted criminal lawyer of St.
Paul. w. A. Shoemaker of St. Paul, Mr.
Erwin's law associate, and by S. S. Greg
ory of this city, who was the leading
counsel of Prendergast in the lunacy pro-
ceedings that followed the assassin's con-
viction. and who has been retained as
special counsel for the union.
AS soon as few minor cases had been
disposed of, Mr. Gregory stepped to the
bar, announced the presence of President
Debs and inquired whether the hearing
was to go on to-day.
Judge Seaman replied that the case
would proceed as soon as District Attor-
ney Milchrist was ready. At IL O'Clock
the district attorney, accompanied by Ed
win Walker. special counsel for the gov
ernment, and George r. Peck, special
counsel for the Santa F'e road, appeared
in the court room, and Judge Seaman
ordered that the cases on hearing be sum
marily postponed, saying to Mr.. Walker:
The situation is such that your matter
should be taken up at once"
OPENING OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
Special Counsel Walker then opened the
proceedings proper with a brief state
ment He said that he was desirous of
presenting the court information against
certain people on behalf of the United
States government and to ask that a writ
of attachment be issued for the persons
named therein In addition another in
formation was offered In behalf of the
hands of United States receivers The
information on behalf of the government,
he said, set forth that on July
Judges Woods and Grosscup issued
an Injunction restraining President Debs
and his associates from interfering with
interstate commerce, or with the trans
portatiOn of United States mails, or from
exercising terror or violence against rail
road employees engaged in their work.
Personal service of this injunction was
made on the defendants concerned, but
in spite of it they continued to call out
men and ordered strikes within the city
of Chicago, and the district adjacent to
and within the jurisdiction of the court.
This violation had continued daily and
might be said hourly, and the government
desired such action and such punishment
as the court might see fit TO impose.
THE INFORMATION READ.
The lengthy information was then read
by District Attorney Milchrist. 1t sets
forth the facts already stated, and quoted
scores of kilograms sent by President
Debs after the injunction had been issued
These have never been published, and
had evidently come into the possession of
the government within few hours under
circumstances that the counsel would not
explain. Some were addressed to Phelan
the Cincinnati organizer just sentenced
by Judge Taft others to G.. McAuliffe,
at Milwaukee; others to Livingston,
Montana others to employees of the Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy, Chicago
and Eastern Illinois, Big -Four and Santa
Fe railroads. Ali urged men to go out
and stay out. One dispatch read: "It
will take more than injunctions to move
trains. Get the men out" This was
addressed to w f. Smith, Grand juno
tion, Col Many other dispatches were
OF the same tenor. One said DO not
be frightened by troops, injunctions or
the subsidized press. Call your men out.
This is a contest of plutocracy against
the masses, and we will win and protect
our supporters"
The court lnterfered at this point with
the suggestion that it did not want to
hear any more dispatches. Enough had
been read to indicate persistent viola
tion of the injunction.
CLEARLY IN CONTEMPT.
Then the district attorney proceeded to
read a resume Of the loss of property oc-
casiOned by the mob during the past two
weeks, of assaults upon engineers, fire.
men and others who continued at work,
and OF the interruptions Of traffic that
had occurred since the injunction had
gone into effect. President Debs listened
with close attention. The reading OF
the information occupied over one hour,
and at its conclusion the district attorney
contended that the defendants were
clearly in contempt, and should be al
tached and punished, and the general
counsel of the Santa Fe stepped
to the bar and read another long
information. charging the defendants
with interference with the operations OF
that road, aud likewise asking for con-
tempt attachment.
DEBs' SIDE HEARD FROM.
Tho court asked the defendants II they
We're represented by counsel, and Mr.
Gregory responded. He said that Pres
ident Debs was Ia court Voluntarily al
though II was understood this would be
az eXparte application. The government
DID not deem best 20 charge either or the
four defendants with personally partic-
ipatlng In violence, nor had q case been
stated that was cognizabie ln