Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-12-21
Ar. !. MEN CONSPIRED.
Debs and Other officers Of the 0rgani.
cation Found Guilty by Judge
Woods.
A SENTENCE OF SIX MONTHS
Passed on Debs---0thers Got Half as
Longg---Apparently Thought They
Were Fortunate.

Were Fortunate.
CHICAGO, Dec. l5.-"Guilty as
charged" was the finding announced
by Federal Judge William A. Woods
against President Eugene v. Debs Of
the American Railway union. The
same finding was reached against the
other American Railway union leaders
on trial with Debs.
The cramped courtroom was crowded
to overlooking when Judge Woods first
entered the courtroom and took his
seat upon the bench. President Debs
and the other defendants were present
and in various attitudes Of anxious in.
terest listened to the reading of the de-
cision. With Judge Woods, Judge
jenkins occupied the bench and many
prominent attorneys were present to
hear the outcome Of the proceedings
against the leaders Of the great railway
strike Of last summer
The finding Of the court is that the
defendants are guilty Of contempt but
that any punishment instigated would
not be cumulative. In other words
there We're two cases before the court,
one for contempt and the other for vic.
lation of the federal statute. The lat.
ter cause is merged into the former.
After announcing that the defendants
We're found guilty as charged the judge
said it wa not in accordance with pro-
ceedure in such cases to permit the de-
PENDANTS to say why sentence should
not be passed, but in this case the court
would allow it.
Attorney barrow, representing the
defendants, asked that his clients
might retire for a consultation regard
ing what they should say, and after a
brief recess the strike leaders filed back
into court, ranging themselves before
the bench. Attorney barrow, speaking
for them, said that they had no wish
to make separate speeches, but felt that
they had done no wrong. The attor-
ney advised the court that Director Nc
Vean, one Of the defendants, was out
Of the city during the strike. A lengthy
argument between attorneys followed
over the proposition to discriminate in
McVean's favor, which the court ter
minated by suspending sentence on
McVean.
Not Particularly Crushed.
The defendants did not appear par
ticularly crushed by the punishment.
Debs bowed his tall gaunt form and
whispered a few words to his sister,
who sat neal, and they both laughed
heartily. Howard and Hogan ex-
changed something and Keliher grasped
his attorneys hand and appeared to Of
fer congratulations. It was evident
that all had expected much more severe
sentences and all wore a look Of relief.
Debs drew his people together and in
structed them to say nothing for publ
cation, setting them an example by
refusing to discuss the case at all.
Passing of Sentence. K
In sentencing the other defendants
Judge Woods said punishment should
be neither vindictive Or trivial. .'These
men were in willful contempt, under
what legal advice I should like very
much to know. These men were the
leaders in a great measure of law break
ers, and are responsible as leaders. Ig-
norant men who followed them have
been punished. MI. Debs is more re-
sponsible than any other. He is a man
of marked ability and power over men.
feel constrained to discriminate be-
tween him and the others. The punish
ment against all defendants except
Debs is three months in jail and against
Debs six MONTHS"
Given Time to Appeal.
After the murmur of excitement over
the sentence had subsidized the court
announced that the punishment wa
not to take effect for 10 days, in which
time the defendants attorneys will
prepare an appeal. The prospective
prisoners after a short consultation
with their attorneys left the court
room.
The defendants with their official
positions in the A. R. U. are President
Debs, Vice President Howard, Secre-
tary Kelliher, Treasurer Rogers, Direc-
tors Elliott, Burns, McVean, Hogan
and Gillian.
The opinion is a very long one, oc.
cupying nearly two hours in reading.
RECOMMENDED TO leroy