Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-07-28
THEIR ANSWER.
Debs and His Associates Deny
That They Are in Contempt.
They Claim That There Has Been Nothing
In Their Actions in Violation of the
Injunction, and Ask to BE
Discharged.
AT THE HAR.


cred by labor leaders and their counsel |
to be one of the most important legal |
battles in the nations history was be-
gun in the United States circuit court
at 10 a. m, Monday before Judges
Grosscup and Wood, when President
Debs, Vice President Howard, Sec
retary Keliher and Director Rogers, of
the American Railway union, by their
attorneys, W. W. Erwin, S. S. Greg
ory and John +. Geeting, filed their
answer to the contempt rule issued by
the court against them last week.
The defendants, Debs, Howard, Rog-
ers and Keliher, were brought in by
Marshal Arnold, and Mr. Erwin retired
with them to the jury-room for con-
sultation. Mr.. Gregory offered a mo-
tion to quash the writ because of the
inefficiency of the supplemental infor-
nation. This motion was laid over for
the present.
Attorney Gregory then made with
the suggestion that the hearing of
Debs and the others be postponed un-
til after this trial under the indict-
ments pending against them, but the
suggestion was not entertained by the
court.
Mr.. Gregory then made motion to
dismiss the bill and discharge the de-
PENDANTS, on which the court heard ar
guments. Mr.. Milchrist next read the
information fled by the government,
setting out the injunction granted by
the court and the allegations as to vio-
lations of this injunction by the de-
PENDANTS.
Then Attorney Erwin stepped for
ward and read the answer of the de-
PENDANTS. The important portions of
the document Mr.. Erwin read slowly
| and with distinct emphasis A synop-
sis follows:
The answer said that the object of the Amer
| lean Railway union was the protection OF all
| its members in their rights. BY its laws a
! strike can only be ordered by the vote of its
members The answer denied that the de-
PENDANTS ordered the employees of the Illinois
Central or of any other road to leave their
! work. This action had been taken by the men
I themselves. 1t was denied that the object of
the men in quitting was to hinder or impede
/ the passage of the mails or interstate COM
| merce.
| The defendants deny that after the service
| of the injunction they or either of them
! carried on the work of organization other
| than by generally advising railroad en-
| ployes to become members of such union
| and receiving to membership persons so
| applying therefor as aforesaid. They deny
! that orders to strike were at any time or in
/ any manner communicated by said American
! Railway union to said local unions, as alleged
| in said information.
| The defendants deny that any one of the tel
, egrams set forth in said information was sent
or caused to be sent by them or any of them,
| or that they authorized or approved the same
| or any one thereof, except certain telegram
| dated July 6, 1894, as follows:
| I'VE have assurance that within forty-eight
| hours every labor organization in this country
| will come to our rescue. The fight is on, and
our men are acQuitting themselves like heroes.
| Here and there one weakens, but our cause is
| strengthened by dozen going out in his place.
Every true man must quit now and re-
main out until the fight is won. There
, can be no halfway ground. Men must
| be for us or against us
This telegram, defendants admit, was
caused to be sent by defendant Debs as al
legged, but save as hereinbefore admitted de-
PENDANTS allege that they had no knowledge or
notice whatever of the sending of said tele-
grams or OF the contents thereof until the fil-
ing of the information.
The defendants admit that upon some of said
! lines of railway there was exercised upon the
part of some persons, TO the defendants un-
known, violence against persons and property
Upon information and belief they deny that
any member of said American Railway unior
in any manner participated in said acts of yio-
lence or any of them.
They allege that they did all said times
counsel and advise all members of the SAID
American Railway union with whom they were
in communication, to at all times abstain from
violence, threats and intimidation, and to al
times respect the law and the officers thereof
The answer makes other sweeping and NOR,
specific denial of the charges and concludes by
declaring that all of their actions after tn,
service upon them of said injunction were
taken under advice of competent counsel. ant
the defendants, each for himself, denies tina
he intended in any way to violate the injunc
tion Of this court or to act in defiance or con
tempt OF its authority in any respect.
After the reading of the information
and answer Mr.. Gregory commenced
the arguing of his motion to dismiss
The attorney proceeded with his ar
gument and contended that as long a.
people obeyed the laws they could not
be held responsible for the lawlessnes
of others. He admitted there wa
violence in the recent strike and tn,
men who committed it were guilty o
violating the injunction. The peopl
who advised violence were also guilty
but there was not line in the infor
nation that the defendants either com
mitted or advised any violent acts
Attorney Walker then arose an,
made short crisp speech for tn
prosecution. He first reviewed tn
facts set forth in the information an,
; then took up one by one the charges o
the bill. He said:
I'VE claim that the transmission OF thos
3 letters and kilograms was willful violatio
: of the injunction, Does this answer, althoug
1t be verified purge the contempt and can tn
defendants go out OF court free mem w
, ought to have the right to bring witnesses I
3 challenge the truthfulness OF the allegation
e OF such answer, although we do not charg
4 that the answer is not true.
+. "Our position is this; The strike and boy
i colt emanated from the officers of the Amer
, lean Railway union, and these defendant
a were to blame for IL. They are responsible 10
! every act OF violence every murder, every rs
sault which followed the issuance OF thei
{ orders, They say they did not issue the OIL
. ders-we desire to probe their source ON
thing we know-they admit the violence an
e boast of It,"
WAR NOT YET BEGUN.