The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-14
DEBS is GUILTY.
Judge Woods 6Ives His Decision
in the Contempt Case
Debs Declared Guilty and Given
Six Months i'm Jail
HOWARD GUILTY TOO.
He and the Others Receive Only
Three Months.
Debs Laughed Heartily When
Sentence Was Pronounced.
STRONGLY CONDEMNED
A. r.. u. Leaders Are Held Re
spOnsible for BlOOdshed.
Judge Says observation-disclosures
Violence Was Insincere-

CHICAGO. Dec14 Guilty as charged"
was the finding announced today BY Fed
eral Judge Woods against President
Eugene v. Debs Of the American Rail
way Union. The same finding was
reached against the other a. r. L. Lead
ers on trial with Debs
The finding Of the court is that the de-
PENDANTS aie guilty of contempt, but that
any punishment inflicted would not be
cumulative In other words there were
two cases before the court, one for con
tempt and the o1her for violation Of the
federal statute. The latter cause is
merged into the former
Debs was sentenced to six months in
the county Jail The others on trial were
given three months each. except McNane
who was released because there was no
evidence against him.
Judge Woods after announcing that
the defendants we're found guilty as
charged, said it was not in acco rdance
with procedure in such cases to permit
the defendants to say why sentence
should not be passed. but in this case the
court would allow it.
Attorney Darrow, representing the
defendants. asked that his clients
might retire for consultation
regarding what they should say,
and after brief recess the strike
leaders filed back into court, ranging
themselves before the bench
Attorney Darrow. speaking for them,
said that they had no wish 10 make sep
arate speeches, but felt they mad done
no wrong. The attorney advised the
court that Director McNane, one of the
defendants, was out of the city during
the strike
A lengthy argument between attor-
neys followed over the proposition to
discriminate in McNane's favor which
the court terminated by suspending SEN
tence on McFane.
In sentencing the other defendants
Judge w oOds said "Punishme ent should
be neither vindictive nor trivial These
men were in wilful contempt, under what
legal advice / should like very much to
know These men were leaders
in great measure of law
breakers and are responsible as leaders.
Ignorant men who followed them have
been punished. Mr.. Debs is more re-
sponsible than any other. He is a man
of marked ability and power over men.
Il feel constrained to discriminate be-
tween him and the others. The punish
ment against all the defendants except
Debs is three months in jail, and against
Debs six months
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 near, and they both laughed heart
ily Howard ana Hogan exchanged smil-
torney's hand and appeared to offer con-
gratulations. I'll was evident that all had
expected much more severe sentences
and all wore a look Of relief. Debs
drew his people together and instructed
tlom 70 say nothing for publication set
tr them example by refusing to dis
cues the case at all.
After the murmur 0fexcitement was over
the sentence had subsidized the court an
nounced that the punishment was not to
Ii
the defendants attorney will prepare an
appeal
The prospective prisoners after short
consultation with their attorneys left the
court room. The defendants with tn cir
official positions in the "A. B. u. are:
President, Debss vice president Howard;
secretary keIiher; treasurer, Rogers.
and directors, Burns, Elliott. McVane.
Hogan and Goodwin.
Judge Woods Decision.
Beginning with the question. "Did~the
defendants violate the Injunction" Judge
Woods said:
s'Their conduct is only in question and
their admissions are quoted because they
confirm the inference deducible from
other evidence that no essential and vol
untary notifications Of their course of
action either followed or was caused by
the injunction. Their original intention.
il is true was only to prevent the
use OF Pullman cars. but finding as they
did Immediately that aim would be
thwarted by the discharge from service
Of men who refused to handle those cars.
they began as early as June 27, the day
afier the boycott was proclaimed, to issue
orders to strike. and from that time to
the end to the extent of their ability they
conducted and controlled the strike with
persistent consistency Of purpose, and
unvarying methods of action
-As officers of the A. R. IT, it is beyond
question that the defendants had practi-
cal control Of the strike. guiding as they
chose the movements of the men actively
engaged
strike Impossible without Violence.
"Jnder the conditions of last summer
when there were many idle men seeking
employment, il was impossible that a
rike which aimed at "A general cessa-
dol Of business upon the railroads of