The morning call., 1894-12-15
DEBS GETS 1T.
Six Long Months in
Jail.
GUILTY OF CONTEMPT
Judge Woods Picks Out
the Leader.
HE WAS MOST TO BLAME.
Advice to His Followers Not in
Good Faith.
SINGULAR CASE OF BLINDNESS.
The Jurist Has Seen No Proof That
Men Were Wronged at
Pullman.
SINGULAR CASE OF BLINDNESS.

CHICAGO. Dec. 14.-"Guilty as charged"
was the finding announced to-day by Fed
eral Judge William Woods against Eugene
V. Debs of the American Railway Union.
Inc same finding was reached again st
other American Railway Union leaders on
trial with Debs
Following is a summary OF Judge
Woods opinion:
II the case presented were itself Of less mo-
ment the very great Importance of some of the
questions involved could not be overlooked
While the principles considered are not uew
In the question OF the validity Of the Injunction
which the defendants are charged with vlolat.
Ing there are involved inquiries which in some
respects go beyond the lines of established or
unquestioned precedent The objection raised
by demurrer that the injunction was Illegal and
VOID w1s oYerruled at the time of presentation,
But with leave for further argument at the final
hearing upon the evidence.
a great BODY OF evidence consisting OF the
testimony of Witnesses kilograms and other
documents, has been adduced TO show The guilt
ol me accused. The defendants claiming the
constitutional privilege against self-incrlmina-
ton, refused TO testify al the instance of the
prosecution and have offered no evidence or
testimony in their own behalf except parts of
certain documents which were allowed 10 he
read In connection with other parts read by tile
prosecution. Besides denying that any viola.
.stion OF The Injunction has been proved against
them, the defendants now reassert and insist
that the Injunction Is invalid on the two
grounds that the court had no jurisdiction to
hear and determine the case in which the in
junction was ordered, and that, though pos
sessed OF such jurisdiction, the court lacked
organic power 10 make the particular order in
question.
As officers Of tile American Railway Union 1t
IS beyond question that the defendants had
practical control Of the strike, guiding as they
chose the movements of the men actively en-
gagged. Under the conditions OF last summer
when there were many idle men seeking en-
ployment, it was impossible that a strike which
aimed at a general cessation OF business upon
the railroads OF the country could succeed
without violence, and II is not believed thai the
defendants entered upon the execution of their
scheme without appreciatng the fact and WITH
out having determined how to deal with IT,
The Inference therefore is a fair one, aside
from direct evidence TO the point that they ex-
pected and intended that this strike should
differ from others only in magnitude Of design
and boldness of execution, and that the accus-
TONED accessories OF Intimidation and violence
so lar at least as found essential 10 success,
would not be omitted. For that much the
striking workman, acting on the promptings of
sef-interest, without lnstigation or digestion,
or even In spite OF admOnitiohs to the contrary.
may ordinarily be cOun ed on. Such admoni-
tions against violence were sent out oc-
casionally by the defendants but it does not
appear that they were ever needed, and 1 am
not able 10 believe on the evidence that in the
fullest sense it was expected or Intended that
they should be.
am able and quite ready to believe that the
defendants not only did not favor but depre.
Gated extreme violence, which might lead 20
the destruction OF property or Of hum IN life;
but The chief aim, L am convinced, was to Sc
cure the good Will of the public. To that end
the warnings against acts OF depreciation or
visible destruction OF property II may well be
believed were insincere, but their followers did
not understand, and this court cannot believe
mat II was intended To forbid Intimidation
and the milder forms OF violence which did not
directly involve the destruction of property or
severe injury TO persons, and which for that
reason, 1t seems, we're assumed 10 be not un.
lawful, when employed in the interests OF or
ganized labor in a contest with "an alliance OF
rich and powerful corporations"
The alleged advice Of counsel neither iustiies
nor mitgates wrong committed in pursuance
of the advice. After all that is said about
guarding property, keeping the peace and being
The hrst 10 arrest offenders, no one was arrested
aDd no effort was made by the strikers or mem
bers OF The A. r.. U. TO preserve the peace or
protect property. On the contrary. mapv of
them were leaders in scenes OF violence and
disorder. Ii this strike like Others was un-
dersioOd TO be war; not necessarily OF the blood
and bullets, but a conflict between contendlng
interests or classes of interests in which STRAIT
egy bad TO be employed To keep the men in
line. IL WAS more than peaceful strike or
more than cessation from work Had il been
only that the Injunction, instead OF being A
hlndrance, would have been in their hands the
very weapon they needed TO enable th, m to
suppress the violence and disorder in which
alone they say they saw possible danger to the
success OF their cause.
Ii is shown by the testimony OF two or more
Witnesses that on The night of June % Debs.
Howard and Krliher attended meeting of :he
local union al Blue Island. suburb OF Chicago
on he line OF The Rock Island and Pacific Rail
road; that he aud Howard each addressed The
men; THAI on the next day was lnaugurated "a
condition Of turbulence" which a wit
ness declared he "did NOT believe could
exist; and Notwithstanding the efforts OF
the United States Marshal. by reading
The Injunction and otherwise TO quer the
disturbance, nothing was accomplished
until the 9Th Of july when the Federal
soldiers arrived. These things directly fol-
lowed, ana In large measure, think it not
uDwarrabted 10 say, were the natural ana
probable result Of the speeches made and the
counsel given TO tn men by Debs and
Howard al the meeting on the night OF
the 29th at Blue Island. Su ggestions cal
culated 10 incte the acts OF violence
or intimidation were contained In many
of the kilograms which were sent over The
name of DeDs, for which, notwiths sta nding the
averment OF heir answers TO he contrary, It is
no longer possible for any OF the defendants to
deny some measure OF responsibility
The right of men to strike personally and the
right 10 advise peaceable strike which tile
law Goes not presume 10 be impossible is not
questioned. But If they enter into a conspiracy
10 do any unlawful thing, and in order to ac-
complish their purpose advise the workmen to
strike. Gnowing violence and wrong Will be the