The morning call., 1894-08-12

are directed 10 this association with cor
rupt witness. a boy brought here as
witness, backed By the powers OF
wealthy corporation, surrounded Dy the
attorneys employed by wealthy corpora
ton, the purpose of which is to destroy
man who has had the courage TO raise MS
voice in favor of labor and laborlng peo-
pie against person VINO, according TO re-
cent reports, finds il necessary to drive
starving women and children from their
homes, finds it necessary to refuse to listen
to the walls of poverty made by himself,
to destroy a man who on account OF MS
connection with the strikes shall never
more be permittebto<earn an honest live
Iihood by the sweat of his brow within the
boundaries of this great State. These are
the conditions under which this boy ap-
pea red before Your Honor and uttered the
faIsehood upon which they hope to induce
your Honor to hold these men for crime
involving their lives, and we are bound,
in the consideration of this case, in look
ing through the mists for the light of
truth, we are bound. as honest men, to
examine closely the surroundings and ask
ourselves what's the reason, whence comes
the power, that has induced this lad to
utter falsehoOd.
"Why, your Honor, II we were to con-
cede that within the short period men,
toned by the boy it was possible that this
work should have been done we must 20
further and ask ourselves why it was that
intelligent men, to remove three rails on
the trestle, should have used giant pow
der. What reason could there have been
for that? And we are bound to go further
and ask ourselves where is the evidence of
the use OF that powder on that treste?
Can you use fire upon wood without leav-
ing char? Can you use powder upon
wood without leaving its blackening
effects? And yet throughout this case,
based upon this sort of testimony, we
| have only the language OF the witness. No
physical evidence exists which would in
| duce US to determine whether or not the
voice OF the witness was uttering falsehood
or truth, and beyond this we find that
after this calamity no man was permitted
| to examine that wreck except those who
are supporting this prosecution.
what was the reason that the power of
the national Government. the arm of the
military, was called into play for the pur-
terested in this controversy. from going
near the wreck to ascertain what the
cause of it really was; and Immediately
after the arm of the military Govern ment
to accomplish the imprisonment of the
witnesses, to prevent honest investigation
as to physical facts. upon which opinions
might be based as to the cause which
brought about the calamity. Even Lesher,
whom they placed upon the stand. ad-
mitted in his testimony that when he
reached the place where the wreck oc.
| Cured. be was met by the military
and ordered back. What harm could have
been done if the whole people of the State
of California had been permitted 10 ap-
preach the place where the wreck oc-
Cured? Despotism was resorted to, the
power of the military was used, and the
people were informed that no investiga-
tion or exam ination should be made into
the matter.
"Why. your Honor, If had approached
the engine could have carried it away
Could l have done any BARN? Why.
understand than even an editor of one OF
your papers was driven away at the point
Of the bayonet for fear the truth might be
known? Is it possible that those who at
the time had control of the military were
themselves the cause of the wreck. Why
were they afraid of Investigation? The
same reason that led them to drive away
Investigators is that which has induced
them to produce in this court men who
were in shackles and bondage. The same
reason induced them to refuse an lnvestlga-
ton which caused the TEN pest In teapot
in This room when one Of the defendants
sought to speak to one of their witnesses.
why, where are we living? man
could not reach the wreck when drawn
there by curiosity The boy is brought
here into this courtroom under the imme-
date control of detective OF the real
prosecutor in this case, the Southern Ia
cifc Railroad Company. A witness is
produced upon the stand who sits here
like whipped dog, with downcast face.
| with shame written on his countenance'