The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-24
GUILTY OF TREASON.
Judge Hanford Tells Spokane
8 Rioters of Their Crimes.
SEVERE SENTENCE ON THEM.
Their Acts We're Iaclpient Ihsurrecsion
--An Members or . Mob Are.
Equally Guilty.

%f1e seven spokane rioters arrested a.
Spokane on July charged with contempt
/ OF court were tried. foaknd guilty and sen
teflcee in the United States court yes:er-
day. and Judge Hanford made the trial
the. occasion of characterizing the dis
tuFoanSe As an insurrsct'on and inelpient
ueason. Ofthe prisoners August Weise.
Alexsnsier Olsen, Wiiiiam Goddard and
Aztet sivan we're each sentenced TO sight
months and Alex Eizzutto 70 four months
III the Pisrce couAkg jail; the ot-er two
attendants. George Foster and John
AiaFks were each sentenced TO eight
months in the KING county JAIL The
heayy sentence was great surprise TO the
prisoners. for they did not believe they
would Dc imprisoned for more than few
weeks At most Il viii be remembered
that in all ten men were arrested for par
tlcipating in the Spokane riots. the other
three. sohmer. Carrot and Ward. having
pleaded guilty week ago. and received a
9sentsnce OF thirty days each in the oouaty
JAIL
Fhe prosecution of the defendants was
vigorously conducted, the government
SEEING represented by Andrew r. BufIeigh.
a gega many witnesses were sworn for
the uetensrs and the testimony all showed
that the defendants were identified with
the riots At Spokane on July 5. when
mob OF 1000 men derailed cars and stoned
the deputy marshsls The evidence
showed fhat on July the arrival Of an
bound ttafn at Spokane the first train
to move after the strike had been declared,
Was made the occasion of great disturb
ance. The deputies who guarded the
train wsrs reviled, abused and stoned by
the mob. For the purpose of protecting
the property Of the company the deputies
strung ropes across ,he tracks, but the
ropes were cat and the mob rushed in.
Several cars were derailed. and then q
gang of men, the prisoners being identi-
lied among them, took possession OF the
roundhouse. and. running out several en-
gines. derailed them, thus effectuaiIy
blocking the tracks SO that it was impossi-
bic to move trains.
Judge Hanford was not slow in pro-
nouncing the seven prisoners guilty as
charged. but before passing sentence he re-
viewed all the facts and circumstances
attending the riots and the condition Of
affairs connected with the operation of
railroads generally throughout the state.
referring particularly To the difficulties
and distractions encountered by the mar
shaas and officers of the United States
court az Spokane. He stated that those
conditions were well known to everybody
by reason Of the favorable and unfayor-
able comments by newspapers, speeches
at public meetings commenting upon the
action OF the court in dealing with former
offenders; that the evidence in this case
clearly showed that the mob assembled at
Spokane Eas full of hostility TO the mar
ahals and to the acton of the court, which
had been called upon to exercise its juris-
diction Cor the protection Of the people at
large. His honor continued:
The unlawful assembling and inter
ference With the operation Of the road aud
destruction Of railroad property by the de-
fendants won that occasion was an aggra-
waited contempt of court. IL was con-
tempt of the people of the United States;
ii vas the setting In opposition to the in
terest and welfare of the pubic and the
maintanence of law and peace and good
order in this community Of the ipdividual
wishes and prejGdices OF a small majority
attem pting 10 oppose their force TO the
force of the national government: it was a
contempt of law and government amount
ing to an Insurrection. while it lasted, and
deserves 10 be dealt with as an insurrec-
ton and as fnciplent treason.
"Considering the large number OF per-
our proceedings and that they took place
IN broad day light il is matter of surprise
that a large number were not Identified as
participants. apprehended and proceedings
instituted against them. But IL is fact
that where 3 considerable number of peo-
pie ara engaged together and acting in
concert. the act of the whole body becomes.
as it were, the act of one and under cir
cnnfstanres of such excitement Il is usually
difficult for Witnesses TO remember dis
,inctly the particulars of such occurrence
or to Identify amidst the mass of those
engaged the particular individuals and
singse them out. As an instance of that,
in this case out of over two thousand only
ten hare been brought before me 20 answer
for this contempt. But while it is
true that it is difficult to par
ucularsze individuals engaged with
large number OF others in
doing violent act, and creating excite
ment and turmoil, and 1t is also a fact
that each individual thus engaged becomes
a party to the actions Of the mass and
they are each guilty of what. all are guilty
OF. and all are guilty of every unlawful act
that Is done by mob INA riot. And each
and every participant in the disturbances
at Spokane is guilty of the contempt of
court that was committed with ali its
aggravated circumstances.
The court then took up the case of each
Of the defendants separately and reviewed
the evidence in relation to them. The
prisoners had nothing 10 say and when
sentence was pronounced they took their
fate phiiosophically. though it Was evil
den. they were greatly downcast aud sur
prised nj the severe punishment.
The local strikers seemed to take but a
uassing interest In the trial and the con-
victien of the prisoners caused little or no
comments on the street.