The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-15
DEBS Gets SIX MONTHS
The Great Labor Agitator Takes
Judicial Medicine.
COMPANIONS FARE BETTER
They Receive Three Months In the County
Jail, While Sentence Is Suspended
in the Case Of Mr.. Mcyean.
Debs Is Cast Down.
BY the United Press.

Chicago, Dec. 14-Judge Woods today
sentenced Eugene V. Debs, the leader
of the American Railway union strike,
to six months in the county jail, as
punishment for violating the injunction
issued by himself and Judge Grosscup
July 2 last. To the rest of the men,
with the exception of McVean, he gave
three months. In the case Of McVean
sentence is suspended. Sentence Is not
cumulative, covering the cases of the
government and the Santa Fe railroad
against the men. The same sentence Is
imposed in each case, but both sentences
begin and end at the same time, begin
ming Dec. "a.
The defendants are: e. V. Debs,
president; G. w. Howard, vice presi-
dent; Silverton Kelliher secretary; L..
w. Rogers, M. ]. Elliott James Hogan,
William Burns, ]. d. McVean, Leroy Nj.
Goodwin. The sentence Is generally
considered a light one. The case Will
be appealed.
Debs utterances not to commit VOL
lence were doubted by the court. He did
not believe they were sincere. with
all that has been said about the Ameri-
can Railway union keeping guard over
property and being the first to arrest
offenders, not one has been arrested"
continued the court. "By Mr. Debs ad-
mission, he was out among the men
urging them to join the strike after this
injunction was issued. Howard did the
same. They both had committed no
violence, but advised that Pullman cars
be stopped at all hazards. All the out
RACES committed at Blue Island after
the speeches of Debs and Howard were
directly attributable to these people and
they are responsible for them"
The court then reviewed the mass Of
kilograms in which Debs ordered men
out and declared these were utterly at
variance with the statement made in
Debs' answer that he took no part in
continuing the strike. After thus con-
cluding that there was no doubt that
the men as individuals were guilty,
Judge Woods said:
But the point under the Sherman
law is whether these men were in con-
spiracy If they were l believe there
is no way by which they can escape the
moral and legal responsibility for their
acts"
No Feature In Doubt.
He then gave 1t as his opinion that
they were and that therefore the men
allied with them were also guilty. The
evidence left no feature of the case In
doubt. Then he said: "The court
therefore finds the defendants guilty
as charged in the indictments in both
cases and will fix the punishment the
same in both cases, but will not make
1t cumulative. l have not yet written
down any punishment for these men.
j know only two of them by sight. AS
this Is a criminal case, l desire to give
each one of the defendants a chance to
speak to me and say what he will"
Deep silence followed this declaration
of the court. Then mighty hum arose
and soon the defendants were on their
feet and engaged in conversation with
counsel. Then Attorney Darrow spoke
for the nine defendants as follows:
'These defendants have nothing to say.
They believe that they did right in
ordering and continuing this strike.
Two Of these defendants-Mr. McVean
and Mr.. Elliott-took no active part in
this strike, although they were both di-
rectors in the Railway union. Their
names were not mentioned in the evil
dence"
All Of the defendants present then
stood up so the court could see them.
They did not appear to be agitated, and
several smiled from time to time.
Light Sentence Imposed.
The court passed sentence as follows:
II think will suspend any sentence
with regard to Mr.. McVean. l am of
opinion that Mr.. Elliot was actively en-
gagged In this strike. Punishment should
not be vindictive. Neither should it be
trivial. The object Of punishment for
contempt of court Is to prevent future
contempt My conclusion is that the
injunction was right. Mr.. Debs Is more
responsible than anybody else. He is a
man of marked ability and of strong
character and the leader of these men.
1t was in his power by merely lifting
his voice to stop all this disturbance. /
shall therefore discriminate between
him and the rest Of the defendants. /
will give Mr.. Debs six months in the
county jail and the rest three months.
This sentence to take effect ten days
from now"
In speaking of the decision, Attorney
narrow. who represented the defend
ants, said:
1.-THE decision is bad law, but the SEN
tence is remarkably lenient."
Vice-President Howard said he was
prepared to expect anything. Presi-