Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-14
FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT
As a Result OIL His Participation In
The Chicago Strike
OTHER LABOR LEADERS IN JAIL.
Lengthy Decision of Judge Woods la
the Cn-e OF Hallway
Union Omccrs.

CHICAGO, Dec. 14.-"Gullty ~
charged" was tho finding announced
today by Federal Judge VIM. woods,
against Pfesidont Eugene V. Dob,, Of
tho American Railway union. The
same finding was reached against
olhor American Railway union lead.
era on trial with Debs.
Judge Woods opinion ovorruling
the claim OF the defense that the In.
junction against the a. II. U. leaders
was invalid on the ground that the
court had no jurisdiction TO deter
mine the case In which the
Injunction was ordered, and
that though possessed Of such Iutia.
dictlon II lacked organic power TO
mako the order In question, was very
long and cited many authorities.
The court held that the same pro.
lection given commerce ON the rivers
can be- extended under the existing
law 60 commerce on tho railroads.
Referring 10 tho contention that the
act OF July ., 1890, was directed
wholly ut trusts and n1t againTt organ.
izaliona Of labor In any form, Judge
Woods pointed out that tho working.
men, they conspirCd with capitalists
TO prevent tho moving OF Pull.
man cars, would DO guilty Of
conspiracy, und II would be
absurd to say that they would not DO
equally guilty, u they did the same
without the aid OF the capitalists.
Judge Woods held that the defend.
ants did Deliberately violate tho order
OF court by directing tho strikers 10 iu-
timidnlo the men In their places.
Admonitions ngRinBt violence were
sent out by tho defendants, but II was
not Intended that they should DO
needed. The disturbancea ht Blue
Island were the result OF speeches
made by Deba and Howard.
Judge Woods concluded o. followe:
The right OF the men 10 strike peace
ably and the right TO advise
TO pehcrablo strikes which the
law does not presume to be
impossible, IL not Questioned, but II
the men enter into conspiracy TO do
accomplish their purpose advise work
mon 10 strike, knowing that
violence snd wrong viii be the prob.
able outcome, neither In law
nor morals can they escape
responsibility. The Pullman cars In
use upon the roads are Instruments Of
its commerce, and II follows that from
the umo Of the announcement OF the
boycott the American Railway union
was committed to conspiracy in
restraint OF the Interstate commerce In
violation Of the act Of July, 1890,
and that the members OF that asAOcln-
lion aud all others who Joined In tho
movement became oriminally responti.
BILE, each for the acts OF others
done In furthernnCe OF the com.
mon purpose, whether Intended by
him or not. Tho officers became re-
tpousiblo for the acts OF the men aud
officers. The actual conspiracy against
the Pullman cars became con.
spirncy against transportation and
travel by railroad. Upon their
own authority, and without
consulting the local unions, the de-
Pendants converted the boycott into
strike and with the aid Of their follow
ers, some Of whom stopped at no means
between drawing coupling pins and
undermining bridges, whereby men
would be hurled to death, they pushed
tho strike TO this conditions which pre-
vailed when tho Intervention Of the
court was asked, aud which In the end
compelled the government military
force ~ Te-eAtablish peace anu start
again tho activities OF commerce.
Much has been said but without
proof, OF the wrongs OF the wOrkmen
at Pullman, aud OF the alliance
between tho Pullman company and
railway managers 10 deprets wages,
amt generally OF corporate oppression,
but the evidence Of these things,
Whatever the fact might have been
proved or imagined TO be,could furnish
neither Justification nor palliatiOn for
giving up the city to disorder and for
paralyzlng the Industries and COM
moroe OF the country.
The decision Of Judge Caldwell has
been referred TO, but while that
recognized the right OF employees
10 quit the service Of tho receivers 1t
contained no warrant for illuminating
or abusing those willing to take en-
ployment or for otherwise inter.
iering directly, "a tho defendants and
followers did, with Encouragement aud
operation OF the road. The court there
fore finds defendants guilty VI con.
tompt as charged In each VI the cases.
The same sentences will oe ordered In
both cases.
Judge Woode, after pTOnOunoing the
defendants guilty as charged, said II
was not In accordance with procedure
In suoh cases TO permit the DESCENDANTS
10 say why sentence should not be-
passed, but IN this case the court would
allow IL.
SIX MONTHS IN JAIL.
Debs was sentenced to six months In
the county jail. The others were
given three months each except Nc
VeHne, who was released because there
was no evidence against him.
The finding OF the court is that the
uet5ndantH aFe guilty, hut any punish
ment luiictei would not DO cumu.
atve. In other words, there were
Two cases before the oourt--one for
contempt anu the other for violation OF