Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-12-20
SIX MONTHS IN JAIL.
THE SENTENCE AGAINST DEss.
Other Strikers Get Three Months at tho
Hands of Judge Wood OF Chicago.


Other Strikers Get Three Months at the
Hands of Judge Wood OF Chicago.
Chicago. Dec. IA. = "Guilty as
charged" was the finding announced
to-day by Federal Judge William
Woods against President Eugene V.
Debs of the American Railway union.
The same finding was reached against
the other American Railway uniol,
leaders on trial with Debs.
The finding of the court is that the
defendants are guilty of contempt, but
that any punishment inflicted would
not be cumulative, In other words,
there were two cases before the court
one for contempt and the other for
violation of the federal statutes. The
latter cause is merged into the former.
Judge Woods, after announcing that
the defendants We're found guilty as
charged, said that it was not in accord
ance with procedure in such cases to
permit defendants to say why sentence
should not be passed, but in this case
the court would allow it.
Attorney Barrow, representing the
defendants, asked that his clients
might retire for consultation regard
ing what they should say, and after II
brief recess the strike leaders filed back
into court ranging themselves before the
bench. Attorney Darrow, speaking for
them, said that they had no wish to
make separate speeches, but felt that
they had done no wrong. The attorney
advised the court that Director Nc
Vean, one of the defendants, was out
of the city during the strike.
lengthy argument between attOr-
neys followed over the proposition 20
discriminate in MacVean's favor, which
the court terminated by suspendlng
sentence on MacVean. In sentencing
the other defendants, Judge Woods
said punishment should be neither vim
dictiye nor trivial.
"These men We're in willful con
tempt, under what legal advice
should like very much to know. These
men We're the leaders, in great meas
ure, of law-breakers, and are RESPONSE
BILE as leaders. Ignorant men who fol-
lowed them have been punished. NJ.
Debs is more responsible than any 9th
er. He is man of marked ability
and power over men. l feel constrain-
ed to discriminate between him and
the others. The punishment against
all the defendants except DeDs is three
months in Jail, and against Debs six
months"
The defendants did not appear par
dcularly crushed by the punishment
Debs bowed his tall form and whisper
ed a few words to his sister, who sat
near, and they both laughed heartily.
Howard and Hogan exchanged smil-
ing glances, Keliher grasped his at
torney's hand and appeared to offeo
congratulations. 1t was evident that
all had expected much more severe
sentences and all wore a look of relief.
Debs drew his people to one side ami
instructed them to say nothing for pub
lication, setting then an example by re-
fusing to discuss the case at all.
After the murmur of excitement
over the sentence had subsidized, the
court announced that the punishment
was not to take effect for ten days, in
which time the defendants attorneys
would prepare an appeal. The pros
pective prisoners, after a short con-
sultation with their attorneys, left the
courtroom. The defendants, with their
official positions in the A. r. u, are:
President Debs, Vice President How
ard, Secretary Keliher, Treasurer Rod
gers and Directors Burns, Elliott, Mac
Vean, Hogan and Goodwin.
The cramped court room was crowd
ed to overfowing when Judge Woods
first entered the court room and took
his seat upon the bench. President
Debs and the other defendants were
present and irr various attitudes of anx-
iOus interest they listened to the read
ing of the decision. With Judge Woods
Judge jenkins occupied the bench, and
many prominent attorneys were pres
ent to hear the outcome of the prOceedl-
ings against the leaders of the great
railway strikes of last summer.
After reviewing the history of the
strike and the precedents quoted by
the attorneys for the defendants, the
judge said:
"As officers of the 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 sum-
mer. when there We're many idle men
seeking employment, 1t was impossi
BILE that q strike which aimed at a
general cessation of business upon the
railroads of the country could succeed
without violence, and it is not believed
that the defendants entered upon the
execution of their scheme without ap-
preciating the fact and without having
determined how to deal with it. The
inference, therefore, is a fair one, aside
from direct evidence to the point, that
they expected and intended that this
strike should differ from others only in
magnitude of design and bOldness of
execution, and that the accustomed ac-
cessories of intimidation and violence.
so far at least as found essential to
success, would not be omitted.
For that much the striking work
man, acting on the prOmptings of self
interest, without instigation or sugges-
tion. or even in spite of admOnitions to
the contrary, may ordinarily be count
cd on. Such admOnitiOns against viO-
lence were sent out occasionally by the
but 1t does not appear that
they were ever needed; and l am not
able to believe on the evidence that In
the fullest sense 1t was expected or in
tended that they should be. 1 am able