Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-07-19

tiers. But if upon a trial for such
results that, instead of being
strangers, they are the trustees, agents
or leaders of the twelve, with full
power to determine for them, whether
their wage is such that they ought to
continue or quit, and that they have in
good faith determined that question.
they are not then, so far as the law
goes, conSpirators. But if it should
further appear that the supposed au-
thOrity was used, not in the interests
of the twelve, but to further a personal
ambition or malice of the two. it would
no longer justify their conduct. Doing
a thing under cloak of authority is
not doing it with authority. The in
jury of the two to the employer in
such an instance would only be ag-
gravated by their treachery TO the
associated twelve, and both the en-
ployen and employees should with
equal insiStence ask for the visitation
of the law.
II it appears to you, therefore, ap-
plying the illustration to the occur
FENCES that will be brought to YOUR
attention, that any two or more per-
sons, by consent, insisted or demanded
under effective penalties and threats
upon men quitting their empIovment
to the obstruction of the mails or in
ter-State commerce YOU NAV inouire
whether they did these acts as
strangers to these men or whether
they did them under the guise of
trustees or leaders of an association
TO which these men belonged. Ana
if the latter appears, you may INQUIRE
whether their acts and conduct in
that respect were in faithful and con-
ScientiouS execution of their supposed
authority, or was simply a use of that
authority as a guise to advance per-
Sonal ambition or satisfy private NAL
ice. There is honest leadership among
these, our labOrfng fellow-citizen and
there IS doubtless dishonest. You
should not brand any act of leader
ship as done dishonesty or in bad
faith unless it clearly so appears.
But, if it does appear, if any person
of these tOiling men, and their acts
fall within the definition of crime
as have gwen it to you, it is alike
the interest, the pleasure and the duty
of every citizen to bring them to
swift and heavy punishment.
| wish again, in conclusion, to i'm
press upon you the fact that the pres
ont -,
If no one has violated the law under
the rules l have laid down, it needs
no vindicatiOn; but if there has been
such violation, there should be quick,
prompt and adequate Indictment. l
confess that the problems which are
made the occasion, or preteXt, for our
present disturbances have not received
the consideration they deserved 1t is
our duty as citizens to take them up
and by candid and courageous dis
cuSSiOn ascertain what wrongs exist
end what remedies can be applied.
But neither the existence of such prob
lens, nor the neglect of the public
hitherto to adequately consider them,
jusdtieS the violation of law or bring
first restore peace and punish the of
tenders of the law. and then the at
mOsphere will be clear to think over
the claims of those who have real
grievances. First, vindicate the law;
until that is done, no other questions
are in order.
AS d supplemental charge the court
said that, after preparing what had
been read for the guidance Of the
grand jurors, it had come to his knOwl-
edge that deputy marshal in the dis
charge of his duties had been shot.
| The court read section 550S Of the
federal statutes forbidding interfer-
ence with officers of the government
and providing that any one who in
jures, threatens, Expresses or inttmi
dates such officers shall be liable to a
penalty of not more than ten years
Imprisonment and a fine not to exceed
$4,000. The grand jury then retired
and, as before announced, promptly
indicted Debs, Howard. Kelcher and
Rogers. who were released on $4,000
bail each.