The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-07-12
DEBS UNDER ARREST.
INDICTED FOR oBsTRUcrIN UNITED
STATES MAIL TRAINS
The Vice President ana Secretary Of the
American Railway Union Also Ar
rested-Bonds Furnished For Ten
Thousand Dollars Each.

CHICAGO, July 10. - The federal
grand jury, after receiving the in
structions of United States Judge
Grosscup, this afternoon returned in
dictments against Eugene V. Debs,
president at the American Railway
union, George w. Howard, its vice
president, Sylvester Keleher, secre,
tary, and l.. w. Rogers, one of it's
directors, and shortly thereafter the
four men were arrested. They are
charged with conspiracy to commit
an unlawful act. Joined in the in
dictment with the four leaders of the
Railway union, was James Murwin,
the Rock Island striker who threw
the switch which derailed mail train
at Blue Island on the night of June 6.
Debs, Howard, Keleher and Rogers
were taken to the office of District At.
Milchrist after their arrest and a few
hours later they were released on bail
by Judge Grosscup, bonds being So.
900.
The federal grand jurE spent but a
short time on the case of Debs and
the other leaders of the strike. The
case against them for conspiracy had
been prepared some days ago by At
torheys Milchrist and Walker, and
the grand jurors had been at work
two hours when the indictment was
ready to be presented to the court. 1t
was based on some of the public ut
terances of Debs and was clinched by
the original kilograms sent out by
Debs to men to quit their work and
thus stop the running of mail trains.
A large number of kilograms sent by
Debs giving directions which extend
ed the blockade were submitted to
the grand jury by E Milford,
manager of the Western Union Tele-
graph company, under q subpoena is
sued by the United States Circuit
Judge Grosscup.
Mr.. Milford had left the grand
jury room but few minutes when
the grand jury filed out and
walked into Judge Gross
cups court, The foreman
handed the court the indictment
which was at once handed to the
United States marshal. Marshal Ar
mold and deputy were sent out with
warrants. Shortly before 5 O'Clock
Marshal Arnold returned with Presi-
dent Debs as prisoner. Debs was
taken into Mr.. Milchrist's private
office. He was accompanied by Thee.
dore Debs, his brother, who was with
him when the arrest was made.
There were in the office when the
head of the American Railway union
arrived as prisoner, Edwin Walker
and Mr.. Milchrist, and these were
soon joined by Judge Grosscup, who
had been sent for to take bail.
Debs sent his brother out to look for
bondsmen, and while waiting for his
friends to appear, sat with the judge,
two attorneys and the marshal who
had arrested him, while the door of
the office was locked to all comers.
1t was not long until Deputy Logan
appeared with Keleher. In short
time Theodore Debs returned with A.
r. Lisbee, who had been retained to
defend the prisoners. At 6 o'clock
Deputy Logan appeared with Rogers
and Vice President Howard. The
latter was the only one OF the four
whose face bore traces of anger or re-
sentiment as he was taken into the
back room. The others took their ar.
rest calmly.
1t was after 7:30 o'clock before Clerk
Burnsm appeared and the bail bond
was legally accepted The bondsmen
are Alderman William Fitzgerald,
who qualified in the Hum of $3.50 900,
and William Shakel, who qualified
for $4,000, the bonds being in the
sum of $4,000 each. 1t was some
time later when the formality of
signing was completed and the in
dicted ones left the building in COM
pany with their bopdsmen,
While the bail was being arranged |
Attorney John @. Getting joined the
party. He was retained by the Rail-
way Union officers to assist In their
defense in case they were arrested. |
Mr.. Getting said that the defense of
the men will be directed by Clarence
8. Darrow, who ID the attorney of the !
union. The indictment against Debs,
Keleher, Howard, Rogers and Muir
win, lie founded on sections 5508, $780,
and 5536 of the federal statues, While
waiting for bail to be arranged Debs,
in an interview, said: "We have been
placed under an Indictment found
against US by Che federal grand jury
in which we are accused of commit
ting an offense against the United
States by obstructing and interrupting
the mails of the country.
Our bail has been fixed at $4,000.
We do not know when the case will
come to trial. Since l have been
brought here have been informed
that the officers of the court have gone
to our headquarters in the Ashland
block and taken my private cores
pondence and some OF the records of
the American Railway union. 1t
seems to me to be an infamous out.
rage. Not only did they take my per-
sonsl effects and papers but carried
with them my unopened mail. / have
never heard of that before In this
country and do not wish to speak
further about it until am informed
by what right the act was committee
In Russia such things have
done. The seizure was made
officer ~
am not running To- ~
cannot understand und osy, All