Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-07-19
DEBS PLAYS MARTYR
Goes to Jail as a Matter of
Principle.

clcs west OF the Allegheny mOuntai dur
ing the past three weeks, when President
Eugene V. Dehs, of the American II ilway
union and his cabinet, Vice President
George w, Howard, General Secretary
Sylvester keliher and L. w. Rogers,
chairman of the executive committa and
editor of the journal of the organization,
wee taken to the county Jail and incar-
carated as prisoners of the United States
for violation Of the injunction issued on
July2 by Judges Woods and Grosscup,
restraining them from combining and
conspiring to hinder interstate commerce
traffic or the movement OF United States
mails.
The imprisonment of the chiefs of the
new railway union was not in any sense
an arbitrary proceeding. Although predi-
Gated upon what the courts regarded as an
open and defiant violation of orders preyi-
ously issued from its jurisdiction, an op-
portunity was afforded to the defendants
OF presenting bonds for their appearance
in court a week hence. This proposition,
however, was rejected on the ground, as
emphasized by President Debs, after the
court had rendered its ultimatum that
the principle involved was one entirely too
serious in its nature TO admit of the de-
fendants availing themselves of any tech
ncalities that might be regarded rs loop
holes in the laws.
Bondsmen almost without limit offered
their aid and support to the union leaders,
but their overtures were declined in n firm,
although courteous manner and the pris-
oners suffered themselves to be taken to
Jail aud locked up. There unless in the
meantime they should tire Of the incarcer-
nton, they will remain until Monday
morning of next week.
The initiative proceedings that resulted
in this climax were inaugurated in the
United States circuit court in the morn
ing, when special counsel for the United
States Edwin Walker and United States
District Attorney Milchrist, appeared be-
fore Judge Seamans to present their in
formation against President Debs and his
associates, charging them with willful,
open, daily and hourly violation of the
spirit and letter of the injunction issued
by Judges Woods and Grosscup on July :.
In support of the contention of the gov
ernment, several scores of kilograms,
which had been secured from the tele-
graph company under a ruling of the
court, were cited. These are specimens of
the whole:
TO COURT HEAD, SOUTH BUTTE, Mont.
The general managers are weakening
If strike is not settled in 4S hours, com
plete paralysis will follow. Potatoes and
ice are out of sight, Save your money and
buy gun. f. V. DEBs.
TO 5. w. RAINS Mount Vernon, Ill.
Call ont Air line, and let it be understood
this trouble is one Of capital against labor
This is no contest in which children or
childish men have part Strong men and
broad minds only can resist the plutocracy
and arrogant monopoly. Do not be
frightened at the troops injunctions or a
subsidized press Quit and remain firm
Commit no violence. American Railway
union will protect all, whether members
or not, when strike is off.
(Signed) f. V, DEBs.
Only few of these dispatches had been
read when Judge Seamans Interrupted
to remark that sufficient had been shown
to indicate a wilful and deliberate
violation of the injunctions; and therupon
counsel for the government concluded
with a prayer for an attachment against
the defendants indicated and their punish
ment for contempt of court.
President Debs was the only representa-
tive of the union in court during the
morning session. He was accompanied by
w. w, Erwin, Of St Paul, special coun-
sci for the union, and who figured conspic-
uously in the defense of the Homestead
rioters at Pittsburg two years ago, and $.
5. Gregory of Chicago, recently leading
counsel for Prendergast the assassin of
Mayor Harrison.
When the representatives of the govern.
ment had concluded their arguments, At
torney Gregory took the ground that the
information failed to charge any one of
the four defendants with personal partici.
patton in violence or destruction of prop
erty. In behalf of the government,
Special Counsel Walker declared that the
government represented all the people, the
defendants included, and that it did not
propose to protest railroad property except
SO far as interstate commerce and trans
portation of the United States mails were
concerned.
Further discussion was cut short by the
court, the judge ordering writs of attach e
ments to issue against Debs and his asso-
ciates returnable at 2 o'clock. Instruc-
tions were given the marshal, however to
waive personal service, with the under
standing that the defendants would vol.
unfairly surrender themselves.
The confidence of the court was not mis-
placed, for within fifteen minutes after
the reassembling in the afternoon, Debs,
Howard, Keliher and Rogers We're on hand.
Attorney Erwin led off the proceedings
with a fiery speech in which he declared
that the defendants had been guilty of nc
contempt of court and stated point blank
that, in the event of the court ruling other
wise, they would refuse to give bail and
accept instead the alternative OF going tt
Jail
Counsel went on to say that President
Dpbs and his associates were already I'M