Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-07-11

The written ners TOR all classes oil
labor "a ChiosA TO 20 on {srike at once
has been promulgated. NV generally
these orders will be 0beyed is problemati-
cal
To a eood extent their effect has beeu
already discounted by the stagnation Of
business, and Il 10 known that some OF
the lonsssthead labor lea'isrs them
selves believe that action has been post
poned too long 10 be fully effective Az
sunset today ths nation will probably
know whether the situation Is one Of crisis
or collapse
Charged With Conspiracy.
The federal grand jury, after receiv
ing the instructions Of United States
Judge Grosscup, returned indictmsnts
against Eugene ". Debs. president Of the
American Railway union; George w.
Howard. vice president; Sylvester Kel-
her. secretary, and l. w. Rogers, one Of
its directors, and shortly thereafter the
four men were arrested.
They are charged with conspiracy to
sommit an unlawful act. that Is. to block
the progress Of the United States mails.
Joined In the indictment with the four
leaders Of the Railway union was James
Martin, the Rockland striker. who threw
the switch which derailsd mail train al
Blue Island on the night Of June 30.
Debs, Howard, Keliher and Rogers
were taken into the Office of District At
torney Milchrist Immediately after their
arrest, and after few hours detention
were released on bail by Judge Grosscup.
their bonds being tio, 900 each.
The federal grand Jury spent but .
short time on the case Of Debs and the
other leaders Of the strike The case
against them for conspiracy had been pre-
pared some days ago by Attorneys NIL.
christ and Walker, and the grand jurors
had not been at work two hours when
the indictment was received and pre-
sented In court
It was based on some Of the public ut
tsrancss Of Debs aud the other leaders,
and this was clinched by the original or
ders In writing sent out by Debs direct
ing men on the different railways to quit
their work and thus stop the running Of
mail trains
A numLer OF kilograms sent by Debs
from his headquarters. giving direcl ions
which extended the blockade OF trains,
were su omitted to the grand jury by L. NJ.
Mulford. manager OF the Western Union
Telegraph company. under subpoena IL
sued by the United States court. Judge
Grosscup overruling the telegraph com
pany's protest that the messages were
privileged documents and exempt from
seizure
The indictment against Debs, Keliher.
Howard. Rogers and Murwip mot MARTINI
is founded on sections $685. 500 and $3.50
OF the federal statutes While waiting
for bail TO be arranged. Debs. In an inter
view, said:
what Debs Thinks of It,
1--WE have been placed under arrest TO
answer TO an indictment found against us
by the federal grand Jury. In which we
are accused Of conspiracy to commit and
of committing offenses against the United
Stats by obstruoting and interrupting
the mails Of the country. Our bail has
been fixed at $4,000. and we do not know
when the case will come TO trial.
''Since have been brought here have
been informed that officers OF the court
have gone to our headquarters In the
Ashland and taken my personal corrc-
spondenoe and some Of the records of the
American Railway union. / do not know
by what right this act has been com
mltted. IL seems TO me TO be an Infamous
outrage. Not only did they take my per-
sonal effects and papers, but carried with
them my unopened mail. have never
heard OF that before In this country, and
I do not wish TO speak further about II
until am informed by what right the oct
was committed.
1.-THE seizure was made by an officer of
the court and a postofilce official. am
not running lottery, aud l cannot un-
derstand under what law the postoffice
authorities are party to the seizure of
my private effects And you call this "a
free country II seems TO me not to be
with the Stars and Stripes IL
Is no longer u question Of right In this
but a question Of force. and aDso-
lutte force at that
"As TO the arrest, have nothing to say.
We have not committed. any offense or
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