The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1895-05-31
DEAD AGAINST DEBs.
SUPREME COURT DECISION.
A Unanimous Verdict Upholdlns the In
junction Of Judge Woods and Rsfus-
Ing the Writ Of Habsas Corpus.

Washington, May 27.-The United
States Supreme court to-day denied the
application Of Eugene v. Debs, the
strike leader, for writ of habeas cor
pus This Is victory for the govern
ment.
No more important question, with the
single exception of the income tax, has
como before the Supreme court during
the past year, than. the attempt Of
Eugene V. Debs and the other officers
of tho American Railway union to
secure n reversal Of the sentences to Jail
by Judge Woods for interfering with ILL
terstate commerce and tho running Of
the mails In the great railway strike of
last summer
The history of the case is still fresh
in public memory, but 1t has Importance
beyond the question of Imprisonment Of
A. X. U. officials, and there is largely
involved the principle of the right Of
judges having Jurisdiction of large In
terests by virtue of the rcceiyerships
created by them, to prevent labor
troubles through the lnstrumentallty Of
injunctiOns.
Technically the application for writ
of habeas corpus and ceriiorari arises
from the case In equity OF the Union
Trust company, against the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe road. On July .,
/ lSslAy when the great railway strike was
treatening, the receivers of that system
appealed to Judge Woods for an In
junction against the A. II. u, to prevent
1t from melting the employees to strike.
I'D. J.,, tod
enjoining the officers of the union from
Interfering with the mails or with inter-
| state commerce, or from destroying
property; compelling or inducing the
employees of the road to strike, by vio-
lence or intlmidating, or from aiding or
nbetting them TO do any of these things.
The A. Il. U. decreed strike on
the Illinois Central railroad, one of those
Included in the Injunction and the
events of that strike are matters OF gen
eral knowledge.
The officers of the union were brought
before Judge Woods for contempt OF
court last December. Il. V. Debs, pres
ident, was sentenced to six months in
Jail, and the others-G. w. Howard,
Sylvester Keliher. l.. w. Rogers. James
| Hogan, William Il. Burns. Roy NJ. Good
win and Martin ]. Elliott. We're SEN
fenced to three months. 1t appears that
the injunction had been personally
served on the first four officers, but
Judge Woods held that its publication in
the newspapers was sufficient service In
Itself for all OF the defendants.
An application was made TO the Su-
preme court for the release OF the eight
officers of the union by writ Of habeaS
corpus, and, pending decision Of the
Supreme court, they have been given
their freedom under bail. Counsel for
| Debs and his associates based their mp.
plicatlon on the grounds that their SEN
tence. without Indictment and trial by
jury, was In violation of the constitil-
ton, particularly In fifth and sixth
amendments: that the information upon
which they were convicted did not show
any violation of the Injunction; also,
that the injunction was void because Tho
bill asking for II stated no ease OF which
the court could take cogniZancc, and
was. In effect, bill by the government
OF the United States 10 maintain the
public peace and cnjoln the violations
OF the penal code.
The decision of the court was read by
Justice Brewer and was unanimous,
there being no dissenting opinion. All
contentious OF the government We're sli,;-
taincd. The conclusions OF the court
were that the government OF the United
States has jurisdiction over every foot
1 NE DBhHArq fYHry Individual Within
That while 1t was one of limited powers.
i had sovereignty within those llmita
lions. 1t has power TO invoke the civil
courts TO remove distractions TO inter
state commerce. and the civil courts had
the right TO enjoln those who made oh.
s'ructions TO such commerce. The In.
junction was no bar TO criminal pro.
ccsses for acts done In violation of tho
injunction The circuit court havln.
final Jurisdiction. Its act was not review.
able by the Sprcmc court on II petition
for writ OF habeas corpus, and there
Tore the writ was denied