The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-23
DEBS AGAIN At Liberty
The Labor AgitatOr is Released from
Woodstock Jail.
HIS RECEPTION AT CHICAGO
thousands Gather to Welcome the Cham.
pion of the Incidents of
tho JOurncy-Governor Waite, OF
Colorado Is Present.

tho JOurncy-Govcrnor Waite, OF
Colorado. is Present.
Woodstock, ILL.,, Nov. 22-When lib
erty came to Eugene v. Debs, the i'm
prisoned American Railway official at
II o'clock last night he was fast asleep.
He remained In bed until five o'clock
and breakfasted at seven o'clock. He
spent a few hours, assisted by his
brother. Theodore, in packing up his
books. papers and baggage prepara-
tory to leaving the jail. kilograms Of
congratulations came drifting in from
all directions this morning.
AT eleven O'Clock Debs and his brother
entered q carriage and made calls on q
number of persons here who had Wis.,
tied him during his Imprisonment. The
AFTERNOON was spent in preparations for
ne lett at $50 D. m on q special train.
In the Hands Of Friends.
Chicago. Nov. 22.-Eugene v. Debs
FOR iive minutes this afternoon was lit
orally lin the hands of his friends" It
was just after the arrival of the train
load OF enthusiastic admirers of this
great strike leader at the little town of
woodstock. where he again breathed
the air of freedom for the first time In
half year. They had marched from
the railroad depot to the Jail and Debs
stood upon the steps awaiting them.
There was a preliminary thunder of
hurrahs and then the storm of bottled
up admiration broke and there was q
scene which has hardly ever been dupli-
Gated in the annals of labor affairs.
without giving him a chance to SPEAK
the crowds rushed upon their hero.
dragged him from the steps and in a
few moments had him high In the air.
Those who had the good fortune to
reach MIN first We're allowed the privi-
iege or holding him and he was passed
from hand to hand while all the while
others struggled to get near him. Mean-
while the crowd kept up a Constant
caiiing and the band played on, select
Ing as their theme See the Conuue ring
Hero Comes" Debs took 1t all In the
good natured spirit in which It was
meant and when he was put down be-
san handshaking soiree that lasted
start. e""S W
Inc train arrived at Woodstock at r
O'Clock and was filed with labor dele
gates and personal friends of Mr.. Debs
about 500 of them in all,
Sccno with Governor White.
The only one Of the other eight d.
rectors OF the American Railway union
who was present was William Rurns of
Chicago. Among those who went to
woodstock was Ex-Governor Waite of
Colorado. He came all the way from
denver to be present. There was a ma
tapie scene when he and Debs met.
Deps threw his arms around the aged
executives neck and said In tremu
lous voice: God bless You, my boy"
The governor seemed equally overcome
lie made some commonplace remark
about being glad to hee him again. and
then the two men fell to chatting of the
subjects nearest to the hearts Of both.
The march to the train was like the
triumphal entry of a ruler, fortunate in
war, rather than the welcome to a man
found guilty in the eyes of the law. The
music was the. Marseilles and the
streets were black and white with hun
dreds of citizens Of McHenry county
standing ankle deep In the snow to catch
glimpse of. the central figure OF the
day. Fully half of the spectators were
women and one or two of them brought
flowers and threw them at the cause of
the excitement.
Coming back to Chicago on the train,
Debs was obliged to walk twice through
all the cars and shake hands with occu-
pant.
When the delegation reached Chica-
go another crowd was waiting at the
Northwestern depot and the scene at
Woodstock was duplicated in milder
colors. From the depot, the line of
march was taken up to Battery ID" and
although a miserable drizzle was drop
ping the streets were filled with spec
tators who poined the marchers.
Speech on Liberty.
nj, 81 - =, r
pie tonight at Battery d. "lr. Debs
spoke on Liberty" as follows:
"At the instigatiOn OF railroad corpora
tions l was indicted for conspiracy. That
trial terminated abruptly on account of u
sick juror, and 1t was currently reported
THAI the incident was merely pretext to
abandon the trial.
''If the counsel for the government, alias
the railroads, have been correctly quoted
the. the case sN e, against me and my colleagues Is
appear in the light of prosecuting the de-
fendants.' I repel with scorn their pro-
fessed mercy. I have had time for medi-
tation, and 1 have no hesitancy in de-
ciaring that under the same circumstances
would pursue precisely the same policy.
have neither apology nor regrets"
Erred on Humanity's Side.
The speaker then reverted to the in
generation of the American Railway
union men at Woodstock as subtle in
vasion of the liberties of the American
people by the courts, sustained by an
administration equally dead to the
guarantees of the constitution. He con-
tinued:
'lf the American Railway Union has
erred 1t has been on the side of sympathy,
mercy and humanity-Zeal in a great cause
and devotion to the spirit of brotherhood,
which knows no artificial boundaries.
''ln the great battle of labor between
the American Railway Union and the cor
porations banded together under the name
of the General Managers Association
victory would have perched upon the
standards of abor II the battle had been
left to these contending forces-and this
statement suggests the inquiry, what
other resources had the corporations aside
their federation conferred.
Defeated at every point while the hopes
of labor were Frightening and victory was
In sight, the corporations. goaded to des-
peration, played their last card in the
game of oppression by an appeal to the
federal judiciary, and to the federal ad-
To this appeal the response
came quick as lightning from storm
cloud. 1t was an exhibition OF the de-
power of money which the coun-
try had never before beheld.''
In closing, Mr.. Debs said: II have borne
with such composure az could commend.
the Imprisonment which deprived me OF
my liberty. Were l criminal, were |
guilty of crimes meriting a prison cell,
had / ever lifted my hand against the
life or the liberty of my fellow-man; had
l ever sought to flch their good name, l