Evening star., 1895-05-28
CRITICISED BY BARROW
Debs' Oounsel's Comment on the Supreme
Court Decision.
Judge Woods, Who Was Sustained,
Speaks Briehy-E6ect on the
Prisoners of the Appeal.

c. s. Darrow, counsel for the defendants
in the Debs case, said yesterday in Chicago
on learning the Supreme Courts decision:
"a week ago that august body, the Su-
preme Court, decided against the income
tax. Today it follows suit against Mr..
Debs and his colleagues. Such action shows
how The land lies, and is pretty plain no
tice to the people on which side tho Su-
IRENE Court stands. The position Of the
Supreme Court is simply the outcome of
life association of members in their pro-
fessional and social relations. 1t is. pre-
sumo, only what one might expect from
poor human nature. Workingmen and their
interests are as much outside of the Su-
preme Court world as If the former were
the Inhabitants of another planet"
Judge Woods, whose decision in the Debs
case was sustained, said: Il believe that
1 was right in issuing the injunction last
summer against the officers of the Ameri-
can Railway Union, and being right in the
law, the right to punish the men for con-
tempt followed natural sequence. No,
l cannot understand why criminal pro-
ceedings should now be abandoned. Or
course it grows out of the commission OF
the same acts. But in the one case the
men were enjoned from doing certain
things, and the punishment was for con-
tempt of court; in the other cases they
are charged under the criminal law with
a violation of that law. Should man as
sault another in any court, 1t is the duty
of the judge to punish him for contempt,
but that punishment does not dehar
criminal prosecution and punishment or
the offender for the assault committed
An A. H. U. officials View.
George W. Howard. the former vice pres
ident of the American Railway Union, was
the first one of the men to offer to sur
render himself to the United States mar
shall ard begin his uncompleted sentence.
= oh aff How
ard entered Marshal Arnold's office and
said: Il guess you want ME now that the
Supreme Court has sustained Judge Woods
judgment?' Not yet" replied the mar
the Supreme Court. ard that will be
week or more in reaching here"
You know where to find me" said How
ard Il cannot go back to Woodstock too
quick. I want to get through with the sem
tence. The opinion of the Supreme Court
was no surprise to me. l have expected
such a result from the start. In fact l
was opposed. as were most Of the others,
to taking up the issue. 1 could not see
anything to be gained, but good deal to
lose.
IF the appeal had been sustained we
would have gained point for labor organ
iZations, but not saved ourselves from JAIL
We were committed on two charges of con-
tempt; one for violating the injunction as
to interference with interstate commerce
and the United States mail, another for
violating an injunction as to interference
with the receivers of the Santa Fe Com
pany. The judge gave Debs six months
in each case. and the rest of us three
months, and then made the sentences con-
current In order to appeal the judgment
for the violation of the injunction on the
part of the government We had to move
separation of the sentences and have them
cumulative. We had no ground to appeal
from the commitment on the Santa Fe case.
Now what do We get? Double time. Had
the boys followed my advice and left the
thing alone we would have been out OF
Jail on April 1. Now, we will have to serve
nearly six months, and l figure it, we
will get out in time to enjoy Thanksgiv-
ing dinner, If We have enough money to
buy one Debs will get out in time to par
ticipate in next years Decoration services
made mess of it,"