The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-29
4 REPORTERS STORY
WALTER RICE.s TESTIMONY IN THE
DEBs CONSPIRACY TRIAL.
Proceedings of the A. II. L. Conven-
ton that Preceded the Great Strike
Tenor of the Speeches.

CHICAGO. Jan. 2S.-The first witness
placed on the stand by the government in
the Debs conspiracy trial to-day was wal
lace Rice, a reporter for the Chicago Her
aid and a member of Local Union No. $50.
of the American Railway Union, at Pull
man. His examination was conducted by
Edwin Walker, Clarence S. barrow lead
ing the group of attorneys for the defend
ants.
Mr.. Rice was led by the questions of the
government counsel to relate the proceed
ings of the A. r.. u. convention of June
1923 last, the plan of the prosecution be-
ing to show that the conspiracy began
with that convention, and that every step
taken by the convention and its officers was
a link in the chain of conspiracy. Mr. Rice
said that Mr.. Debs's opening speech at
the convention, congratulating the union
that it's organization was the first not OF
distinctive class in it's character, and in
cluded all branches of the railroad en-
ployes, and as such it was destined to over
come and absorb all the others, which
were not adapted by the nature of their
organization to successfully combat the
railroads. 1t would become so strong that
no corporation could assail it and it would
be able to dictate its own terms. The
Pullman strike and the condition of the
workmen there he said, were first brought
to the attention of the convention on June
10 by a member of one of the local unions
at that place. Mr.. Debs opened the sub
ject on the part of the union in a speech
in which he denounced Pullman's corpora
ton as a monumental monstrosity-an octo-
pus-and said the time had come to stop 1t.
Pullman had hosted the black flag of con-
spiracy, and he Debs) proposed to sink it
and cut off Pullman's cars from the rail-
roads. This speech was received with cheers
and with manifestations of great enthusi-
asm-
Howard had followed Debs and threw
wet blanket over the discussion by oppos-
ing the boycott proposition. He said the
union was not strong enough to make
successful fight. The result of the discus
sion was the appointment of a committee
to wait on Mr.. Wickes, general manager
ton. The committee reported that Mr..
Wickes refused to treat with them and
said 1t had nothing to. arbltrate Inc en-,
tire matter was then referred to the board
of directors. On the 2lst the board re-
ported in favor of giving Mr.. Pullman five
Of fs Cutting i out his ears from all the rail-
roads. After the adoption OF this resolu-
ton Mr.. Debs said that II any railroad
attempted to enjoin the union from inter-
fering with the Pullman cars the entire
system of that road would be tied UP.
On the evening of June rs the strike was
inaugurated at a general mass meeting in
the Empire Theater. Mr.. Debs delivered
an address in which he again referred to
the Pullman company as monumental oc-
topus. Debs, at that meeting, said that
the strike was to be a battle to the death,
and it meant either the extirpation of the
General Managers Association or that of
the union. Howard advised the men to take
lesson from the railroads and combine,
and that any man who refused 10 stand
by the strikers was a. ScdD
The witness then related the manner Of
n the mshahd Boc guard stood ou
side Mr.. Debs's private office, and no one
was admitted during the receipt OF tele-
business when reporters were permitted
to copy the kilograms.
The government rested on the exanlina-
ton in chief and Mr.. barrow took up the
cross-examination for the defense. The
greater part of the time was taken up in
reviewing the events and circumstances of
the forming of the acquaintance of the
officers of the union by the witness and the
review of the proceedings of the conyen-
ton. Witness said he had voted, as dele
gate, in favor of the strike, and, generally,
the views of the convention were his own
views on the matters under action
.sYou were a witness before the grand
jury in Milwaukee. were you not?' asked
Mr.: barrow:
Did YOU not travel to Milwaukee on a
pass given to you by President Miller. of
do you not know that you and Mr.. Mil
Ter violated the nterstate-commerce law
At this point the court put a stop to this
examination. on Mr.. Walkers objection.
Mr.. Rice's cross examination was con-
John 'ende, an employee of the Rock
Island, followed Rice on the stand He
exhibited a telegram which he had received
all men of the Rock Island system. En-
force Pullman boycott. All men joining
switchman IN the yards of the Illinois Cen
trail last June, was chairman of the gr.ev-
ance committee for the American Railway
Union the Illinois Central, and had or
ganzed most of the Chicago lodges of the
order. He said he had received an order
June rs to call out the men on the road.
He volunteered the information that he
had gone out on the track after he had
tied up the gates by getting the men to
engine. When asked to relate what trans
pired between him and King the defense
entered an objection, which raised the
interrogation of witness to secure evidence
events not named in the indictment. If
the court decides against the prosecution
in this point it will materially lessen it's
chances of proving a conspiracy. The de-
Tense objected on the ground that what
the witness had said to another was ir-
relevant matter; that witness had received
certain positive instructions, and that he
had carried them out, and that beyond that
the government could not inquire into the
acts of the witness unless such acts re-
lated to some overt act committed in pur-
suanee to the conspiracy charged in the
Indictment. Mr.. Walker, for the govern
ment, replied that the government had a
right to discover how far the witness had
tons he had received. After listening for
some time to the attorneys Judge Grosscup
said that the point was very important,
and that he would hear argument upon ii
tomorrow. Court then adjourned.
THE CRESCENT HOTEL.