Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-09-19
Fight For
Free Speech
Street Packed With People for Two
BlockS-2O,000 in Line Fol.
lowed to Station

The public attention in Spokane has
never been so generally aroused as in
the case of the arrest last Saturday
night and the subsequent proceedings.
The demonstration on that occasion
was followed by packed house in
Oliver hall Sunday evening. The hall
was in no way adequate to hold the
crowd, only about 800 being able to
get in while 200 were turned away.
And this was done with a twenty five
cent admission charged.
The address was on "The Lessons
of the Haywood Trial" but occasion
was taken to show the nature of the
corruption Of city administration un-
der a government that is based ON the
rule of a few over the many for the
sake of greed.
The speakers desk was covered with
beautiful bouquets, and there seemed
to be the utmost interest awakened in
the practical issues of personal rights
that are at our doors.
The trial had been set for Monday
afternoon at l:30. When we reached
the court room the place was jammel.
The offeious attaches of the court
seemed amazed. The fat, porky bai-
lift was showing more Importance and
authority than King Edward would
ever have arrogated TO himself, bawl-
ing out useless instructions in loud
tone of voice, and showing the poor
drunks and prostitutes that had been
run in, around as tho they were cattle.
Most of them seemed dazed at the
Official" atmosphere and were fined
and sentenced in silence, or, if they did
attempt TO slammed out a few words
were soon overwhelmed by the strange
ness, the power and the injustice of
the machine, that had first taken away
all possibility of a decent life, and then
was crushing these helpless creatures
with the weight of the structure that
Profits had raised for its own interests
As took the chair of the accused,
this offcious parsonage began the shov.
ing process on me. L promptly cor
reeted him as TO his place when a gen.
eral uproar seemed to come from all
the "officious' personages assembled
there. After / had pleaded not guilty,
and our attorney, Mr.. Kirbey, come
forward to take charge of the case
the Judge announced that if the matter
was to take any considerable time, he
would postpone it as his docket was
full. We had learned previously that
but little could be expected from
this Judge Hinkle, and that he was
going on vacation, so our lawyer
acked for continuance of the cas-,
till Thursday when another man would
be on the bench.
Now came the dramatic part Of tn,
proceedings. AS l arose L turned to
the bailiff and told him that 1 wanted
him to keep his hands of my person
He Immediately started his uproai
again, and turned to the judge and
asked for protection, as the person
of an individual under bond is immune
Instead of the judge listening to my
appeal to him, the half drunken fellow
began to pound his desk, said he diin'
want any sensation there, and or
dered the bailiff to take me out
Whereupon the brutal lubber seized me
when was making no resistance what
lever and pushed and carried me to tn,
door, where Comrade Barber stepped
between him and me.
| The disgraceful scene caused an up
roar. The audience composed almos
entirely of the socialists and theil
friends rose as one man to see wha
this idiotic court was going Co do will
me. When l walked out with the com
rades around me, Mr.. Kirby asked Il
he might call our witnesses together
The judge refused his request wheI
Mr.. Kirby waved his hand and tn,
whole crowd came trembling out afte
me. To say the judge was astonishe,
at these developments, would be ex
pressing it mildly. The old fellow learn
ed something of the strength of tn,
socialist sentiment in Spokane that h
never knew before.
| The papers came out with the mos
atrociously perverted accounts of tn
affair. They, said / fought with tn
bailif and attempted to harangue tn
court, both Of which statements ar
absolutely false. They also said so
people swarmed over the railing to pro
tect their idol. But Of course we ar
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