The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-31
HE HAS NO KNOWLEDGE
Of SELIG S|LVERSTE|N
Police Of New York Fall To Make Any
thing Out of Berkman, the Man
Who Served In Prison For
Shooting n. C. Frck.

4NeW IOTk, MdrcH oV-EuOIlS VI Iue
Iolice to connect Selig Silverstein, the
Union Square bomb thrower, with the
groups of anarchists have been success
full, but thus far they have been unable to
prove that his act of Saturday was
prompted in any way by the associates.
These developments occurred today after
the arrest of Alex Berkman, the anarch-
\ list leader and companion of Emma Gold
man, who served 121a years in prison for
shooting Henry C. F'rick, the Pttsburg
capitalist.
The detectives showed when Berkman
was arraigned in court that Silverstein
held card of membership in the anarch-
lists federated union, of which Berkman
is secretary, and the caro- signed by
l. erkman. but their attempts to show that
Berkfnan knew Silversten or that he and
his friends in any direct way melted the
bomb throwing was for the time futile.
The police asked Magistrate Droege, be-
fore whom Berkman was arraigned, to
hold the anarchist for As hours as a sus-
picious person, but in the absence of
any definite charge the magistrate re-
= fused their request.
The magistrate paroled 4jerkman on his
own recognizance, the latter promising
to appear whenever wanted. Berkman
was taken into custody early today on
the strength of the card and couple
of circular letters found in Silverstein' S
apartments, all of which bore Berkman's S
signature. The letters were written in
Hebrew and were requests for contribu-
tions for the defense of two anarchists
recently in Philadelphia, charged with
rioting there.
Arrest Was Expected.
Berlsmap was arrested while in the Of
flee of Mother Earth, an anarchist news
paper, at No. 10 East Thirteenth street.
Berkman declared that he expected ar
rest and had given some le".ure appoint
Inents in anticipation of this. He will
dngly accompanied the detective to po-
lice headquarters, where upon his ar
rival he was closely questioned by In
spector McCafferdy. Afterwards, he was
lined up with crowd of other prisoners
so that the detectives might take a look
at him.
.This man admits that he shot Henry
w. Frick and that he served Il years
for it." said the inspector, facing the
anarchist.
1.-The shooting of Frick was a personal
matter replied Berkman. "The true
anarchist does not believe in violence.
He believes in working by peaceful
means.
Have you any pamphlets or books on
the subject?" asked the inspector.
.Yes, but none of them counsel vio-
lence. 1 do not believe in that"
This" said the inspector, turning TO
the detectives sis a caso of misdirected
Intelligence. This man has used his abil-
ity in the wrong direction
ssOn that / take issue with you, an
swered Berkman coolly.
Visit To Hospital.
After admitting that he signed the
membership card found In Silverstein's 5
| possession, Berkman was taken to the
h ospital to confront Silverstein, but
there was nothing in the meeting to in
dicate that the two ever met before.
Berkman said he mad never before
seen Silverstein and The latter, who lay
blindfold on his cot because of in
,uries to his eyes from the explosion,
said after he heard Berkman's voice IN
conversation that he did not know the
man.
"In court, before Magistrate Droege
| tparoled him, Berkman made brief
| statement.
II am the secretary of the union," he
said in reference to the cards and let
ters that were introduced, 'and my
name was used in the letters that were
sent out. The letters were only ap-
peals for funds. We are always solicit
ing money. We need money for the
families of the men who were Killed
in Philadelphia and for the men whN
are to be tried here. I remained at
my house so that the police could ar
rest me, for 1 wanted to have this
thing cleared up at once and have a
chance to prove my innocence" a.
Violence Not counseIed.
Then Lieutenant Waransly one of
the officers who made the arrest sail
that there were several paragraphs in
mother Earth" of which Berkman and
| Emma Goldman are the editors, whicn
pointed to the use of violence against
government. But the anarchist insistei j
that he did not counsel violence.
II was arrested because have been
arrested before" said he. "I am pers y
cuted."
Selig Silverstein, the bomb thrower,
though said to be sufferer from or
ganic disease of the heart, is likely
10 survive the terrible injuries he suf-
fered in the explosion. The physicians
a piece of bomb that he threw was cN-
tracted from near his right ear cavi-
ty. 1t passed through his right eve
and lodged in his skull, directly back
of the ear. If Silverstein recovers he
will be placed on trial for murder in
the first degree for killing Ignatz Hill
Il debrand who, it now appears, was an
y(innocent bystander attracted to Union
ASquare park only by curiostity.
1 The alertness of the police toward
hnarchistic and socialistic manifesto
tions was evidenced today when they
arrested Michael Dumas, said to be a
Former Paterson N. j., silk weaver, for
pasting socialist propaganda on letter
boxes. In court Dumas denied that ne
X>s an anarchist and said that he was
opposed to violence in every form. He
vas held, nevertheless, in $500 bail
py further examination.