Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-02-09
Compers in a
Martyrs Role
WILL FACE JAIL FOR THE RIGHT
OF FREE SPEECH.
SAYS He WILL NOT FINCH
John Mitchell Tells Court He Criticised
Its Action Under Peculiarly Trying
Observation-Disclosures Abused.

Washington, Feb. S.-"The speeches
! made during 1903 were in support
of the candidate and the party which
promised the labor movement relief
from the system CT federal iniurctions
which has grown up. They roiced
my political beliefs. [ made those
speeches because I believe in the right
of free speech. If. because Of the
exercise of that right l.. must so to
jail, and l would feel The loss Of my
liberty keenly, ] viii face that Jail
sentence and will not finch.
Admitted Certain Speeches.
Samuel Gompers. president CT the
American Federation of Labor. made
| that statement today n the supreme
| court of the District of Columbia,
where he is on trial for contempt
| He admitted that he made speeches in
Indianapolis and Baltimore which at
! torneys, who are prosecuting MIN. in
| sist were contempt of court.
Defiance at Indianapolis.
At Indianapolis he was reported to
| have said:
q am enjoined from discussing this
Opase (the Bucks Stove company easel.
I may go 10 jail for discussing it,
! But I shall discuss il. If / do not !
SHAH explode
Ignored Judge Parker's Instructions.
Mr.. Gompers today disregarded the
/ instructions OF his counsel, Alton b
Parker, and answered questions which
he could have avoided by strict court
/ procedure. He also assumed respon-
sfDility for a publication in the Amer
lean Federationist. which said:
Labor will triumph in the end anG
crush all the Nal Cleeves.''
Written by BoiIermaker.
This referred to j. w. Van Cleave
president Of the National AIanufac-
turers. When asked to explain it ht
said it was figure of speech At.
torney Darlington asked him to par
ticularize.
'gThis was written by an honest
horny handed son Of toll. a boiler
mal1er-he is not a lawyer, nor a writ
er," said Mr.. GompeTs.
John Mitchell Testifies.
President Gompers was excused from
she witness stand to permit john Nit
chell to testify Mr.. Mitchell SAID un
der oath that he did not sign editor
lals and circulars from the American
Federationist, in the boycott case from
+ which his sentence for contempt arose
Dul ne UlU NOT uISCldlIQ corresponds
I bility for them. He was asked abou
his speeches at Toronto and Indian
apolis in which he scored the injhnc
ticn issued by Justice Gould and th
sentences for contempt issued by Jus
tice Wright.
Spoke Under Trying Circumstances.
MI Mitchell looked intently int
the face of Justice Wright as he be
gan. he spoke quietly but feelingly
When l was sentenced to min
months in prison" he said. Il felt I
keeniy. 1t was under peculiarly try
ing circumstances that l discussed i
afterward. / felt then and feel nov
} that this court had no right ant
should not have the right to sentenc
men to prison for contempt
Abuse Of Injunction Power.
at was for the rights of the Amer
lean worlzingnlen that I spoke.
wanted to arouse my fellow working
men To the crisis which Is deyelopin
in this country because of the abus
IF the injunction power. which, in m
opinion, has done much to lessen tn
, confidence of the people in the integ
rity of the courts"
Admitted Authorship of BOOK.
Mr.. Mitchell admitted authorship {
a book ana speech before the Ma
tional Civic association in which h
expressed the opinion that injunction
invading legal, moral and constitu
tional rights should be resisted an
I disobeyed.