Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-10
JOHN MITCHELL
EXPLAINS WHY
he FELT BITTER
Labor Leader Was Angered
Because Request for Post
ponement at Christmas
Was Refused.

washington, ~. T., FeD. S.-JoAL
Mitchells trial for contempt Of court
in which he was involved with Sam
uel Gompers and Frank Morrison, Of
ficials Of the American Federation OF
+ Labor, In connection with the Bucks
Stove and Range boycott case, took or
. dramatic touch at the hearing today
Mr.. Mitchell had seemed to be crit
icising Justice Wright, before whom
he is on trial, and the justice had dis
played some impatience with his
critic. .,
LET me explain this said Mr.
Mitchell. AT the time l was sum
moned to Washington to appear before
this court faced a long term in pris
on. It was on the day before Christ
mas eve was living in New York.
/ had not seen my family and children
who were in Illinois, for two months
had bought and packed In, my grips
toys and gifts for my children. | was
summoned to Washington to receive
my sentence. asked that the de-
cision be postponed. It was not.
was brought here and sentenced.
II had merely done what believed
was my right under the government
my father had fought to uphold. So
when l appeared and was sentenced
and discussed 1t afterwards, l could
not attempt to and did not disguise my
feelings. felt outraged"
Not Request, But Demand.
l"Mr. MITCHELL" said Justice Wright,
you have shown some bitterness to-
ward the court for the manner in
which you We're sentenced. What rea-
son have you for believing that the
court knew of your request for a post.
ponem ent?"
II wrote to the president of the Am
erican Federation of Labor and asked
IT, replied Mr.. Mitchell. Il supposed
that my request had been conveyed to
the court
No request was conveyed to the
court, !, replied the justice. 1T came
rs q demand. There was an atmos.
phefo of antagonism about it. 1t was
demand from the vice president. OF
the American Federation of Labor for
postponement. 1 did not think he
had any more right to demand it than
any other man." .,.'..aa .-
II have been under the impression
that my request was conveyed to the
court and was denied. If I have
been wrong in that l would not do
the court an injustice and regret that
have made it appear So" said Mr..
Mitchell. ..-..
Mr. Mitchell testified under oath
that he had not signed editorials and
circulars from the American FEEDER
ationist In the boycott case from which
his sentence for contempt developed.
but he did not disclaim coresponsi-
bility for them.
He was asked about his speeches at
Toronto and Indianapolis in regard to
the Injunction issued by Justice Gould
and the contempt sentences imposed
by Justice Wright. Mr.. Mitchell look
ed intently into the face of Justice
Wright and said:
When was sentenced to nine
months in prison felt it keenly.
felt then and feel now that this court
had no right and should not have the
right to sentence me to prison for
contempt.
1T was for the rights of the Amer
ican workingmen that spoke. I want
ed to arouse my fellow workmen to
the crisis which is developing in this
country because of the abuse Of the
injunction power, which, in my opin-
ion, has done much to lessen the con-
fidence Of the people in the integrity
~ +ho courts"