The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1914-07-11
PER ON MARKED
FOR DEATH By l.. {. RY..

death warrants Y hile the ;renn1indSr
was supplied by farmers whos4f minds
have been turned against Person by
the kept Press" Of tho county. These;
papers which exist. on the favor Of
the Illinois Central told their readers
that Person was not IA II American
citizen, that he was an anarchist and;
"trouble =making aSitator,' and that
for the good of the community. i he
should BE hanged. Is ..ss l. ..,, n,
ers5 that Person was forced to: kill in
defense OF his life. Tony Musser,t an
ex-chief Of police OF Clinton, who
stood six feet two inches III heighth
and weighed 215 pounds. lured the;
young labor editor from his office
with a 5decoys teleph hone, message. Per-
son stands five feet five Inches In
heighth and weighs II . pounds. Mus
ser sprang upon Person from ambush
on the streets, OF Clinton and beat him
almost to unconsciousness; whereup;-
on the. labor, editor. shot and killed
the giant strike breaker. RI 5
Comerford Moves for change Of
~ II h Y Venue 6 80 * s:
Attorney Frank Colnerford made a.
motion Tor q change OF venue to take
the trial from Clinton .where skAsling
is 50 strong against Person that
lynchingt has been prop osed stncs
the strike OF the sa6, 900, union shop
men on the Illinois Central and Hair
riman lines on Sept. 80 1911, Person
had remained III. Clinton after all the
strikers had been driven out. In his
expose of the conditions. on the Hill
nois Central and his accommodation IN
The Strike Bulletin, OF the tactics en-
ployed by the road. he aroused the
hatred Of the entire community.
:: In. support OF the motion for a
change .'ofvenue, Comerford: put a
corp Of notafies pushes, at-work can
wasting every inch, Of the 500 square
miles Of Dewitt county to secure af-
fidavits of prejudice. As q result OF
this costly but necessary move. 512,
affidavits were flied. They were
signed by citizens Of the county who
admitted that the feeling against Per-
son and Organized labor was so strong
in the county, It would be Impossible
to secure an unprecedented jury. :
Prosecution 476, Defense 512.
decide whether the change of venue
will be granted. The defense has pro-
duced:.512 affidavits to- show that it
ought to be- granted. The prosecu-
ton, backed by the Illinois Central
has filed ATS affidavits to show that
the chance for a fair trial before an
unprejudiced jury should be denied.
This is the: way the murder trial in
which Carl Persons life Is at stake.
rests at the present time. ~ =.
Judge Cochran was to have given
his: decision. Monday June 2sth, but
for the fourth time. since the begin
ming of: the Illinois Centrals deter
mined effort TO- hang Person.. death
has stepped in causing further delay.
The postponenentw was caused by the
death OF Circuit Judge Johns, one OF
the judges, before whom. Person was
to have been tried It was Judge
Johns' bailiff the. nearing Of Persons
habeas corpus petition III Chicago, on
which the fighting editor was re-
leased on <$12 900: bonds after being
held in jail five months. :: J.
:, 1t: X: Death Plays Stellar Role. 49,. -.
). The other deaths which. seem to
have occurred with ominous regularity
on the side Of the prosecution, was
that Of Attorney Lemon. counsel for
the Illinois Central in the injunction
cases against the strikers, ex-judge
1ngham, prominent as a. witness for
the Illinois Central and Judge Phil
brick, another one, of the judges Of
the. district to act on the case, He
has agreed to hear arguments on the
change of venue motion on Tuesday,
July It'll.
In the meantime effort is being
made by the Person Defense league
of Chicago and the Railway. EN-
ploye's Department of the American
Federation Of labor to raise funds to
continue. the fight for Persons life.
In addition to the trumped up. charge
murder charge for which the penalty
IS death, Person faces, another trial
in the federal courts on an indict-
ment charging him. with: using the
mails to circulate matter reflecting
injuriously on the conduct of the Ill
inois Central This Indictment car
ries a maximum penalty Of IS years
in a federal prison and $4,000 fine.
There is urgent need Of funds to do
fray the, expenses Of both trSals, SO
that Person can be returned to his
place Of effectiveness in the ranks OF
the workers. - ....-, -. =. -. ~
Donations to the fund are being re-
ceived by the Person Defense league
Of Chicago. 166 West Washington
street, Chicago, ILL.,, and John Scott,
treasurer of the Railway Employees
department, American Federation of
Labor. 3o1 Sawyer Building, st. Louis.
Mo. .:gz :s,.;x d s-g.s ..3