The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-28
TANNENBAUM SCOFFS
YEAR IN PRISON
i. w. w. Agitator Boldly At
tacks Laws, Courts and
Rich After Sentence.
MUST PAY FINE OF $500
Convicted Of Unlawful Assem-.
bly, in Leading Idle Into
a Church.

With an air of bravado Frank Tannen-
baum, the young l. W. W. leader. heard
Judge wadhams in General Sessions last
night sentence him TO one year In the
penitentiary and to pay a fine OF $500
for unia wful assembly after a jury had
found him guilty OF leading a band Of
unemployed men to st. Alphonsus's
Church on March 4.
Before sentence was passed upon him
Tame nbaum was permitted to make a
speech, in which he said that he had
committed no crime. but was the victim
Of q system that made the assembly Of
the working class unlawful.
Foreman jeffrey Il. Martin said the
fury found Tsnnenbaum guilty on both
counts, which charged unlawful assem-
bly, and remaining In an unlawful assem-
bly,. The court directed the jury to return
a verdict on one count. and after a delay
Of half an hour the verdict OF unlawful
asse mbly was recorded.
Few OF Tannenbaums followers were
IN court. for twenty policemen had cleared
the corridors OF all oilers
Judge Wadhams listened attentively to
Tame baum and said he felt sorry for
him In not having embraced the oppor-
tunities of this country. Tannenbaum 10
AN Austrian and said he Is waiter by
trade. He said his home was in "A cell
in the Tombs.
"New Gospel . Crime"
''There was once a person who said
that society would forgive murder or ar
son. but that the one thing that 1t would
not forgive was the preaching of new
gospel" said Tannenbaum. That IL my
crime.
"There IL no instance In the worlds
history where the efforts of the slave class
to free themselves has been considered
legal. belong to the slave class.
II am accused OF participating In an
unlawful assembly. ] don't know OF any
assembly on the part Of the working peo-
pie that would be lawful
why Is there all this nonsense about
bloodshed7 The capitalistic class sheds
more blood In one year than the workers
"Another thing want TO speak about 10
my attitude toward the priests. ! am by
nature polite even to my enemies. / tell
YOU DR.. Schneider-that DR.. Schneider
who was supposed to represent the Cos
pei or Christ. the man who died on the
cross-if He came TO earth to-day Father
Schneider would be the first to cruelty
him. In my estimation.
81 have only one thing more to say
Before I was arrested ! never knew any
tning ABOUT the ponce or courts. l was
ignorant of all such things. From what
/ have learned since ! have We. little
respect for courts or law.
''The day that ] was brought into the
court justice flew out OF the win low and
never came back. You jurymen never
take the circumstances. the passions, the
feelings of men into consideration.
Expected . Sentence.
~ didn't want this trial. knew what
i was going to get, but my friends in
sisted that come 10 trial
ut is my last trial. IL am ever ar
rested again there will be no more trials.
These Jurors are members of your class
They are capitalists in miniature. My
crime was that of starving man who
tries to steal bread"
Judge Wadhams in passing sentence
said:
There is no place in the world where
the workinCman finds such opportunities
as in the United States. Your father and
mother realized th"t They came here
and brought their boy with them
"You have failed to appreciate the spirit
OF American institutions. Most OF those
who come here from other countries come
TO work. TO rse'every means to better their
fellow men.
''True liberty can only exist through re-
spect to the law, which all the people have
adopted In order that all may have equal
opportunity. Your offence was not In seek
ing to help your fellow men, but the way
in which you did IT,"
that Tannenbaum's fine would be paid.