The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-08-03
7CONVJCT MILLIONAIRE SOCIALIST FOR :
ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW GOVERNMENT
William Bross Lloyd and Nine
teen Other Communists
Found Guilty By Chicago
Jury

Chicago, Aug. ,. - William
Bross LLOYD. millionaire Socialist,
and nineteen other members Of
the Communist Labor party, to-
night were found guilty by a jury
of conspiracy to overthrow the
government of the United States.
The defendants were given various
sentences. most OF them getting from
one To- five Years IN the penitentiary, )
few being given fines in addition ana
several were sentenced 10 one year In
jail.
Lloyd got the heaviest sentence, be-
ing given one to Iive years in the penl-
temtiary and a fine of $4,000 in ADDITION
Jury Out Nearly Nine Hours.
Th. case was given to the jurors At
1915 y. IN. today and the verdict was
returned eight hours ana loFtS-nNo
minutes later.
The defendants were charged with
conspiracy to advocate the overthrow
ing Of the government by force, con.
$piracy /" publish or distribute printso
matter. advocating overthrowing the
government by force: conspiracy TO be-
long iu an organization advocating X,
and conspiracy TO attend meetings at
which Ovrrthrowing the government o!
force WAS advocated.
\ motion for Il new trial was maoe
by the defense and the court Will near
li,- motion september -.
Victory for tho People.
Marlay HOyne. states attorney. In
statement issued after the verdict, cali"
ed i Il signal victory for The entlc
tinted States"
lin this trial, red radicaltsm was
driven into the Open" said the state
m'ut
one important issue decided by this
jury Is that the red card or the l. W. w:
il International and not American. and
that the only card recognized as Amerl-
can j. the card OF the American WorK-
ngman in the American Federation or
Labor"
The defendants were indicted under \
new Illinois law against crimlna! syh-
diCaiism. They ar" among three hun.
dred suspected radicals taken IN r;iid
i'm Chicago 10y states Attorney Macla?
HuSne last January.
Trial Long Drawn Out
The trial began on May 10 and nearly
ninr weeks were consumed in selecting
jury. 1t WAS the nrst trial involving
Il conspiracy against the govern
mcnt to he held in Cook county courts
since the Haymarkct anarchists were
convicted and sentenced 10 nang on Mo-
vcmDer IL, 1897.
During the trial. the state centcred
It's attack on Lloyd. the most prominent
If the defendants and the son OF Bos-
ton philanthropist. He was charged
with openly advocating revolution or
the MASSES against the government and
was alleged to have said in speeches
that banks should be blown open -
get money TO finance the revolution and
armori"s should be ritled for ammunl-
ton"
Several n"w~pap"rm"n who reported
speeches made by Lloyd were among
the witnesses against the millionaire
and his associates. and Mayor Ole Han
son of Seattle. also testified. Masses OF
documents issued by the third internS-
tiona!e 1T Moscow. tn" !. w. W.. and
similar organizations were introduced
AS evidence.
Tho defendants chief defense will be
that they were exercising the right OF
free speech" when making the various
alleged ScditiouS statements and thai
they. had In no way violated their rights
~ citizens OF 4 free republic.