Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-22
FAMOUS TRIALS
ALEXANDER BERKMAN.


The wonderful success Of and the vast +
wealth accumulated by the Carnegie
Steel company has been the cause of
mulch enrnfty against that corporation by
labor, especially among the anarchist
element Of the country. This hatred de-
veloped to such an extent as to cause
several tragedies. The most nearly eff
fective attempt at assassination was d.
rected against Henry Clay Frfck, its
general manager, on July %, 1892. The
perpetrator of this outrage was Alexan-
der Berkmau, a New York anarchist. He
not only succeeded in firing two bullets
into the body of the steel nagnate, but
also in stabbing him twice
The Carnegie company'S Offices were
| located in the Chronicle Telegraph build
ing, and at the time Of the attempt upon
| the life of the general manager he was
! in his office on the fifth floor of the
| building. Berkman entered the building;
assembled the elevator, and as he got off
at the fifth floor he was stopped by
messenger who asked him his business.
| He. replied that he represented New
York employment agency. He was told
] that Mr.. Frick was on the second floor,
and Berkrnan descended He went direct
| to the managers private office, Where DE
| found Mr.. Frick at his desk. Without
| saying a word, he drew a revolver from
| his pocket and fired two shots. In the
struggle that followed occurred the stab
| bling.
| Clerks from the various Offices rushed
into the room, followed by two policemen.
who had been attracted by the revolver
shots. They seized the prisoner and led
him away to the police station, while Mr..
Tricks wounds were cared for by his
family physician, DR.. Lftchfeld, who, by
a singular coincidence was passing the
Office at the time of the attempt on his
life. Mr.. Prick was later removed to his
home in an ambulance.
1 Berkman was importuned after he had
been taken to the central police station
as to his reason for the deed. He said
that he had arrived in Pittsburgh on the
afternoon Of the 21st, his sole intention
being to kill Mr.. Frick He claimed
that he had no accompIices, but that he
had made un his mind that the deed had
to be done, and that he was chosen to do
| it
Berkman at the time of the attempted
assassination was 81 years Of age and
| had been in this country for five years.
In New York he was employed in the Of
fee of the Fricheit. an anarchist paper
conducted by Herr Most. The following
day Berkman was transferred from the
central station to the county jail. The
entire police and detective force of Pitts
burgh was at once set to work to ascer-
tain to what extent there might have
9 been a conspiracy, not only to murder
Mr. Prick, but other members of the
Carnegie corporation. and a number OF
| suspects were locked up.
l On July 20 Berkman was taken from
his cell to the private Office of Jail War
, den McAIleese. He was given hearing
on the six charges preferred against him
| IT lNria MI
sational features. Bail on all of the
charges was fixed at $4,000 and the an.
I archist-assassin was led back to his cell
: with a look of Indifference on his face
The trial of Berl1man took place OF
Sept. 10, less than two months after the
4 attempt on the life of Mr. Prick The
= prisoner maintained the same indiffer,
= ent demeanor which had characterized
his conduct since his arrest He had ne
attorney and did not cross examine wit.
: hesses. He had no witnesses for his de,
: Tense. District Attorney Burleigh pre-,
scented the various indictments, charging
I Berln1an with offenses ranging from fe
lonious assault and battery down to car
rying concealed weapons
o By the time of the trial Mr.. Frfck hat
s so far recovered that he was able to ap.
o pear, and he was the first witness called
! bimony, and then Mr. Le:shman. the vic,
6 president of the Carnegie company, wlt
. was in Mr.. Tricks Office at the time o.
= the attempt on his Fife, and whose pres
: ence no doubt saved HIM from being as
Il sassirated. related how he had over
: powered Berkman and held him unit as
sistance had arrived
After the witnesses for the prosecu
n ton had finished Berknan announced
t that he would like to say something il
e his own defense. He then began t.
: read irrelevant matter from a large rol
e. Of PAPER. The statement was an anar
9 chistic and explanatory address writer
- in German. Berllman continued his ha
rang from 11.45 to LOS o'clock, whel
the court shut him up. The district at
" torne" did not make an address, saying
n that argument was UNNECESSARY Judg
h McCIung made n brief charge and tn
e Jury reburped a. verdict Of guilty on al
h Indictments without leaving the box
= Judge MdClun@ pronounced sentence a
:, once. as5Tegating q years 20 the peHi
tertiary AMI one year 70 tlie Wortshouse
Bagpipes were the favorite instru
+ @e r.