The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-31
LEGAL MURDER is
CHARGE OF SACCO,
VANzETTI LAWYER
Court Amazed at Story
Of Police Frame-Up

BOSTON, Mass, Jan. 30.-"Mur-
der ITSELF" is the term applied by Sac
co and Vanzetti's counsel, William
G. Thompson, to the activities of the
department of justice and the Massa-
chusetts district attorney. in their eff
forts to convict the two Italian work
crs whose case is now in the hands
Of the Massachusetts, Supreme Court
here.
During the hearing before the court
OH Judge Thayer's denial of new
trial for Sacco and Vanzetti. the
judges and throng Of distinguished
people in the court room, were
startled by the frank statement Of
Assistant District Attorney Dudley
p Ranney. that the stool-pigeon meth
eds that had been practiced in this
case, and the cooperation of the
United States aid local state police
authorities in suppressing evidence
was zone way of disposing Of radicals
they could not deport."
Justice Exposed
Ranney justified placing spy III
the cell next to Sacco and trying to
get some information that could be
used e send him to the electric chair.
The district attorney also justified
withholding parts of certain detec-
tives' reports which would have proved
the states star witnesses unrealiab' e
and would have presented information
helpful to Saceo and Vanzetti.
The hearing before the State Su-
preme Court lasted several days and
is the final attempt to gain a new
trial for Nicola Sacco and Bartole-
meo Vanbetti who have been living
in the shadow of the gallows for the
past five years. There have been
many other pleas for a new trial. as
more and more new evidence was I'M
Gather; and following the procuring
of affidavits concerning the activities
of the department of justice in this
case, Judge Thayer, who had pre-
sided at the trial of these workers
was again appealed to several months
ago for q new trial
Judge Hostile.
His violent prejudice in this case
has been evident from the very be-
ginning of the trial at which the men
were convicted, and it had been shown
during each hearing on the plea for
new trial. But it was not until his
most recent denial of trial, last
September, that certain prominent
citizens of Boston and one capitalist
newspaper became aware Of his OBJ
viously hostile attitude. His decision
was followed by wide spread denun-
citation of his action. and this has led
to an unusual interest in the appeal
just heard by the State Supreme
Court.
The hearing was concluded on Sat-
urday, and the fate of Sacoo and
Vanzetti rests in the hands of the
judges. 1t may be weeks or months
before they announce whether there
is or is not to be new trial granted.
If it is refused, the men will be SEN
fenced by Judge Thayer and there is
not the slightest doubt that he will
sentence them to death-as he has
been trying to do for so long.
Workers Prosecuted.
In closing his argument before the
court on Saturday. William G. Thomp-
son, counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti,
referring to the actions Of the police
authorities said:
IF this is supposed to be justice,
a far deal, we show very little trust
and confidence in our own govern
ment, and we go far toward justify
ing those who say it is sham and
ought to be abolished. If citizens Of
responsibility were in these mems
places, and anything had been done
to them such as was done to these
men at their trial, the court would be
quick to remedy. Do your honors be-
lieve that it is legitimate cooperation
for the department Of justice to send
two miserable aliens out of the word
by way of the electric chair when
they found they could not legally send
them out of the country?
THAT'S murder itself"