The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-03
BOSTON TENSE AS
SACCO-VANzETTI
DOOM HOUR NEARS
international Strike S
and Meetings Continue

BOSTON, Aug. 2.-There was a
gasping atmosphere in Boston in the
last days before Gov. Fuller's de-
cision. With Nicola Sacco hunger
striking to the last, and his friends
demonstrating and appealing outside,
the famous case was dramatically
rushing to its climax.
Sacco and Vanzetti, arrested as two
unknown italian radicals in the red
hunting days of May, 1920, had be-
come internationally famous symbols
of American justice within II months.
And Boston, with the eyes of the
world upon it, was uneasily waiting
the outcome.
Labor Unanimous.
Never has the labor movement so
unanimously believed in the innocence
of frame-up victims. The conseva-
tive American Federation of Labor de-
nounced their conviction as 'ghast-
ly miscarriage of justice" and de-
manded a new trial at three national
conventions. Trade unions, socialist,
communist and I. W. w. organizations
continued to make an issue of the
case here in America; and abroad
there were strikes in South America;
immense demonstrations in Latin
Europe and appeals from the nation
al labor and radical organizations Of
Germany, England and other coun-
tries.
Supported by COmintern.
And though Sacco and Vanzetti, as
anarchists were out of line with the
Communist Party the Third Interna-
tional launched a campaign in their
behalf, as victims of class persecu-
ton
The Sacco-Vanzetti case really be-
gan three months before their arrest
when Palmer's Department of Justice
sent a certain stool-pigeon Ravarino
to get the names Of the Gallieni anar-
chist group in New England. Passing
as an extreme radical Ravarino hung
about the Boston printing office that
had put out the groups weekly organ
and got the names of Sacco and Van
zetti.
Tresca Exposes Spy.
Later in New York, until exposed by
Carlo Tresca, he caused the arrest Of
two other Gallieni anarchists, Salsedo
and Ella and noted down the fact that
Vanzetti had visited New York in Sal
sedo's interest. Sacco and Vanzetti
rere arrested May5 in Brbckton,
Ness. with a handful announcing a
Salsedo protest meeting on their pos
session.
Salsedo had been murdered; his
body pitching Il stories to death from
The window Of the Department of JUS
tice rooms at Is Park Row, N. Y.
Grilled as radicals for SO hours
Sacco and Vanzetti lied This con-
seriousness of fear Of death or deport-
alton (many Of their friends had beer
deported) was later interpreted by
District Atty. Katzmann and Judge
Thayer as consciousness of guilt"
Thafer Biased.
Apparently as an after-thought, &c
hours after their arrest, Sacco ane
Vanzetti were confronted with the
charge Of numbering a shoe company
paymaster and guard at South Brain
tree, April Is. They were convicted
by a prejudiced Judge and preju,
diced sheriff picked jury July IA
1921. Vanzetti had similarly beer
framed on an attempted hold-uI
charge and given ~ to Is years.
After the trial the brilliant investi.
cation work of Atty. Fred Moore, fl
nanced by the defense committee ant
other friends of the case, made amaz.
ing discoveries. Two state eye wit.
nesses confessed to perjury; a third
was shown to be e-time-serveC
criminal and to have testified under
fake name. Bullet experts and new
defense eye witnesses completed the
proof of the prisoners innocence.
But Judge Thayer denied all new
trial motions. Twice the state SUI
preme court rejected appeals. The last
appeal was based on the confession Of
Celestino Madeiros that he and the
Morelli gang committed the murder
So the case went to Governor Fuller
who finally appointed an advisory
commission of three-Pres. Lowell OF
Harvard; Pres. Stratton of Mass. In
stitute of Technology, and ex-Probatt
Judge Grant.