THE TRIAL
The notorious trial, Illinois vs. August Spies et al., ran from June 21-August 11, 1886.
With an openly prejudiced judge and jury, the anarchists were denied the right to a fair trial.
With an openly prejudiced judge and jury, the anarchists were denied the right to a fair trial.
"I am managing this case, and know what I am about. These fellows are going to be hanged as certain as death. I am calling such men as the prosecution wants."
--- Bailiff Henry L. Ryce on his selection of the jury.
"...twelve carefully selected, bribed scoundrels, directed by the lowly servitors of the ruling monied classes, under pressure from the demonic, degenerate, motley rabble of outcasts of the press of the world..."
--- Leading anarchist Johann Most's remarks on the jury.
"Spies and his associates were convicted by a jury chosen in a manner so shamelessly illegal that it would be charity to suspect the judge of incompetency."
--- Henry George, social reformer, in the New York Standard, January 1887.
"...the jury which tried the case was a packed jury selected to convict.... the defendants were not proven to be guilty of the crime charged in the indictment.... the trial judge was either so prejudiced against the defendants, or else so determined to win the applause of a certain class in the community that he could not and did not grant a fair trial."
--- Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld in "Reasons for Pardoning Fielden, Neebe and Schwab."
"The Chicago Tribune even offered to pay money to the jury if it found the eight men guilty."
--- William J. Adelman, labor history scholar.
There was no evidence that the anarchists threw the bomb.
"On the night on which the first bomb in this country was thrown, I was in my apartments at home. I knew nothing of the conspiracy which the States Attorney pretends to have discovered."
--- The address in court made by George Engel, one of the accused anarchists.
"There was no evidence produced by the State to show or even indicate that I had any knowledge of the man who threw the bomb, or that I myself had anything to do with the throwing of the missile."
--- The address in court made by August Spies, one of the accused anarchists.
PBS takes a look at the unfairness of the Haymarket Trial
However, the prosecution argued to convict the eight because of their spreading of the idea of violence. Their argument clearly infringed on the right to free speech.
"Although perhaps none of these men personally threw the bomb, they each and all abetted, encouraged and advised the throwing of it and are therefore as guilty as the individual who in fact, threw it."
--- Prosecutor Julius S. Grinnell, the Illinois state attorney.