The Chicago Martyrs by John P. Altgeld

II"
ADDRESS OF ALBERT R. PARSONS.
ADDRESS OF ALBERT R. PARSONS.
93
011(:(\ l lhe plan of action agreed upon by the armed group on Monday night
and on Sunday that it was to be carried out in case the police sDould interfere
with your ri!!:ht of free speech and free assemblage?" "If the police should
attack us, yea." ,
That this plan was to be followed only when the police would-I believe
Captain Black asked this question-" would by brutal force interfere with
your right of free assemblage and free speech?"
A. "It was said that we would use or resort to this plan or the execution
of it whenever the police should attack us."
Now, listen to that, your honor. Up here, you understand, in one part of
this testimony it is said we got ready to attack the police, and down here on
the cross-examination it shows that the witness himself meant that we should
defend ourselves-not attack the police. It was an absurdity-perfectly
absurd-to talk about a handful of men attacking the authorities of this city.
What, if they !!:ot the city of Chicago, wouldn't it be a white elephant?
'What, in the name of common sense, could they do with it?' It reminds me
of some people who are afraid that if the world should be made free and the
workingmen should come into their liberty that they would steal the world
nd run off with it. What would they do with it if they did? It is 'an absurd
proposition. Now, the statement of these men under cross-examination shows
what their intention was, and they used the word" defense," whereas, in the
direct examination, and by the translation of the district attorney, they are
made in English to use the word" attack" :
Q. "You say that nothing was said at the Monday night meeting with
reference to any action to be taken by you at the Haymarket? "
A. " We said we would do nothing there; we were not to do anything at
the Haymarket."
Q. ., Was it not the plan that you should not be there at all?"
A. "Yes, sir."
These are the State's witnesses upon:which they propose to show and
prove a conspiracy against us, your honor.
Q. "And you also say that you did not anticipate that the policemen
would come to the Haymarket?"
A. "No, we did not think the police would come to th~ Haymarket."
Q. "For this reason no preparations were made for meeting any police
attack on the Haymarket square?"
A. "Not by them."
Q. "Was it not the sole purpose of the meeting at the Haymarket to
protest against the action of the police in the shooting of the workingmen at
McCormick's factory?"
. A. "Yes, sir."
This was the testimony of the State's witness, Waller.
Mr. Schroeder, another witness upon whom the State rested to prove
there was a concerted plot to entrap and destroy the police, swore: "Lingg
was not present.. We talked about the condition of the workingmen, and the
remark was made that the members of the northwestern group should go to
Wicker Park in case the police should make an attack on them "-you understand,
your honor, police can make attacks. Judge McAllister says they call
make unlawful and unconstitutional attacks. Now, shall it be held by you
that the police, like the kings of old, can do no wrong, because forsooth, there
happens to be here upon this trial eight poor men, eight workingmen, eight
men without money or friends? Are we to be offered up and immolated as a
sacrifice upon the altar of Mammon to satisfy the vindictiv.e hatred and greed
of the monopolists of this city? For that is the sum total of what it amounts
to, your honor.
I
Q. "How should they defend themselves?
dynamite?"
Was anything said about
,
A. "No; as well as anyone could, if anyone had anything with him."
Q. "How long were you at Greif's Hall on that Monday night previous
to the Haymarket meeting?" (This is Schroeder.)
A. "Three-quarters of an hour."
Q, "What was discussed there?"
A. "If the police made an attack upon the workmen"-now, your honor,
keep this in mind: the prosecution has tried to make out that there was a
meeting held; that there was a conspiracy entered into, and that it was
resolved upon to atack the police. Their own witnesses here, their. own testimony,
shows that there was nothing of the kind intended-" if the police
made an attack upon the workmen they would help the workmen to help
themselves.",
•
Q. "'Was anything said about bombs?"
A. "'No."
Q. "At any of the meetings? "
A. "No; not while I was present."
Q. "Well, while you were present at the Monday night meeting they
talked about ho~Y they would help the workmen defend themselves?"
A .•~\" Yes, sir."
Q. "And nothing was said about throwing bombs on Monday night, or,
at any other time? "
A. "No."
Q.
ing?"
"Was it net talked about throwing bombs at the Haymarket meet­
A. "No; not while I was there."
Q. "Then it was talked about throwing dynamite to destroy the police
t the next meeting at the Haymarket? "
A. "There was nothing said about it while I was there."
Q. "You went to the Haymarket meeting?"
A. "Yes, sir; I was in a saloon when the bomb exploded."
Q. "Did you go there with any dynamite in your pocket?"
A. "I don't know what dynamite is; don't know dynamite."
Q,. " Did you know there would be trouble at that meeting? "
A. "Well, I know that much, that when the police should attack the
'lJl'klngmen that each one should help themselves as best they could."
(~, "A I,
I" IU\llll\)lo'!"
tll(l tilDe you left the meeting, the meeting. was' quiet and.
A... Y(IH."
Alld tIll 1M UIO t stimony, your honor, which was relied upon to prove a
(ItlllIl' filly un Illy J)tll't, Now, I did not belong 'to this meeting; I did not