Untitled

THE OLDEST ANARCHISM 289
trouble themselves just to keep their jobs a-going
get a chance to swipe stuff off the wagons.
"It was the same way down at Philadelphia
and to
on the
street car strike. Those strike-breakers used to get a
car out somewhere in the suburbs and then get off and
smash up the windows, tip the car over, and put up an
awful holler about being attacked by strikers, just so
they'd have to be kept on the job." (13)
Thus we see that some American "detective" agencies
have many and varied trades. But they not only sup-
1 )ly strike-breakers, perjurers, spies, and even assassins,
they have also been successful in making an utter farce
of trial by jury. It appears that even some of the best
known American detectives are not above the packing
of a jury. At least, such was the startling charge made
by Attorney-General George W. Wickersham, May 10,
to President Taft Mr. Wickersham
1912. In the report
accused the head of one of the chief detective agencies
of the country of fixing a jury in California. The agents
of this detective, with the cooperation of the clerk of the
court, investigated the names of proposed jurors. In
order to be sure of getting a jury that would convict,
the record of each individual was carefully gone into
and a report handed to the prosecuting attorneys. Some
of the comments on the jurors follow : "Convictor
from the word go." "Socialist. Anti-Mitchell." "Convictor
from the word go; just read the indictment. Populist."
"Think he is a Populist. If so, convictor. Good,
reliable man." "Convictor. Democrat. Hates Hermann."
"Hidebound Democrat. Not apt to see any good
in a Republican." "Would be apt to be for conviction."
"He is apt to wish Mitchell hung. Think he would be
a fair juror." "Would be likely to convict any Republican
politician." "Convictor." "Would convict Christ."