Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1 Examination by Mr. Foster and Mr. Grinnell. Accepted as a juror along with three other unnamed jurors (Cole, Randall, Denker) in the case of Illinois vs. August Spies et al.
Examination of C. B. Todd, 1886 June 25.
Volume B, 277-285, 9 p.
Todd, C. B.
Clothing salesman for Putnam Clothing House.
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[Image, Volume B, Page 277]
Friday, June 25, 1886.
C. B. TODD.
having been duly sworn to answer questions touching his qualifications as a juror, deposed and testified as follows:
Mr. FOSTER: What is your name?
A. C. B. Todd.
Q. Where do you live, Mr. Todd?
A. 1013 West Polk.
Q. What is your business?
A. Clothing salesman.
Q. Who for?
A. The Putnam Clothing House.
Q. How long have you lived in Chicago?
A. Nearly four years; four years and over---four years.
Q. Did you read accounts publishod in the papers of the Haymarket meeting?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Had conversations in regard to it?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Have you formed an opinion upon the question of the defendants' innocence or guilt, or any of them?
A. Well, perhaps I have.
Q. Well, we don't want exactly a guess about it.
THE COURT: Do you remember about it?
A. As much as I would of any other past event being published in the papers.
MR. FOSTER: Well, do you make up your mind as to the truth of a matter because you read it in the paper?
A. No sir.
Q. Taking all the sources of information that have been open to you, can you say now that you have no opinion
upon the question of the guilt or the innocence of these defendants of the crime charged in the indictment for murder?
A. Yes; I have an opinion.
Q. You have an opinion?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is that a firm opinion?
A. No sir.
Q. Is it anything that would require circumstances to overcome before you would be unbiased?
A. No sir.
Q. Could you listen to the testimony and be governed and guided solely by the evidence and the charge of the court irrespective of any opinion which you have formed?
A. Yes sir.
Q. On that subject?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Your mind is clear to act upon the testimony?
A. Yes sir.
Q. How long have you lived in Chicago?
A. Four years.
Q. Where did you live before coming hore?
A. Minnesota.
Q. What part of Minnesota?
A. Southern part of Minnesota.
Q. How long did you live in Minnesota?
A. Sixteen years.
Q. What was your business there?
A. Merchant.
Q. Carrying on business for yourself?
A. Yes sir.
Q. You have not been in business for yourself since you have been in Chicago?
A. No sir.
Q. Are you a man of family?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Your family reside at the number given?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is this a wholesale or retail store?
A. Retail.
Q. Where is the location of it?
A. Corner of Madison & Clark.
Q. What store did you say?
A. Putnam Clothing.
Q. Do you know anything about the teachings of the class known as socialists; communists or anarchists?
A. Nothing more than I have read in the papers.
Q. That is, recently read?
A. No, at different times.
Q. From what knowledge you have of this class of people I will ask you if you have any prejudice against them as a class?
A. No sir.
Q. You have no prejudice as a class?
A. Perhaps I might modify that just to this extent---as advanced thinkers, but no prejudice. I think of them as advanced thinkers, but no prejudice.
Q. Have you any church affiliations?
A. Yes sir.
Q. What church do you attend?
A. Baptist.
Q. Member of that church?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Have been for years?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Are you acquainted with any members of the police force of this city?
A. I have a passing acquaintance I think with two.
Q. Have you had any conversation with either one of thouse gentlemen in regard to the Haymarket meeting?
A. No sir
Q. Or in regard to this case since the Haymarket?
A. No sir. I don't think I have seen them since the case came up.
Q. Have you had a conversation with any one that represented to you that they were at the Haymarket meeting?
A. No sir.
Q. Or with any one that undertook to detail the facts that occurred there?
A. No sir.
Q. Is your knowledge of that meeting and of what has occurred since, gathered principally from reading, or from hearing communications?
A. Well, perhaps; I don't know one particular more than the other.
Q. How many employee are there in the store where you work?
A. There are about thirty of us.
Q. Was the matter very generally discussed? talked over there after this bomb throwing?
A. Yes; we talked about it.
Q. Opinions were expressed in your hearing?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Were they expressed by you?
A. I presume so, yes.
Q. And that opinion you say is not a decided one?
A. No sir.
Q. Are you conscious of any reason why you could
not determine this case purely, solely and entirely upon the evidence that is introduced upon the trial, and the charge of the court?
A I am not.
Q You would say then that there is no existing cause, no prejudice, no basis, or nothing which would prevent your acting solely upon the sworn testimony?
A No sir, I could not say; I could not say that there was.
Q Did you enlist from Minnesota?
A Nor sir, New York.
Q Were you living in New York at the time?
A Yes sir.
Q Then after you became a man you removed from Minnesota to New York?
A At the close of the war I removed from Minnesota.
Q From Minnesota?
A At the close of the war I removed from New York to Minnesota.
Q That is, you were raised in New York?
A Yes sir.
Q Born there?
A Yes sir.
Q Have you any prejudice against trades or unions or labor unions?
A No sir.
Q Or the organization of any class for their own protection and advancement?
A No sir.
Q And assistance?
A Not any.
Q Are you a member of any such association or organization?
A No sir.
Q What regiment were you in?
A Sixth New York
Q Is that infantry?
A Heavy artillery.
Q Sixth battery, do you mean? You do not call artillery a regiment do you?
A We carried our cannons on our backs. We were infantry service.
MR. BLACK: That was during the war, Mr. Todd?
A Yes sir.
Q How long were you in the service?
A I enlisted in 1864, in January.
Q You enlisted at that time?
A Yes sir.
Q Serving through until the end of the war?
A Served until the close of the war.
MR. FOSTER: In January, 1864. What service was that? Was that a three years' enlistment?
A Yes sir.
MR. BLACK: Three years or during the war? It was after the first three years regiments begun to run out, or about the time it run out.
MR. FOSTER: No. It run out a good ways before that.
MR. BLACK: You were mustered out then in the summer of 1865?
A I was in the service about a year and nine months as near as I can recollect.
MR. FOSTER: What is your age?
A I am forty seven.
Q Did you have any rank?
A No sir.
Q You are not a member of the militia of this State?
A. No.
Q Mr. Todd, did you ever have any trouble with strikes?
A No sir.
Mr. Todd is accepted as a juror by the defense.
MR. GRINNELL: Mr. Todd, where in New York were you born?
A----------
Q Have you any conscientious scruples against the infliction of the death penalty in proper cases?
A No sir.
Q Do you know any of these defendants?
A No sir.
Q Have you ever seen them before to your knowledge?
A No sir.
Q Do you know any of the gentlemen on the other side---lawyers?
A No sir.
Q Do you know of any reason why you cannot try this case fairly and impartially from the proof presented to you here in court regardless of everything else?
A I do not.
Q And determine the innocence or guilt of the defendants upon the proof presented to you here in court?
A No sir.
Q You live at 1015 West Lake?
A West Polk.
Q You are a salesman at Putnam's?
A Yes sir.
Q You have lived here four years?
A Yes sir.
Q What church associations have you?
A Baptist church.
Q Are you a member of any socialistic or communistic or anarchistic organizations?
A I am a member of the Grand Army, is the only organization but one to which I belong.
Q Are you a member of any labor organizations?
A No sir.
Q You have read of the Haymarket Square massacre, matter?
A Yes sir.
Q Read newspapers, read the most of it?
A Yes sir.
Q Talked about it to some extent?
A Yes sir.
Q Like everybody that reads have formed some opinion?
Q Yes sir.
Q You were a merchant in Minnesota before you came to Putnam's?
A Yes sir.
Q Been with Putnam ever since you have been in Chicago?
A Yes sir.
Q What town in Minnesota were you engaged in business?
A First in Winona, Wisconsin, and second in Marshall, Minnesota.
Q On the river?
A Winona. Marshall is further west in Minnesota.
Q Been there since the war, as I understand?
A Yes: I went there the next second year after the war.
Q Do you believe in the maintenance of the laws of the state and the government of the United States?
A Yes
sir.
Q Have you any sympathy with any individual or class of individuals who have for their purpose or object the overthrow of that law by force?
A No sir.
Q Regardless of the opinion that you have formed, that you have had, do you think you could determine the innocence or guilt of the defendants upon the proof presented to you here in court under the instructions of the court?
A I do not know of any reason why I could not.
Mr. Todd is accepted as a juror by the State, and with three other jurors, is sworn to try the case.