Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1. Direct examination by Mr. Grinnell. Testified on behalf of the Prosecution, People of the State of Illinois. People's Exhibits 60a (vol.I 504), 61a (vol.I 504), 63 (vol.I 503), 63a (vol.I 505), 64a (vol.I 504), 68 (vol.I 505) and 73 (vol.I 505) introduced into evidence. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): Most, Johann (vol.I 500), "Revenge" circular (vol.I 503), the Arbeiter-Zeitung (vol.I 500), People's Exhibit 60a (vol.I 504), People's Exhibit 61a (vol.I 504), People's Exhibit 63 (vol.I 503), People's Exhibit 63a (vol.I 503), People's Exhibit 64a (vol.I 504).
Testimony of Eugene Seeger (first appearance), 1886 July 20.
Volume I, 500-505, 6 p.
Seeger, Eugene.
Translator.
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[Image, Volume I, Page 500]
EUGENE SEEGER,
a witness for the People, having been duly sworn was examined in chief by Mr. Grinnell, and testified as follows:
Q What is your name?
A Eugene Seeger.
Q You are a German, are you?
A I am.
Q Understand the German language?
A I do.
Q Will you look at that paper there (handing witness copy of the Arbeiter Zeitung) and tell me whether or not you have translated it?
A I have translated it.
Q Find it in that translation and point it out (handing witness a package of typewriter copy) ---first I show you now a paper, the 15th of March, 1886 (handing witness the Arbeiter Zeitung paper). Will you please translate that into English? (Indicating the paragraph marked "A.M.G.")
MR. SALOMON What is the Exhibit number?
WITNESS: It has "A.M.G." on it. Shall I read it in German first?
MR. GRINNELL: No, read English.
MR. SALOMON: We wish to object to this testimony.
Objection overruled; exception by defendants.
WITNESS: (Reading) " `Revolutionary Warfare' has arrived and is to be had through the Librarian, 107 Fifth Avenue, at the price of ten cents." Above advertisement contained in Arbeiter Zeitung March 2, 15, 18 & 25, 1886.
MR GRINNELL: What is the whole of it?
A That is all, yes.
Q Is there any apparent address?
MR. BLACK: That is in the Arbeiter Zeitung of March 15?
MR. GRINNELL: In the editorial column.
MR. SALOMON: Well, that is not evidence. Let the witness testify.
MR. FOSTER: Let him tell what column that is.
MR. BLACK: Describe what heading it is, if it has any heading?
A From my experience as a newspaper man, I would call this the local column.
Q That is the column of local notices?
Q We call it editorial notices in the local column. I say that as a newspaper man.
MR. GRINNELL: That is as I understood the witness MR. Fricke to state.
Q How, you may refer to that paper again. Identify that one first. You need not read the translation. We just want to know if it is a correct and proper translation of the article that you refer to.
The witness is again handed the typewriter copy, purporting to be a translation of certain articles, together with an Arbeiter Zeitung paper, both of which he examines and compares.
A Yes sir. I see on the first page here an editorial "Blood has flowed." This appears in the Arbeiter Zeitung of May the 4th, which I hold in my hand here.
MR. SALOMON: We wish to interpose an objection here to all these articles and translations now sought to be introduced.
Objection overruled; exception by defendants.
WITNESS: The article is headed "Editorial." "Blood has flowed" ' is the first phrase of it. Well, that is all in this paper.
MR. GRINNELL: Look at the next article in this paper (handing witness another "Arbeiter Zeitung.")
A The 3rd of May. There is a local description on the fourth page of May the third, headed "A Hot Conflict."
Q Have you translated that?
A I did.
Q Is the translation there correct? (Referring to the typewriter copy)
A The translation there is correct.
Q From the German into the English?
A From the German into the English.
Q What is the next article there?
A It says here, May 4th, Local Column---there is a local account, or rather a local description of an occurrence here on the 4th of May, on the local page. It is headed, "Lead and Powder as a cure for Dissatisfied Workingmen."
Q What is the next that you have there?
A Then there is an article, May the first, local column.
Q That is in the order in which it comes?
A Just in the order in which it comes here.
Q Take this first (indicating an item in the typewriter copy)
A This is embodied in an article here. That is correct; May the first, headed "Bravely Forward."
(Translation of same introduced in evidence and marked People'S Ex. 63 A. contained in Vol. of Exhibits here to attached.)
Q What is the next thing which you have there?
A April the 30th, an article in the local columns of the Arbeiter Zeitung.
Q Have you got a translation of the German part of that? (Handing witness the so-called "Revenge Circular")
(See P. 8, People's Ex. 63 in Vol. of Exhibits)
A This is embodied in one of the articles.
Q Where is it. Compare it now, compare it carefully.
A That is in the article before. I have to hunt back and forth.
Q Do you find it there?
A Yes sir, I have got it here.
Q I will ask you, Mr. Seeger, how many of these articles did you and Prof. Oleson, of the Chicago University, go over together?
A Well, all of those articles I have seen so far. That is, I want to say that each made a separate translation and compared notes. This is a correct translation of the circular; it is contained in an article here.
Q What page is that on, Mr. Seeger?
A It appears in page 15 (of the typewriter copy), of the article of May 4th; it is part of the article of May the 4th.
MR. BLACK: That is on page 15 of your translation?
A No, on page 15 of this type-written manuscript here.
MR. GRINNELL: Does it appear as part of an article in the Arbeiter Zeitung?
A It does, yes sir.
Q Incorporated into an article itself?
A Incorporated in the article itself.
Q Now, what about April 30th?
A Yes sir, that is the next one. April 30th, Arbeiter Zeitung, local page. This correct.
Q What is the next?
A May 4th; editorial notices----small editorial, notice. They are a correct translation of those editorials, little editorial notices of May 4th.
Q What do you say?
A They are correct---those translations, editorial notices of May 4th.
(Translation of above, marked People's Ex. 60 A and 61 A contained in Vol. of Exhibits here to attached)
Q Very well, what follows that?
A Then next May the 2nd from the "Fackel", the Sunday paper of the Arbeiter Zeitung, the local column. This is a correct translation of that article, May the 2nd. The next May 5th, a special notice in the "Vorbote", a weekly. That is also correct.
(Translation of same introduced in evidence marked People's Ex. 64 A. contained in Vol. of Exhibits here to attached)
Q That is all, is it?
A That is all.
Q This is a duplicate of the other (indicating a package of typewriter copy, and referring to the typewriter copy of translation about which the witness has testified)
A Yes sir.
MR. BLACK: Mr. Grinnell, I would suggest that we do not desire to cross-examine Mr. Seeger now, until we have an opportunity to go over these translations to see whether they are correct.
MR GRINNELL: That is satisfactory. In the mean time, I should like to have Mr. Furthmann read to the jury the translations that are in evidence. I shall have to recall Mr. Seeger about some other translations in the course of the examination.
THE COURT: Well, go on with your reading.
MR. FURTHMANN here read to the jury the translations of articles above testified to by the witness Seeger, as follows:
(Here insert).
(See People's Ex. 73, 68, & 63 contained in Vol. of Exhibits here to, attached.)
After which the defendants' counsel moved the Court to exclude all said translations from the evidence; which motion was overruled by the Court; to which ruling of the Court defendants' counsel then and there duly excepted.
Court then adjourned to meet at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, July 21, 1886.