Haymarket Affair Digital Collection

Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1.
Testimony of Michael Hoffman, 1886 July 29.

Volume K, 581-585, 5 p.
Hoffman, Michael.
Officer, Chicago Police Department.

Direct examination by Mr. Ingham. Testified on behalf of the Prosecution, People of the State of Illinois.

Discovered thirteen bombs hidden at the intersection of Clyde and Clybourn in Chicago. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): items confiscated from the Arbeiter-Zeitung office or the defendants' homes (vol.K 581), discovery of bombs or explosives out of doors (vol.K 582), Lingg, Louis (vol.K 583).


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[Image, Volume K, Page 581]

Michael Hoffman, a witness called and sworn on behalf of the people was examined in chief by Mr. Ingham and testified as follows:

Q What is your name?

A Michael Hoffman.


[Image, Volume K, Page 582]

Q What is your business?

A Police officer.

Q What station

A Larrabee street.

Q How long have you been connected with that station?

A About four years.

Q Did you find any bombs?

A Yes.

Q How many?

A Nine round ones and four long ones-- thirteen in all.

Q Look at the round bombs which I now show you. Did you find those (showing witness two bombs)?

A Yes sir, I found this one and this.

Q where did you find them?

A I found them two at the corner of Clyde and Clybourne Avenue, near Odgen Grove under the sidewalk.

Q Did you find anything else there?

A I found another one there with that.

Q What kind on one?

A One just like it, but it was loaded. Them two was empty.

Q What did you do with the one loaded?

A I don't what Schaack did.

Q What did you do with it?

A I gave it to Capt. Schaack.

Q Who was with you at the time you found it?

A Gustav Lehman.

Q The man who was a witness in this case

A Yes sir.

Q You say you took those bombs afterwards and gave them to Capt. Schaack?

A Yes sir, I got two coils of fuse at the


[Image, Volume K, Page 583]

same time, and a can of dynamite and a box of caps.

Q Look at these two pieces of gas pipe I show you-- did you find those?

A Yes sir.

Q Where did you find them?

A 509 North Halsted street under a house.

Q At whose house?

A John Tihielen.

Q Was Thielen arrested?

A Yes sir.

Q Did you ever see him in the station?

A Yes sir.

Q Did you see him in the presence of Lingg"?

A Yes sir.

Q What else did you find there?

A Two cigar boxes full of dynamite, and two boxes of cartridges.

Defendants' counsel objected to witness stating what was found at Thielen's house.

Q Look at the fuse which I now show you. Is that the fuse you found there? (witness examines fuse)

A That is the fuse belonging to Lehman, Yes sir.

Q That was at Lehmans' place?

A Lehman's under the side walk.

Q Was that found with the bombs? that you got with Lehman?

A Yes sir.

Q What did you find at Theilens'?

A At Theilen's I found those two bombs you have just shown me.

Q Were they loaded?

A Yes sir; and two cigar boxes full of dynamite, one rifle, one revolver, and two boxes of cartridges.

Q Where did you find those things, what part of the house


[Image, Volume K, Page 584]

A The revolver and one box of cartridges was buried under the floor of the coal shed, and the bmobs, dynamite and rifle, and the other box of cartridges was buired under the house in the ground.

Q Did you find anything at Lehman's house?

A No sir, I found nothing at Lehman's house.

Q Did Lheman point out anything to you at any place besides these bombs-- any dynamite?

A Yes sir, one can of dynamite held about a gallon.

Q Where was that?

A That was at the corner of Clyde and Clybourne avenue, near Odgen Grove.

Q Where was it, on the ground sidewalk or where?

A That was put on the stone of the pavement. It has a side walk, and i the stone building of the wall, it was standing between the sidewalk on that stone, and the bombs were buried in the ground.

Q How much of that dynamite was there?

A I should judge about a gallon.

Q Look at the box of caps which I now show you. Did you find those any place?

A Yes sir.

Q Where did you find those?

A They were also where the dynamite was, on the stone.

Q That is, with the Lehman dynamite?

A Gustav Lehman Yes sir.

Q Did you take all those things to the station?

A Yes sir.

Q And turn them over to Capt. Schaack?

A Yes sir.


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Mr. INGHAM: Take the witness.

Defendants' counsel moved to exclude the testimony given by this witness. The motion was denied by the court. To which ruling of the court defendants' counnel then and there execpted.

Mr FOSTER: That is all


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