Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1. Direct examination by Mr. Foster. Cross-examination by Mr. Ingham. Testified on behalf of the Defense, Spies, August et al. Attended the Haymarket meeting and stood near the speakers' wagon. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): socialists and/or socialism (vol.L 311), Spies, August (vol.L 312), Fielden's speech at Haymarket (vol.L 315), time and place origination of the gunfire (vol.L 316), movement, position or tenor of the crowd (vol.L 316), medical care and wounds (vol.L 318), trajectory of the bomb (vol.L 324), weapons in the crowd (vol.L 319), learned about the Haymarket meeting by verbal notice (vol.L 322).
Testimony of Frank Raab, 1886 Aug. 3.
Volume L, 310-326, 17 p.
Raab, Frank.
Baker; Austrian immigrant.
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FRANK RAAB,
a witness called and sworn on behalf of the defendants, was examined in chief by Mr. Foster, and testified as follows:
Q What is your name?
A Frank Raab.
Q Where do you live?
A 137 North Wells Street.
Q What is your business?
A I am a baker by trade.
Q How long have you lived in this country?
A Two years and a half.
Q How long have you lived in Chicago?
A I am here three months now.
Q Where did you come from when you came to Chicago?
A From Cleveland.
Q Illinois?
A Cleveland, Ohio.
Q What business are you in here?
A Baker business.
Q What business were you in in Cleveland?
A Baker business.
Q Same business?
A Yes sir.
Q Do you remember the 4th of May, a meeting of the Haymarket?
A Yes sir.
Q Were you there?
A Yes sir.
Q How did you come to go there?
A Just wanted to go there to see what they were going too speak about.
Q Where did you board at that time?
A I boarded in Burke & Milan's restaurant on Clark Street.
Q You were walking over that way?
A Yes sir.
Q Where were you when you saw the meeting?
A I was right on the corner of Randolph.
Q Was that the first that you knew of the meeting?
A Yes sir.
Q You had not heard before that there was to be a meeting?
A Never.
Q Then you walked up there?
A I walked up there.
Q Are you a socialist?
A I am a socialist; I don't belong to no---
Q No organization, no society?
A No society.
Q You don't belong to any armed section?
A No sir.
Q Or to any society of socialists?
A No, I don't.
Q You walked over there about what time in the evening?
A About half past eight.
Q Did you see the wagon from which the speeches were made?
A Yes sir.
Q I will ask you whether or not you went up near the wagon
at any time?
A Yes sir, I was standing near the wagon.
Q Now, about where were you standing?
A Right in the corner, from the south side of the alley.
Q Do you know where a lamp post is on the south side of the alley close to the curb stone?
A Right on the left hand side.
Q You stood to the left hand side of the lamp post or the lamp, post left of you?
A The lamp post was left of me.
Q How near were you to the lamp post?
A About ten steps.
Q That would be thirty feet?
A Yes sir.
Q Were you south or north of the alley?
A South.
Q Did you listen to the speeches?
A I listened to them but could not understand.
Q You could not understand very much?
A No sir.
Q Are you acquainted with Mr. Spies?
A I ain't acquainted with him, I know him when I see him.
Q Have you any acquaintance with any of these eight defendants?
A Nobody.
Q Don't know any of them, but have had conversations, had talks with them?
A No sir.
Q Never talked with any of them?
A No sir.
Q How long have you known Spies?
A I have a man working with me in the same shop and was talking to him.
Q How long have you known him?
The Court: (Q) When did you first know Spies?
A When I come there to the meeting.
Mr. Foster: (Q) Had you ever seen him before?
A Never did.
Q Never saw him before that one meeting?
A Never did.
Q On the 4th of May?
A Never did.
Q That was the first time you ever saw Spies?
A Yes sir.
Q You heard him speak from the wagon?
A Yes.
Q Did you see him on the wagon after that time?
A I seen him after Mr. Parsons was speaking.
Q This man's name is Parsons--that is the man you seen, Parsons?
A Yes sir.
Q And next Mr. Fielden?
A Yes sir.
Q You heard him speak also?
A Yes sir.
Q At the time Fielden was speaking--which spoke last?
A Fielden.
Q At the time Mr. Fielden was speaking, was Mr. Spies on the wagon, do you know?
A I couldn't not tell if he was in the wagon or not.
Q Were there others on the wagon besides Mr. Fielden?
A Mr. Parsons wasn't there either, when Mr. Fielden was speaking.
Q When Fielden was speaking you didn't see Parsons on the wagon?
A No sir, I didn't.
Q Was there anybody on the wagon?
A There was about three or four on the wagon--I didn't know anybody.
Q Three or four there?
A Yes sir.
Q Were you there, standing near to the lamp post on the south side, when the police came up?
A I was standing right on the corner, was standing right along there--didn't move.
Q Were you in the alley?
A No, right in the corner, not in the alley.
Q Here was the lamp post (indicating)? I want you to explain---did you ever see this map before?
A No, I did not.
Q Here is Randolph Street along here?
A Yes sir.
Q That is what they call the haymarket, where it is wide?
A Yes sir.
Q Here is a little alley called Crane's alley?
A Yes sir.
Q Right close to that, is that where the wagon stood, a little north of this alley?
A Yes sir.
Q Where would the lamp post be?
A Right on this side of the corner.
Q North or south?
A Right to the south.
Q If this little line is the sidewalk along here, where would the lamp be?
A The lamp would be right near the street.
Q Well, now here?
A No, more out further, right there, a little down more (indicating).
Q Something like that?
A Yes sir.
Q Where would you be standing then?
A Would be standing right near that wide step, right over the corner of the house.
Q Over here?
A Yes sir.
Q Over here, near to the house, close up to the house?
A Yes sir.
Q You say you were there when the police came?
A Yes sir.
Q You saw them?
A Yes sir.
Q What did you do?
A I was looking at the police.
Q What did the crowd do when the police came there?
A Everybody was looking at it.
Q What happened there?
A The time that Mr. Fielden was speaking, the last word he said---"I just want to speak a few words, yet, because it is going to begin to rain, so everyone wanted to be home when it began to rain"--- He just spoke a few words, and after that I left from there when the police came up I was standing there a little more further against the lamp post.
Q Let me understand you--as the police came up, and he said this, and the police came up, you went nearer the lamp post?
A Yes sir, and somebody walked up to the wagon and spoke to Mr. Fielden.
Q Did you remember what they said?
A? No, I didn't.
Q Did you hear his answer?
A I couldn't say.
Q You could not say you heard his answer?
A No sir.
Q After that what was the next thing that happened?
A The next thing that happened was the explosion of the bomb.
Q You heard that?
A Yes sir.
Q Had you heard any pistol shots before that?
A Right after the bomb, began the pistol shots.
Q Before the bomb did you hear any pistol shots?
A No, I didn't.
Q Now, at the time the bomb exploded, do you know where Mr. Fielden was?
A At that time I saw him. He was in the wagon; yet I couldn't tell- I didn't look around any more, when the bomb exploded.
Q When the bomb in fact exploded you didn't look after the wagon?
A No sir.
Q You don't know whether he was in the wagon or not when the bomb exploded?
A No.
Q How many persons were around when you stood back by the building at the south side of the alley? How many people were around about the mouth of the alley?
A Pretty close together; they were standing on the front.
Q Did you see any fire go through the air from the mouth of the alley?
A I didn't.
Q You didn't see that?
A No sir.
Q Did you see Mr. Spies go into the alley or out of the alley?
A No, I didn't.
Q You didn't see the fire as it went through the air?
A No, I didn't.
Q You were standing close to the building?
A Close to the building right in the corner.
Q South of the alley?
A South of the alley.
Q Were you looking towards the wagon?
A Was looking right straight over after the police came.
Q After the police came you were looking straight?
A Yes sir.
Q You saw no fire pass in front of your face?
A No sir.
Q Did you go away after the shooting began?
A Yes sir, ran right down to Randolph Street.
Q Which way?
A On the south and east.
Q You run south?
A Run south and turned the corner east.
Q You run south on Desplaines Street to Randolph and then turned east on Randolph?
A Yes sir.
Q Now, at the time, before you started to run from where the shooting was going on, did you see anybody from the audience, from the crowd, shoot towards the police?
A I did not.
Q At the time you were running down there with the crowd,
did you see any one ahead of you fire towards the police?
A No, I didn't; everybody was running, didn't look at all, and nobody did look at all, everybody was running.
Q How thick was the crowd running down with you?
A Quite lots.
Q Anybody falling down?
A Lots---I jumped over three or four of them--one man before me and one behind me, and I sort of caught my foot and fell down into the basement.
Q That is after you turned around the corner?
A Yes, a man fell before me and I jumped over him, and another man fell behind me, and I got kind of my foot and fell into the basement.
Q You fell from the steps into the basement?
A Yes sir.
Q Did you stay down in the basement until the shooting was over?
A I stayed two or three minutes. After I went out again they began to shoot again, not very much, just a few shots.
Q Which way did you go after you got out of the basement?
A I went across the street, right across the street from the haymarket, on the right hand side--there is a saloon on the corner, and there was a man was shot right through his hand, and up here---that is what I seen, and after that I went home.
Q Was he a policeman?
A No, he was a citizen.
Q Now, all the time, from the time that the first pistol
was shot until you got home, did you see anybody shoot except a policeman?
A No sir, I did not.
Q During the evening you were there, did you see any one have a revolver in his hand?
A No, I did not.
Q You saw no one exhibit a revolver?
A No, I did not.
Cross Examination by
Mr. Ingham.
Q What is your first name?
A Frank Raab.
Q What is your business?
A Baker.
Q Where do you work?
A The last time I worked for Burke & Milan's, about two weeks ago.
Q Are you working any place now?
A No sir.
Q How long did you work for them?
A Worked there exactly two months.
Q How long have you been in the city?
A I am in the city three months.
Q Three months now?
A Yes sir.
Q Where did you come here, what month?
A I came here the 1st of May.
Q The first day of May?
A Yes sir.
Q Do you remember what day of the week it was?
A It was Saturday.
Q Saturday, the 1st day of the month?
A Yes sir.
Q Did you go to work for Burke & Milan?
A No sir, went on the second day.
Q On the second day you went to work for them?
A Yes sir.
Q Where did you live before you came here?
A Before I came here I didn't live at all here--I went there and he gave me work right away.
Q Where did you live before you came to Chicago?
A Cleveland.
Q How long had you lived in Cleveland?
A Eighteen months.
Q What did you do there?
A Baking.
Q All the time?
A Yes sir.
Q How long have you lived in America?
A Twenty-two years.
Q Where did you learn to be a socialist?
A Here in America.
Q In Cleveland?
A Yes sir.
Q How long have you been a socialist?
A I ain't a regular socialist. I don't belong to any society.
Q How long have you been a socialist in your belief?
A Since I have been in this country.
Q Were you a socialist while you were in Germany?
A No, I come from Austria. I didn't come from Germany.
Q Were you a socialist while you were in Austria?
A No sir.
Q You became one after coming here?
A Yes sir.
Q Who did you learn socialism from--whose books did you read?
A One man was working for me in the same place, and he got the books.
Q What books?
A I can't say it in English.
Q Do you know the names of the books?
A I don't know.
Q Tell in German the name of the books.
(The witness here spoke in German.)
Q Give in German the name of the book you read on socialism.
(The interpreter interpreted to the witness this last question.)
A I know very little about socialism. I don't belong to any socialistic society. If I see the book I can show it to you.
Q Did you ever read any socialistic papers?
A No, I did not.
Q Did you ever read the Arbeiter Zeitung?
A No, I did not.
Q Did you ever see it?
A No sir.
Q Never in your life?
A No sir.
Q What was the name of this man?
A His name was Alfred Jaeger.
Q Is he the man that you talked with about socialism?
A Yes sir.
Q Does he work with you?
A Yes sir.
Q The same place?
A Yes sir.
Q Working there now?
A Yes sir.
Q When you went to the meeting, how did you go, cars or foot?
A On foot.
Q Who were with you?
A Our foreman.
Q What is his name?
A Jake Riddle.
Q Did you know there was going to be a meeting there?
A I didn't know; he told me about it.
Q You walked over with him?
A Yes sir.
Q When you got there where did you go first?
A We were walking around on Desplaines Street, and after somebody said "There is Mr. Spies, going to speak". Mr. Spies was speaking already when we went.
Q Where did you stand while Spies was speaking?
A Right in the corner of the alley.
Q Close to the sidewalk or close to the building?
A Close to the building.
Q How long did you stand there without moving?
A I stand so long as the meeting was there.
Q Didn't you move from there until the meeting closed?
A No sir.
Q How long did the meeting last?
A From half past eight to ten.
Q During that time you stood in the same place?
A Yes,
sir.
Q Where were you standing when the bomb was thrown?
A On the corner of the alley.
Q Which corner?
A On the south corner.
Q On the east or west side of the sidewalk?
A On the south side.
Q On the east or west side of the sidewalk, nearest the street or nearest the building?
A Near to the building.
Q Did you stand near the lamp post at all?
A No, I did not.
Q Did you see anybody standing at the lamp post?
A Somebody was standing there.
Q How many were standing there?
A I couldn't tell how many.
Q Was there anybody standing in the alley?
A Somebody was walking around there.
Q How many were walking around there?
A About a dozen or so.
Q What became of the man who went with you to the meeting?
A He say, you want to go there and see what they are going to speak about.
Q Did he stand with you?
A Yes sir.
Q You two stood together?
A Both together.
Q Didn't move from that spot?
A Didn't move.
Q You stood in the same spot from the time Spies was
speaking until the meeting closed?
A Yes sir.
Q You didn't move when the police came up?
A When the police came I went a little further, more against the street.
Q What did you go that way for?
A Was looking at them.
Q Did you step out to get a look at them?
A Yes sir.
Q Did you step out where you could see them?
A Yes sir.
Q Were not there lots of people standing between you and the people on the sidewalk?
A Yes sir.
Q How many?
A I couldn't say how many.
Q How close did you get to the police?
A Not very close.
Q About how close?
A About three or four steps up to the street yet.
Q Three or four steps from the street?
A Yes sir.
Q Were you standing there when the bomb went off?
A Yes sir.
Q Were you looking at the police at that time?
A When the bomb went off I run away.
Q When the bomb was thrown at that time were you looking at the police?
A Yes sir.
Q Did you see where the bomb alighted?
A No sir.
Q Did you see it explode?
A I saw it explode.
Q Where was the bomb in the street?
A The bomb was in the center of the street.
Q How far from you?
A About fifteen steps off from me.
Q Was it north or south from you?
A It was right straight across from me.
Q Straight across west from you?
A Yes sir.
Q What became of the police when the bomb exploded?
A When the bomb exploded the police turned and shot.
Q Did anybody else shoot?
A I did not see anybody.
Q What became of you?
A I run south and east.
Q Anybody ahead of you and near you run?
A Naturally.
Q Anybody behind you?
A Yes sir; lots of them fell down, and I jumped over them.
Q How close were they crowded together?
A About a step and a half wide.
Q You had been in the city just two days when you went to this meeting?
A I didn't say I was two days in this city. I came here the first of May, and the 4th of May was the meeting.
Q You had been here three days then?
A Yes sir.
Q When did you first tell anybody about your being there?
A Where?
Q At the meeting?
A I didn't say nothing to anybody.
Q You did not?
A No sir.
Q Didn't you ever tell anybody you were there?
A No sir.
Q Not a soul--not a single person?
A That I was there?
Q Yes sir--who did you tell that you had been at the hay-market meeting?
A Well the second baker that works with me.
Q What is his name?
A His name is Robert Jaeger.
Q When did you tell Jaeger about what you saw at the meeting?
A Right when we come home.
Q Was Jaeger there with you?
A No sir.