Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1 Direct examination by Mr. Salomon. Cross-examination by Mr. Ingham. Testified on behalf of the Defense, Spies, August et al. Attended the Haymarket meeting and was shot in the leg by the police. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): medical care and wounds (vol.L 519), actions of police during the Haymarket meeting (vol.L 519), movement, position or tenor of the crowd (vol.L 520), Fielden's response to the police advance at Haymarket (vol.L 520), trajectory of the bomb (vol.L 520), time and place origination of the gunfire (vol.L 522), weapons in the crowd (vol.L 522), learned about the Haymarket meeting by chancing to walk past (vol.L 524).
Testimony of George Koehler, 1886 Aug. 4.
Volume L, 517-526, 10 p.
Koehler, George.
Laborer.
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[Image, Volume L, Page 517]
GEORGE KOEHLER,
A WITNESS CALLED AND SWORN ON BEHALF OF THE DEFENDANTS, WAS EXAMINED IN CHIEF BY MR. SALOMON, AND TESTIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
Q WHAT IS YOU NAME?
A GEORGE KOEHLER.
Q WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
A 188 TWENTY FIFTH STREET.
Q HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED THERE?
A LIVED THERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
Q HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO?
A IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, I HAVE BEEN HERE IN THIS CITY OF CHICAGO THIRTEEN YEARS.
Q WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS?
A LABORER.
Q FOR WHOM DO YOU WORK?
A I WAS WORKING FOR MAHL & SHOEPLER.
Q HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED THERE?
A WORKED FOR SEVEN YEARS.
Q ARE YOU WORKING FOR THEM NOW?
A NO SIR.
Q WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR NOW?
A MR. KOCH.
Q WHERE WERE YOU ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 4TH?
A I WAS ON THE HAYMARKET.
Q WHAT TIME DID YOU ARRIVE AT THE HAYMARKET, WHAT TIME WAS IT?
A IT WAS ABOUT AFTER EIGHT.
Q WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU GOT THERE?
A I HAD SOME KIND OF BUSINESS DOWN THERE.
Q WHERE DID YOU GO TO.
A I HAD SOME BUSINESS, AND THEN I WENT DOWN THERE.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANY SPEAKING THERE?
A YES SIR.
Q WHERE AND BY WHOM WAS THE SPEAKING DONE?
A MR. PARSONS.
Q DO YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE MEN HERE AS HAVING SPOKEN?
A NO, I DON'T KNOW THEM --- I HEARD THEM SPEAK.
Q DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS MAN?
MR. GRINNELL: LET HIM PICK OUT THE MAN.
THE WITNESS: I COULDN'T SAY SO, BECAUSE IT WAS DARK---I HEARD THEM SPEAK.
MR. SALOMON: Q WHERE DID YOU STAND.
A I WAS STANDING ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALK.
Q ON WHAT CORNER OF THE STREET WITH REFERENCE TO NORTHEAST, SOUTH OR WEST?
A ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER, THERE I WAS STANDING THE LAST.
Q HOW LONG WERE YOU STANDING THERE----THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF WHAT STREET?
A RANDOLPH AND DESPLAINES.
Q HOW LONG WERE YOU STANDING THERE?
A WELL, I WAS STANDING THERE A GOOD WHILE, BECAUSE I HEARD THE MEN TALK, AND THEN I WAS LISTENING TO THEM.
Q WHEN DID YOU LEAVE THAT CORNER?
A I LEFT THE CORNER WELL,
AFTER IT WAS TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT.
Q WHAT TOOK PLACE THERE---DID ANYTHING HAPPEN?
A YES SIR.
Q WHAT WAS IT?
A I GOT SHOT THROUGH MY LEG.
Q BY WHOM?
A BY THE POLICE. I WAS LAYING ON THE SIDEWALK.
Q DID THE POLICE COME UP TO WHERE YOU WERE?
A I DIDN'T SEE THEM, NOT BEFORE THEY WERE CLOSE TO ME. THEN I MOVED RIGHT AWAY. I WAS STANDING CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALK, AND MOVED RIGHT UP INTO THE CORNER.
Q DID YOU WATCH THE POLICE AS THEY MARCHED?
A YES, I DID.
Q WHICH DIRECTION DID THEY GO?
A RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
Q THE LENGHT OR THE BREADTH OF THE STREET?
A YES SIR, JUST AS I DO.
Q DID THEY GO NORTH OR SOUTH?
A THEY WENT DOWN.
Q TOWARDS THE NORTH?
A YES SIR.
Q WHERE DID THEY STOP, IF AT ALL?
A I SEEN THEM STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS.
Q RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS?
A YES SIR.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING SAID?
A I HEARD A VOICE.
Q DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE VOICE SAID?
A IT MEANS "RIGHT."
Q COULD YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS SAID BY THAT VOICE?
A I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE I HEARD THAT WORD, AND I KNOW
HE SAID IT.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANY OTHER WORDS?
A NO SIR, NOTHING ELSE.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYBODY SAY "HERE COME THE BLOOD HOUNDS?"
A NO SIR.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYBODY SAY "YOU DO YOUR DUTY, AND I WILL DO "MINE?"
A I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.
Q DID YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THE AIR THE CAUSE OF EXPLOSION?
A YES, I SEEN THE PEOPLE WERE RUNNING BEFORE I SEE THAT---THERE WAS GREAT EXCITEMENT.
Q WHAT TOOK PLACE WHEN YOU SAW THAT AND JUST BEFORE---WHAT WAS THAT YOU SAW THAT CAUSED THE EXCITEMENT?
A THE PEOPLE WERE RUNNING. AND HEARD SUCH KIND OF CRACKING SOMETHING LIKE A BIG PILE OF LUMBER FELL DOWN, AND OF COURSE I STARTED TO RUN TOO, AND FELL DOWN RIGHT ON THE CORNER.
Q DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS MADE THIS CRACKING NOISE?
A NO, I COULDN'T SAY WHAT IT WAS EXACTLY.
Q DID YOU SEE WHERE IT COME FROM??
A YES SIR, I SEEN
Q WITH REFERENCE TO WHERE YOU STOOD ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER, WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
A IT COME RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
Q RIGHT FROM ACROSS THE STREET?
A YES SIR.
Q SUPPOSING A STRAIGHT LINE TO EXTEND FROM YOU ACROSS THE STREET?
A YES SIR.
Q HOW FAR UP WAS IT FROM THAT STRAIGHT LINE, DID IT COME FROM --
DID IT COME FROM THE NORTH OR SOUTH OF WHERE YOU STOOD?
A IT DID COME FROM THE EAST SIDE.
Q NORTH OR SOUTH OF YOU?
A IT JUST COME THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK, JUST STRAIGHT THERE.
Q FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK?
A YES.
Q NORTH OR SOUTH OF YOU?
A IT DID FLY RIGHT OVER AGAINST ME, NORTHWEST, SEEMED LIKE.
Q FROM THE NORTHEAST SIDEWALK--- IS THAT WHERE YOU MEAN IT CAME FROM?
A IT DID COME FROM THE EAST SIDEWALK, NORTHEAST SIDEWALK ---YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT IT, AND THEN IT COME OVER RIGHT TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
Q WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS CARRIED ON AT THE CORNER OPPOSITE FROM WHERE YOU STOOD?
A ON MY CORNER, THERE IS WHAT I THINK IS SOME KIND OF OLD STOVE WORKS.
Q WHAT BUSINESS ON THE OPPOSITE CORNER?
A THERE IS A SALOON THAT I SEEN.
Q IS THERE ANY DOOR LEADING INTO THAT SALOON FROM DESPLAINES STREET?
A YES SIR, THERE IS ONE.
Q NOW, WITH REFERENCE TO THAT DOOR, ABOUT HOW FAR NORTH WAS IT OR SOUTH?
THE COURT: HOW NEAR TO THE DOOR AND WHICH SIDE OF THE DOOR DID THE BOMB START FROM?
A WELL SIR, I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW IT STARTED, ONLY I SEEN IT THAT IT COME FROM NEAR DIRECT THE DOOR, AROUND THERE.
MR. SALOMON: Q WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW IT?
A YES SIR.
THE COURT: WHERE WAS IT WHEN YOU FIRST SAW IT?
MR. SALOMON: WHERE DID IT START FROM, IF YOU KNOW?
A I SEEN IT FLYING IN THE AIR.
Q GOING IN A NORTHWESTERN DIRECTION?
A YES SIR, THAT IS WHAT I THINK WHEN I SEEN THIS, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DID THE RUNNING, THEN I RUN TOO, AND I FELL DOWN.
Q WHAT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS LIGHT FELL TO THE GROUND---WAS THERE ANY SHOOTING BY ANYBODY?
A YES SIR.
Q WHO WAS IT THAT SHOT?
A THE POLICE.
Q DID YOU SEE ANY ONE BUT THE POLICE SHOOT?
A I DID NOT.
Q NO ONE ELSE?
A NO SIR.
Q DID YOU SEE ANYBODY WHERE YOU STOOD, OR IN THE IMMDIATE VICINITY, HAVE A REVOLVER, OR SPEAK OF A REVOLVER?
A NO SIR.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYBODY SPEAK OF A REVOLVER?
A NO SIR.
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYBODY SPEAK OF SHOOTING AT THE POLICE?
A NO SIR.
Q IN ANY WAY?
A NO SIR.
Q HOW WERE THOSE PEOPLE AROUND ABOUT WHERE YOU STOOD THERE AS TO BEING PEACEABLE AND QUIET OR OTHERWISE?
A YES SIR. THEY ALL WERE QUIET---I WOULD NOT STAY THERE IF IT WOULD NOT BE QUIET.
Q YOU SAY YOU WERE SHOT?
A YES.
Q WHERE DID YOU GO AFTER YOU WERE SHOT?
Q I WENT RIGHT DOWN THERE IN THE CORNER AFTER I GOT HIT, AND THEN WENT DOWN IN THE BASEMENT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT I DID NOT GET
ANY MORE, BECAUSE I HAVE NO MORE SO I WENT RIGHT DOWN IN THE BASEMENT.
Q WERE THERE ANY OTHERS SHOT IN THAT PLACE BESIDES YOURSELF THAT YOU KNOW OF?
A I DON'T KNOW ANY ONE. I DIDN'T HAVE NO FRIENDS.
Q NO ONE THAT YOU KNOW OF?
A NO SIR.
Q DID YOU SEE ANYBODY ELSE SHOT THERE?
A NO SIR, I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE.
Q DID YOU SEE ANYTHING ALONG SIDE OF THAT BUILDING WHERE YOU STOOD, STAIRS--DID YOU NOTICE THESE STAIRS ALONGSIDE OF THE BUILDING?
A YES, IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A STAIRS THERE--I DIDN.T TAKE NOTICE OF THEM.
Q HOW FAR FROM THEM DID YOU STAND?
A RIGHT ON THE CORNER, MAY BE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR FEET.
Q ON THE SIDEWALK OR ON THE STREET?
A THE FIRST THING I WAS STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK, AND THEN AS SOON AS THE POLICE CAME I MOVED RIGHT UP ON THE CORNER, AND I WAS STANDING THERE.
Q UP TO THE TIME THE POLICE COME, WHAT DIRECTION HAD YOU BEEN LOOKING?
A I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE SPEAKER.
Q WHERE WERE THE POLICE WHEN YOU FIRST SEEN THEM, OR KNEW THEY WERE COMING?
A I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POLICE COMING, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY WERE JUST AS CLOSE, THEY WENT LIKE A SHOT, LIKE ANYTHING---IT WAS TOO QUICK.
Q DID THEY WALK FAST?
A YES.
Q VERY FAST?
A YES.
Q YOU SAY THEY HALTED IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS STAND?
A YES SIR.
CROSS EXAMINATION BY
MR. INGHAM.
Q HOW DID YOU COME TO GO TO THAT MEETING?
A I HAD SOME BUSINESS DOWN TOWN.
Q WHERE WAS YOUR OFFICE?
A I WAS WORKING BEFORE BY KOCH, AND AFTERWARDS I GOT SICK.
Q WHERE WAS THE BUSINESS YOU HAD DOWN TOWN?
A TO THE UNION HOD-CARRIERS.
Q WHERE DID THEY MEET?
A THE FELLOWS TOLD ME MONDAY I SHOUD GO DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT AND HAVE A MEETING AT 73 LAKE STREET.
Q SO YOU STARTED TO THEIR MEETING?
A I DID WANT TO GO THERE.
Q HOW DID YOU COME TO GO TO THE HAYMARKET?
A I WENT DOWN ---A FELLOW TOLD ME IT WAS COMMENCING AND TO GO THERE, AND IF I WANTED TO ATTEND THE UNION HAD-CARRIERS, I COULD WORK ONE WEEK, AND THEN I GET A TICKET, AND THEN I CAN BE FREE.
Q HOW DID YOU COME TO GO TO THE HAYMARKET?
A I SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE THERE, AND THEN I WENT DOWN THERE.
Q YOU HAPPENED TO SEE PEOPLE?
A YES SIR.
Q YOU DIDN'T READ ABOUT IT?
A NO SIR.
Q YOU DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE ANY MEETING?
A NO SIR.
Q YOU STOOD THERE?
A YES SIR.
Q YOU WERE STANDING ON THE CORNER?
A YES, SIR.
Q WHERE DID THAT BOMB FALL?
A RIGHT ACROSS.
Q HOW FAR FROM YOU DID THAT HOME FALL?
A I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHERE IT FELL, ONLY WHEN I SEEN ALL THE PEOPLE RUN, I RUN MYSELF, AND FELL ON THE SIDEWALK.
Q DIDN'T YOU SEE IT BLOW UP?
A NO SIR.
Q JUST AS SOON AS YOU SAW IT FALL YOU TURNED AND RUN?
A AS SOON AS I SEE IT FLY IN THE AIR I TURNED AND RUN.
Q WHILE YOU SAW IT FLYING IN THE AIR YOU TURNED AND RUN?
A I TURNED AND WANTED TO RUN. THE PEOPLE WERE FALLING DOWN, AND EVERBODY WAS LAYING ON THE SIDEWALK.
Q WHAT DID YOU DO?
A NOTHING, I WAS LAYING THERE.
Q YOU FELL DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK?
A YES SIR.
Q WERE YOU SHOT AT THE TIME?
A I GOT SHOT ON THE SIDEWALK.
Q WAS THAT WHILE THE BOMB WAS IN THE AIR YOU WERE SHOT?
A NO SIR, I SAY WHEN I SEEN THAT FLYING, THEN I COMMENCED TO RUN, AND THEN WHEN I DID RUN, THEN I FELL DOWN RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN I GOT SHOT.
Q YOU GOT SHOT WHILE YOU WERE LYING ON THE GROUND?
A YES, SIR
Q THEN WHERE DID YOU GO?
A THEN I WENT RIGHT DOWN IN THE BASEMENT.
Q YOU SAW SOMETHING FLYING THROUGH THE AIR?
A YES SIR.
Q YOU STARTED TO RUN?
A YES SIR.
Q DID YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WAS IN THE AIR?
A I DIDN'T TAKE NOTICE.
Q AS SOON AS YOU SAW THAT IN THE AIR YOU STARTED TO RUN?
A NO SIR, I DIDN'T RUN FOR THE SAKE OF THAT, ONLY I SEEN IT. THE NEXT DAY I HEARD FROM MY DOCTOR THAT SUCH A THING HAD HAPPENED--THEN I DID KNOW.
Q YOU SAY AS SOON AS YOU SAW THAT IN THE AIR YOU TURNED AND RUN
A YES, BECAUSE EVERYBODY DID RUN.
Q DID YOU KNOW IT WAS A BOMB WHEN YOU SAW IT IN THE AIR?
A NO SIR.
Q SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE A FIRECARACKER?
A YES SIR.
Q THE MINUTE YOU SAW IT YOU TURNED AND RUN?
A YES SIR, BECAUSE EVERY BODY RUN.
MR. SALOMON: Q YOU SAY WHEN YOU SEEN IT IN THE AIR YOU DID RUN---DO YOU MEAN AFTER IT FELL OR BEFORE IT FELL YOU RUN?
A BEFORE IT FELL. I COULDN'T SAY WHERE IT FELL---I COULDN'T SAY THAT, ONLY I SEEN THE DIRECTION WHERE IT WAS FLYING---THAT IS ALL.
Q YOU STARTED AWAY JUST BEFORE IT FELL?
A YES SIR.