Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1 Direct and re-direct examination by Mr. Zeisler. Cross and re-Cross-examination by Mr. Ingham. Testified through an interpreter. Testified on behalf of the Defense, Spies, August et al. Was with defendant Adolph Fischer when the bomb exploded. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): socialists and/or socialism (vol.M 193), Zepf's Hall (vol.M 190), learned about the Haymarket meeting in the Arbeiter-Zeitung (vol.M 194), witnesses who were indicted and/or arrested for conspiracy (vol.M 191), International Workingmen's Association (vol.M 193), Parsons, Albert (vol.M 191), Fischer, Adolph (vol.M 190).
Testimony of Otto Wandray, 1886 Aug. 6.
Volume M, 189-195, 7 p.
Wandray, Otto.
Member of the International Workingmen's Association; German immigrant.
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[Image, Volume M, Page 189]
OTTO WANDRAY,
a witness called and sworn on behalf of the defendants, was examined in chief by Mr. Zeisler and testified as follows:
(This witness testified through interpreter Gause.)
Q Where do you reside?
A 19 Martine Court.
Q Were you at the Haymarket on the night of May 4th, at any time?
A Yes, I was there between 9 and 10 o'clock.
Q Did you meet there anybody you know?
A Yes, I met
Fischer.
Q Whereabouts did you meet Fischer?
A On Randolph street and Desplaines street, northwest corner of Randolph and Desplaines.
Q What did you and Fischer do after that, after you had met him?
A We went to the meeting, went around to the meeting.
Q Who was speaking when you went near the wagon?
A Fielden.
Q How long did you and Fischer stay there while Fielden was talking?
A It may have been half an hour, I cannot tell precisely.
Q What did you and Fischer do after that?
A Afterwards we went to the saloon at Zepf's Hall.
Q What did you do at Zepf's Hall?
A We drank a glass of beer.
Q Where did you have your glass of beer, at the counter or the table?
A We sat down by the table.
Q How near the stove in the middle of that room was that table?
A The table was standing close behind the stove.
Q Was it north of the stove or south of the stove?
A It was north of the stove as you come into the door.
Q Where were you at the time of the explosion of the bomb?
A We were at Zepf's Hall.
Q Was Fischer at your side at the time of the explosion of the bomb?
Objected to.
Q Where was Fischer at the time of the explosion of the bomb?
A He was sitting the side of me by the table.
Q Did you see any of the other defendants at Zepf's Hall at the time of the explosion of the bomb?
A I saw Mr. Parsons.
Q Where was Mr. Parsons, if you remember?
A Sitting close beside the table where we were sitting, north of us.
Q What do you mean, was it near the door, or was it further from the door?
A It was further from the door.
Q Did you see Mr. Parsons at any other place at Zepf's Hall before the explosion of the bomb?
A No.
Q Did you look at Mr. Parsons during the time that you were there?
A Yes.
Q Did you see Mr. Parsons enter the room?
A Yes, I saw him enter.
Q With whom did he enter?
A With a gentleman who I didn't know.
Q Can you describe him?
A It was a tall gentleman with gray hair--further I don't know him.
Q Did you see Mrs. Parsons there?
A No.
Q Were you at any time arrested?
A Yes, I was arrested, the night from Sunday to Monday after the explosion. I was arrested in the night from Sunday to Monday after the explosin
Q What station were you brought to?
A I don't know.
Q Do you know the name of the officer that examined you?
A That is the officer sitting there.
Q Which one, Capt. Bonfield?
A The second gentleman at this table (indicating Furthman).
Q Do you know whether Lieut. Shea was present?
A I don't know Lieut. Shea.
Q Were you at that time asked about Mr. Fischer's whereabouts on the night of May 4th at the time of the explosion?
Objected to; objection sustained.
Cross Examination
By Mr. Ingham.
Q How long have you lived in this city?
A I was there in October, five years.
Q Where did you live before coming here?
A I lived two months on Chicago avenue near Wood street--I don't know the number.
Q Where did you live before coming to Chicago?
A In Germany, in Berlin.
Q How long have you been in this country all together?
A Here in America, it will be five years, I came at once to Chicago.
Q How long have you known Fischer?
A I know Fischer a little over two years.
Q Where did you know Fischer?
A I knew him at the meetings
at the Thalia Hall.
Q Meetings of what at Tahlia Hall?
A Socialistic meetings
Q Meetings of what organization?
A The International Association.
Q Of the Northwestern Group?
A Yes sir.
Q How long did you belong to the Northwestern Group?
A I did not belong to it latterly.
Q When did you leave it?
A Last December.
Q How long had you belonged to it before that?
A It was about three years since I entered.
Q Did you know Engel?
A I made Engel's acquaintance at his store.
Q Did you used to meet him at the Northwestern Group?
A I saw him several times there.
Q How many times have you seen him there?
A That I don't know.
Q Do you know Spies?
A I know him by sight.
Q How long have you known him by sight?
A About three years to three and a half years.
Q Where did you use to see him?
A I saw him in the meetings.
Q How did you come to go to the Haymarket?
A Well, I read it in the Haymarket; I had already known in the afternoon at the shop that that meeting was to be held. I thought there was German speeches to be made.
Q What paper did you read it in?
A In the Arbeiter Zeitung.
Q Were there any German speeches?
A No.
Q What time did you go to Zepf's Hall?
A It was shortly after half past ten.
Q How do you know it was after half past ten?
A I measured the time by the time it took me to go there after I left home. I looked at the clock at Zepf's Hall.
Q When did you look at the clock at Zepf's Hall?
A As we entered.
Q What time was it by the clock?
A Well, I don't know any more precisely; I don't recall it. It was about 10, little after ten.
Q What time did you leave the hall?
A We went away after everything was quiet again on the outside.
Q What time was that?
A It was about half past ten.
Q Do you mean the bar room when you say the hall?
A Yes.
Q Where did you go after you left Zepf's?
A We went home.
Q Whom did you go with?
A With Fischer.
Q How far did you walk with Fischer that night?
A To my house at Martine Court.
Q How far is that from Zepf's Hall?
A About a mile and a half.
Q Did you walk or ride on the street cars?
A We went
afoot.
Q Where did Fischer live at that time?
A Fischer lived at Wood street.
Q Near what other street?
A I don't know the name of the street--that is the next street-it was not far from Milwaukee avenue.
Q Do you read English?
A No.
Q Do you speak English?
A No.
Q Do you know the paper called the Alarm?
A I heard of it. but I couldn't read it,--because I can't read English.
Q Did you ever contribute to the support of that paper, take any stock in it?
A No.
Re-Direct Examination.
Mr. ZEISLER: Q Your way home and Fischer's way home is the same way to a certain extent, is it not?
A Yes sir.
Q To the question of Mr. Ingham as to whether you ever contributed to the support of the Alarm, you said no, I believe, you were going to make some additional statement.
Re-Cross by Mr. Ingham.
Q I will ask him again whether he did not pay $2.
A I only contributed towards it in the beginning, when it first was founded.
Q How much?
A 50 cents.
Q Was it not $2?
A No.