Haymarket Affair Digital Collection

Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1
Testimony of Adolph Temmes, 1886 Aug. 6.

Volume M, 267-273, 8 p.
Temmes, Adolph.
Iron worker; German immigrant.

Direct examination by Mr. Foster. Cross-examination by Mr. Ingham. Testified on behalf of the Defense, Spies, August et al.

Attended the Haymarket meeting. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): learned about the Haymarket meeting in the Arbeiter-Zeitung (vol.M 269), Spies, August (vol.M 267), Parsons, Albert (vol.M 267), Fielden, Samuel (vol.M 267).


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ADOLPH TEMMES,

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 Adolph Temmes.


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Q Where do you reside?

A 363 North Market Street.

Q How long have you lived in Chicago?

A About four years, pretty near five.

Q Where were you born?

A In Hanover, Germany.

Q Have you lived in Chicago ever since you lived in this country?

A I did.

Q Do your parents live here?

A They live out in Germany.

Q They still live in Germany?

A Yes sir.

Q What is your business?

A Iron worker.

Q Are you acquainted with any of the defenfants here?

Q I seen Spies, and Fielden and Parsons at the hay market.

Q Where did you see them first?

A At the Haymarket.

Q Was that the first time you ever saw them?

A That is the first time, I see a Fielden before the night at the Haymarket.

Q You had seen Fielden one night before the night at the haymarket?

A Yes sir.

Q You first saw Parsons and Spies at the haymarket meeting?

A Yes sir.

Q You mean the haymarket meeting on the 4th of May last?

A On the 4th of May last, yes sir.

Q Are you a socialist?

A No sir, I am not.

Q Are y u a communist or anarchist?

A I don't know anything about that.


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Q You say you are not a socialist, communist or anarchist, and don't know anything about it?

A No sir.

Q Were you at the haymarket meeting on the night of the 4th of May?

A Yes sir, I was.

Q Where were you living at that time?

A At 363 North Market.

Q How far is that from the haymarket?

A About two miles, I guess.

Q How did you come to be at the haymarket meeting that night?

A I seen a notice in the Arbeiter Zeitung.

Q And you went to the meeting in pursuance of the notice you say in the Arbeiter Zeitung?

A Yes sir, I did.

Q Do you know where the wagon stood from which the speakers stood?

A Yes sir, I do.

Q Did you see the police come up there---were you there at the time the police came up on the ground?

A I did not see exactly the police.

Q Do you know of their coming up there?

A Yes sir.

Q At the time they were coming up, or at the time just before they came up, where were you standing with reference to the wagon?

A I was standing about four or five feet away from the wagon.

Q Which direction?

A South of the wagon.

Q Who was speaking at that time--that is, point out the man, if you know him, that was speaking?

A When the


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police were coming.

Q Yes sir, when the police men came--do you see him here?

A Mr. Fielden here.

Q That is the genteleman here with whiskers?

A I think so, yes sir.

Q Who was on the wagon at that time?

A The only one that I noticed that I knew was Spies and Fielden.

Q At the time the police came up who was it you saw on the wagon?

A Mr. Spies and Mr. Fielden.

Q Was there anybody else on the wagon besides Mr. Spies and Mr. Fielden?

A There was about four or five men, I don't know exactly.

Q Were you there when Mr. Spies spoke earlier in the evening

A I was there earlier in the evening, yes sir.

Q You knew Mr. Spies by the fact that he had spoken there that night?

A Yes sir.

Q Did you hear any command by any of the police officers?

A Yes sir, I did.

Q By whom?

A I don't know what his name is--by the papers I see it is Captain Ward.

Q you didn't at that time know who it was?

A No sir.

Q You only knew it was Captain Ward by what you read in the newspapers

A Yes sir.

Q What did Captain Ward say, if you remember?

A I didn't hear him talking, I was too much excited, but I heard him


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speaking.

Q Which way did you go when you heard Captain Ward, or the officer whom was speaking when you heard him speak, which direction did you go?

A Run out North to the alley to the little street.

Q At the time that this officer came up and spoke and the time you started to run I will ask you to state whether Mr. Spies was at that time on the wagon?

A He was on the wagon.

Q And Mr. Fielden?

A And Mr. Fielden.

Q And two or three others you say you don't know?

A Yes sir.

CROSS EXAMINATION, By
Mr. Ingham.

Q Where were you standing at the time the officer spoke?

A I was standing about four feet away from him when he spoke.

Q South of the wagon?

A No, I was standing East of the officer.

Q That would put you South of the wagon, wouldn't it.

Q It was about a foot south, yes sir.

Q You were so much excited that you could not hear what the officer said?

A No sir.

Q But started to run right away?

A I started to run when the shooting commenced.


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Q Did the shooting commence at the time the officer spoke?

A Right when he was there speaking.

Q Then you were not excited at all after he had spoken?

A I was excited when I heard the police were coming.

Q So excited that you could not hear what was said after that?

A No, I did not understand what he said.

Q How far were you standing from him?

A About a foot from him.

Q How did you happen to go to that meeting?

A I saw a notice in the Arbeiter Zeitung.

Q Where was the Arbeiter Zeitung?

A I seen it in the public library.

Q When did you see it there?

A On the 4th of May.

Q What time on the 4th of May?

A It was in the afternoon, about three o'clock.

Q Is that the only notice you saw of the meeting?

A The only notice I saw of the meeting, yes sir.

Q What time did you get to the meeting?

A I got there about half past seven.

Q You were within about four feet of the wagon when the officers came up?

A I was.

Q You say you saw Fielden the night before?

A Yes sir, I did see him the night before in the meeting on Lake Street.


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Q Whereabouts on Lake Street?

A I don't know the number, but I think it is 71--I couldn't tell it sure.

Q Between what streets?

A It is on Lake street.

Q On the North or South side of Lake Street?

A Just on Lake Street.

Q Is it on the North or South side of the Street?

A It is on the North side.

Q What kind of meeting was it?

A It was a wagon maer's meeting.

Q Do you remember the name of the place?

A I don't remember the name.

Q Would you remember it if you heard it, the name of the hall?

A I would remember it, yes.

Q Was it Greiff's?

A No, I don't think it was Greiff's.

Q Was it Zepf's?

A No.

Q Was it Mechanic's hall?

A I don't know what the name of the hall was.


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