August Spies
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August Spies (1855–11 November, 1887) was a labor activist, hanged under doubtful circumstances following a bomb attack on police at the Haymarket Riot.
Spies was born in Germany and emigrated to America in 1872. He settled in Chicago where he became an upholsterer. Becoming involved in trade union activities due to the injustices he perceived, Spies joined the Socialist Labour Party in 1877, where he began his deep involvement with labor causes and ultimately became editor of the anarchist journal, Arbeiter Zeitung, in 1880.
On May 1, 1886 labor strife in Chicago culminated in a massive strike in support of the eight-hour day. Over the next few days 340,000 laborers joined strikes throughout the city. On May 3, four workers were killed by police during one such strike.
Known for his aggressive rhetoric, an enraged Spies published a leaflet on May 4th entitled "Revenge! Workingmen to Arms!" It included the passage: "They killed the poor wretches because they, like you, had the courage to disobey the supreme will of your bosses. They killed them to show you 'Free American Citizens' that you must be satisfied with whatever your bosses condescend to allow you, or you will get killed. If you are men, if you are the sons of your grand sires, who have shed their blood to free you, then you will rise in your might, Hercules, and destroy the hideous monster that seeks to destroy you. To arms we call you, to arms."
Later on May 4, Spies spoke during a rally at Haymarket Square. Police were there and, contrary to the mayor's explicit instructions intervened, sending units into the crowd in an attempt to disperse it. Violence erupted and a pipe-bomb was thrown killing four policemen. Seven men were arrested including Spies.
There were witnesses to testify that none of the seven charged threw the bomb. Indeed, Spies had been on stage delivering his speech at the time when the bomb was thrown. However all seven were found guilty and sentenced to death.
The trial of Spies and his associates was highly controversial. The jury was selected specifically by a special bailiff; one of the jury members was a relative of one of the slain policemen! Julius Grinnell, the State's Attorney, told the jury: "Convict these men, make examples of them, hang them, and you save our institutions." During the trial the jury was allowed by the judge to read articles in support of political violence written previously by the defendants as evidence.
Three asked for clemency and were pardoned by the John Peter Altgeld, the governor of Illinois. Of the remaining five, Louis Lingg killed himself in his cell with a Cigar bomb but Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, and George Engel were hanged on November 11, 1887.
As he faced his demise on the gallows, Spies shouted out: "There will be a time when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today!"