ence to the plan of action agreed upon by the armed group on Monday night and on Sunday that it was to be carried out in case the police should interfere with your right of free speech and free assemblage?" "If the police should attack us, yes."
That this plan was to be followed only when the police would—I believe Captain Black asked this question—"would by brutal force interfere with your right of free assemblage and free speech?"
A. "It was said that we would use or resort to this plan or the execution of it whenever the police should attack us."
Now, listen to that, your honor. Up here, you understand, in one part of this testimony it is said we got ready to attack the police, and down here on the cross-examination it shows that the witness himself meant that we should defend ourselves—not attack the police. It was an absurdity—perfectly absurd—to talk about a handful of men attacking the authorities of this city. What, if they got the city of Chicago, wouldn't it be a white elephant? What, in the name of common sense, could they do with it? It reminds me of some people who are afraid that if the world should be made free and the workingmen should come into their liberty that they would steal the world and run off with it. What would they do with it if they did? It is an absurd proposition. Now, the statement of these men under cross-examination shows what their intention was, and they used the word "defense," whereas, in the direct examination, and by the translation of the district attorney, they are made in English to use the word "attack":
Q. "You say that nothing was said at the Monday night meeting with reference to any action to be taken by you at the Haymarket?"
A. "We said we would do nothing there; we were not to do anything at the Haymarket."
Q. "Was it not the plan that you should not be there at all?"
A. "Yes, sir."
These are the State's witnesses upon which they propose to show and prove a conspiracy against us, your honor.
Q. "And you also say that you did not anticipate that the policemen would come to the Haymarket?"
A. "No, we did not think the police would come to the Haymarket."
Q. "For this reason no preparations were made for meeting any police attack on the Haymarket square?"
A. "Not by them."
Q. "Was it not the sole purpose of the meeting at the Haymarket to protest against the action of the police in the shooting of the workingmen at McCormick's factory?"
A. "Yes, sir."
This was the testimony of the State's witness, Waller.
Mr. Schroeder, another witness upon whom the State rested to prove there was a concerted plot to entrap and destroy the police, swore: "Lingg was not present. We talked about the condition of the workingmen, and the remark was made that the members of the northwestern group should go to Wicker Park in case the police should make an attack on them"—you understand, your honor, police can make attacks. Judge McAllister says they can
