ON was at home during the H event, He was questioned and released on May 5, 1885. On May 9, police searched his house while he was at work. They found a 38-caliber revolver, a sword, a breech-loading rifle, and a red flag. He was arrested on May 27.
CDT 5-28-86
ON was taken into custody on May 27. Found at home at 307 Sedgewick, he was was reported as quiet and undemonstrative when arrested. and told officers that he could prove that he had been at home the evening of May 4. He was taken to County Jail with Lingg and Engel. He was first booked into the Boys department and later transferred to the Mens department.
Background was given - he was engaged as a partner in the Acme Yeast Company, at 508 Sedgewick. He was described as German, and about 30 years of age. A member of the Socialist Publishing Society, the Trib described him as "an active anarchist." He had been found at the offices of the Arbeiter-Zeitung on May 5, was arrested but then soon after released. He received permission from Mayor Harrison to continue publishing the A-Z, and managed it for a few days after.
"His name had not been mentioned in connection with the Anarchists for some days, and the fact that he was to be indicted was kept a secret because he was not under arrest."
6/4 Bail is fixed at $17,000.
6/5 He is released on bond - details of bond listed.
ON and Hepp give speeches.
8/1 IMPORTANT long story covering esp. the Neebe defense. Also defense discusses how frequently newspaper accounts are wrong. (Mr. Salomon's Effort)
NYT Aug 9, 1886 story covering previous days' picnic to support and raise funds for the men. ON appears - the only one granted bail - and is cheered by the crowd.
"They Tell Their Story of Hope" - CDT - Chairman of the Grand Jury never believed Oscar was guilty. "Grinnell himself admitted, that prior to his argument to the jury, that the evidence against Neebe was not sufficient . . . " Article continues that Neebe was never an anarchist, and added that he had gained weight in prison. Louis took his kids while he was in prison. There is re-reporting of the lost fingers.
Physical appearance details in CDT: "Pen Pictures of the Anarchists."
Messer-Kruse: Grinnel agreed on June 3 that ON could post bail. Rau testified that they all went out and experimented with explosives. Defense decided to allow all 7 cases to be tried as one. "Oscar Neebe didn't even know the H meeting was happening," In prison, ON was a nurse in the hospital.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Oscar Neebe and Conrad Seipp
In April of 1886, Brewers and Maltsters were organized and received a $15/month wage increase with a time decrease to 10 hour work days. Oscar Neebe and Charles Hepp were key to these organizing efforts. Seipp Brewing was the first and largest brewery to sign.
In the trial, Salomon said that he would prove that Oscar Neebe was indicted solely on the evidence of certain persons who, out of spite, desired to disagree with him. (CDT 6-3-86)
In his autobiography, Oscar Neebe states that Julius Grinnell, the prosecutor for the Haymarket trial, told him personally that a few prominent Germans had reported that Oscar was a very dangerous man, and Oscar surmised that these prominent Germans were a few German democratic beer brewers of Chicago. He believed that it was to please them that he received 15 years in the penitentiary for daring to organize their employees. He noted that the brewers could not forget that they now had to pay their workers $15 more per month for only 10 hours/day work.
In the preface to the 2nd edition of Henry David's Haymarket book, John F. Kendrick, a neighbor of Oscar's is quoted as saying that Oscar told him that while in prison and after, he found satisfactory evidence that he was railroaded because the Seipp Brewing Company was out to get him for organizing their brewery wagon drivers, and that they spent judiciously $90,000 to do it.
Conrad Seipp had immigrated from Germany in the 1840s. His summer estate at Lake Geneva, Black Point, is open to the public and its Facebook page indicates that Seipp had fought for the royals in the 1848 German revolution.
The Chicago Tribune, in reporting his death, quoted someone as saying that "During the anarchist troubles he always expressed himself sorry for the dupes of pernicious teachers, but for the loafers of the Most order he had only words of the strongest contempt. When the brewers went out on strike, it was a notorious fact that only 3 men from Seipps went out, and they were . . . "
Julius Grinnell and Conrad Seipp seemed to have been friends. Grinnell gave the eulogy at Seipp's funeral, praising him as a man "who upheld the laws when anarchy and riot threatened."
Oscar Neebe bio
Per Neebes: Neebe's family were French Huguenots, left for Germany because of persecution.
Oscar Neebe was born July 12, 1850 in New York. His parents were German immigrants Henry and Neebe. He was the of children, with brothers Louis, Henry, and Conrad. The family returned to Germany when Oscar was , so that the children could receive a German education. Oscar returned to the New York. when he was 14, and saw and was affected by returning soldiers from the Civil War. He began to study the gold and silver beating trade, but lung problems from this caused him to leave and go west to Chicago. Work was hard to come by, and Oscar lived marginally until he found work in a saloon. Working up to bartender, he served laborers from the McCormick Machine works, and their conditions caused him to support the 8-hour day movement.
In 1868, he hired on a cook on a lake ship, departed at Cleveland, and went back to New York where he was taken on as an apprentice in a tinsmith shop. With this training he went to work in different shops manufacturing various vessels and cans, and began to see firsthand the tensions between workers and owners. He witnessed owners driving down wages, and using child labor.
In 1873, Oscar married Ann Meta Monsees in Philadelphia. He had followed his brother Louis there and bounced between NY and Philly a bit. Returned to Chicago in 1877. and got a job with a manufacturing company and worked there until he was dismissed for labor activities. He barely held it together until 1879 when he got a job selling yeast. He stayed with them until 1881 when he started the Acme Yeast with his brother Henry and two others. During this time he continued to observe and reflect on the exploitation of labor by owners, to read a great deal, and to reject religion. The Communards of Paris in 1871 were a huge influence, and he became involved with communist groups in Chicago from 1877 to 1880.
He became involved with the Socialistic Publishing Society and the Arbeiter Zeitung in 1880, and worked hard to organize labor, including the Brewers and Maltsters, and also bakers. As a member of the Socialistic Publishing Company, Oscar - along with 13 others, was sued for libel by Recorder James Brockway in 1880.
While in prison, there was a fair amount of attention. The Daily InterOcean reported in April of 1890 that Thomas Broderick, a convicted railroad bomber, had made statements alleging mistreatment of the H martyrs in prison. Oscar, along with Schwab and Fielden, denied this. Oscar spoke of his Keeper, George Wilcox, as one of the best of the guards. In his work as a floor runner in the harness shop, Oscar stated that he was never punished or reported, and was well-treated.
Oscar and Regina had some rocky times. Oscar was involved with a widow he met in Milwaukee, and it was reported in the Trib on August 20, 1896. Regina charged him with divorce in March of 1898. (3-19-98)
CDT 5-28-86
ON's home is at 307 Sedgewick. He is a partner in Acme Yeast at 568 Sedgwick. He's a member of the Socialistic Publishing Company. He was found at the office of Arbeiter Zeitung on the morning of May 5. He was arrested and then released. His brother Louis had been defeated for North Town Collection in spring 1885.
CDT March 9, 1887
Covers the day before and describes ON learning of his wife's death by a jailer giving him a newspaper accounting it. Fell on his cot with a groan. Later, his brothers Louis and Conrad, and his daughter arrive. Only his daughter was allowed to enter his cell - they embraced and wept. Can he attend funeral? Sheriff Matson is fine with it.
NYT article says that ON will be allowed to attend funeral.
CDT march 10, 87 reports that ON is allowed to visit home, but not attend funeral. [Tone has changed from previous articles - tone is sympathetic to ON.] His temporary release was kept very quiet. Louis picked him up, and they proceeded to Louis' house where Oscar's children waited. They were together for 45 minutes and the children were quite upset when he left.
Then Oscar went to his brother's (Conrad) saloon at 281 Sedgewick, where Meta was laid out on the second floor. He collapsed and was crying and sobbing, and reporter said "Those present say it was one of the most painful scenes ever witnessed by them." Her body will be taken to Graceland, and Louis has power of attorney, Oscar was returned to the jail. Much discussion about the funeral becoming a political demonstration, Neebe brother asks Harrison if they need a permit, and Harrison says no and shows support.
Louis wanted to clarify/correct about Meta running a saloon. During the trial, with the assistance of Bartholomay & Burgeweger Brewing Company obtained possession of a saloon at 272 W. Twelth Street. She gave it up 6 weeks later because it was too much with no male help, and there was inadequate business to employ a man. She moved to a small cottage behind Louis's house and stayed there until the defective sewers were a problem. She then moved with her children to Conrad's new place at 281 Sedgewick, and lived there until her death. Meta was born near Bremen, and was ~32 at her death. She was the mother of five children, 3 of them living.
Oscar Neebe was born July 12, 1850 in New York. His parents were German immigrants Henry and Neebe. He was the of children, with brothers Louis, Henry, and Conrad. The family returned to Germany when Oscar was , so that the children could receive a German education. Oscar returned to the New York. when he was 14, and saw and was affected by returning soldiers from the Civil War. He began to study the gold and silver beating trade, but lung problems from this caused him to leave and go west to Chicago. Work was hard to come by, and Oscar lived marginally until he found work in a saloon. Working up to bartender, he served laborers from the McCormick Machine works, and their conditions caused him to support the 8-hour day movement.
In 1868, he hired on a cook on a lake ship, departed at Cleveland, and went back to New York where he was taken on as an apprentice in a tinsmith shop. With this training he went to work in different shops manufacturing various vessels and cans, and began to see firsthand the tensions between workers and owners. He witnessed owners driving down wages, and using child labor.
In 1873, Oscar married Ann Meta Monsees in Philadelphia. He had followed his brother Louis there and bounced between NY and Philly a bit. Returned to Chicago in 1877. and got a job with a manufacturing company and worked there until he was dismissed for labor activities. He barely held it together until 1879 when he got a job selling yeast. He stayed with them until 1881 when he started the Acme Yeast with his brother Henry and two others. During this time he continued to observe and reflect on the exploitation of labor by owners, to read a great deal, and to reject religion. The Communards of Paris in 1871 were a huge influence, and he became involved with communist groups in Chicago from 1877 to 1880.
He became involved with the Socialistic Publishing Society and the Arbeiter Zeitung in 1880, and worked hard to organize labor, including the Brewers and Maltsters, and also bakers. As a member of the Socialistic Publishing Company, Oscar - along with 13 others, was sued for libel by Recorder James Brockway in 1880.
While in prison, there was a fair amount of attention. The Daily InterOcean reported in April of 1890 that Thomas Broderick, a convicted railroad bomber, had made statements alleging mistreatment of the H martyrs in prison. Oscar, along with Schwab and Fielden, denied this. Oscar spoke of his Keeper, George Wilcox, as one of the best of the guards. In his work as a floor runner in the harness shop, Oscar stated that he was never punished or reported, and was well-treated.
Oscar and Regina had some rocky times. Oscar was involved with a widow he met in Milwaukee, and it was reported in the Trib on August 20, 1896. Regina charged him with divorce in March of 1898. (3-19-98)
CDT 5-28-86
ON's home is at 307 Sedgewick. He is a partner in Acme Yeast at 568 Sedgwick. He's a member of the Socialistic Publishing Company. He was found at the office of Arbeiter Zeitung on the morning of May 5. He was arrested and then released. His brother Louis had been defeated for North Town Collection in spring 1885.
CDT March 9, 1887
Covers the day before and describes ON learning of his wife's death by a jailer giving him a newspaper accounting it. Fell on his cot with a groan. Later, his brothers Louis and Conrad, and his daughter arrive. Only his daughter was allowed to enter his cell - they embraced and wept. Can he attend funeral? Sheriff Matson is fine with it.
NYT article says that ON will be allowed to attend funeral.
CDT march 10, 87 reports that ON is allowed to visit home, but not attend funeral. [Tone has changed from previous articles - tone is sympathetic to ON.] His temporary release was kept very quiet. Louis picked him up, and they proceeded to Louis' house where Oscar's children waited. They were together for 45 minutes and the children were quite upset when he left.
Then Oscar went to his brother's (Conrad) saloon at 281 Sedgewick, where Meta was laid out on the second floor. He collapsed and was crying and sobbing, and reporter said "Those present say it was one of the most painful scenes ever witnessed by them." Her body will be taken to Graceland, and Louis has power of attorney, Oscar was returned to the jail. Much discussion about the funeral becoming a political demonstration, Neebe brother asks Harrison if they need a permit, and Harrison says no and shows support.
Louis wanted to clarify/correct about Meta running a saloon. During the trial, with the assistance of Bartholomay & Burgeweger Brewing Company obtained possession of a saloon at 272 W. Twelth Street. She gave it up 6 weeks later because it was too much with no male help, and there was inadequate business to employ a man. She moved to a small cottage behind Louis's house and stayed there until the defective sewers were a problem. She then moved with her children to Conrad's new place at 281 Sedgewick, and lived there until her death. Meta was born near Bremen, and was ~32 at her death. She was the mother of five children, 3 of them living.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)