Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Socialists of New Castle Freed; Other Socialist Editors Remain in Jail

Quote BBH, Win Workers to Revolution, ISR p1096, June 1910 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 10, 1911
Socialist Editors of New Castle, Pennsylvania, Freed

From the Appeal to Reason of October 7, 1911:

New Castle Socialists Freed
———-

Charles McKeever, Frank M. Hartman and C. H. McCarty, editors of the Free Press, of New Castle, Pa., have been acquitted in the court of the charge seditious libel. This is the ease that has attracted so much attention all over the country. They are arraigned under an obsolete English law that was supposed to have been off the statute books of every civilized state. Had there been no publicity given to the matter no doubt the comrades would have been convicted, but when the people began to realize that a law belonging to the middle ages was sought now as a means of upholding the capitalist system there was such an awakening that conviction became an impossibility.

Although the seditious libel case was decided in favor of the defense, the unheard of action was taken of assessing them half the costs of the prosecution. All the costs of defense and half the cost of prosecution, when they were found not guilty, is a hard burden for them to bear and is an outrage against so-called civilization in America.

But in addition to this, they are under sentence of a fine for contempt of court. This case has cost them a great deal and the flight against the life of the Free Press has lasted for eighteen months. As a result it has been a severe blow to the comrades. Those who wish to help in this fight now that it is won should send fifty cents for an annual subscription to the Free Press.

—————

Socialist Editors in Jail
———-

H. C. Tuck, editor of the World, Oakland, Cal,; for alleged libeling of the chief of police in calling him responsible for the killing of a young girl while she was in prison.

The editors of the Free Press, of New Castle, Pa.; just released and found innocent, after having been held much of the time for eighteen months, charged with seditious libel.

Fred Merrick, of Justice, Pittsburg, Pa.; convicted of libel, though doubtless guiltless. Merrick is held practically incommunicado, not being allowed to send out correspondence except with the approval of a guard. As a consequence he is unable to edit his paper. The plan seems to be to destroy the paper at all hazzards.

—————

[Photograph added.]