The agitation of the International Labor Association made very excellent progress lately...

This meeting has been called with the purpose of protesting against the execution of the poor and friendless Jacobson, who killed his exploiter for denying him his well earned wage.

The order of the day included further: "Our stand in regard to the killing of Heck a union man, by scabs."

Sloan was chosen to direct the meeting, after which Comrade Parsons delivered a speech. He pictured the distress and misery caused by the existing capitalistic system, enslaving the worker, putting him in the ranks of a tramp and scab. Freeing labor from such disgraceful conditions is possible only by removing the cursed system. Laborers are degraded to scabs by capitalists who force the murderous weapon upon it. The capitalists are 2the actual murderers of Heck.

Paul Grottkau was the next speaker on whose speech the following resolutions were based:

The meeting declares that the death sentence imposed on Ignaz Jacobson by-Judge Williamson, was an act of low class-justice and the impending execution of this sentence is a cowardly and contemptible act, encouraging the exploiter further, to cheat labor of the fruit of their work. If this sentence is carried out, labor will have to bow to the murderous attacks of these robbers.

Capital punishment was declared by the meeting as a stupid theory, for a murder committed by one individual can not be considered an atonement for that individual by committing a bigger, a cold blooded crime, and therefore can not be recognized.

Reasons: The theory of capital punishment is found in the tendency, that every individual commands a free will. Modern science proved this to be 3an error. Where free will is not present, responsibility can not be expected.

The individual and his acts are the products of society, therefore society, not the individual is responsible for a man's deeds. Our social conditions and organizations determine people's actions, which is a reflection upon social organization, directly responsible for such deeds and have to be changed.

Capital punishment is legalized barbarism. The execution of the death sentence upon Ignaz Jacobson would have the character of a party class-justice. He was sentenced because poor and uninfluential, the same is the reason for his execution. To this we protest and pledge, to place the responsibility for the intended crime upon the judge and the executioner. This resolution is to be submitted to the Governor of the State of Illinois by the officer of this society.

Resolution

We declare that the murder of Henry Heck by scabs, employed by the firm 4Cribben and Sexton, supplying them with arms for the use against orderly but striking labor, is an abominable crime. The scabs and those providing them with arms, are to be made directly responsible.

Chicago's police were also submitted to sharp criticism...

Comrade Fielding remarked: "The Finn Jacobson was sentenced because poor. He does not possess $5000.00 to acquire the services of a criminal lawyer. Modern society punishes consequences, but does not endeavor to remove the cause. There is not a single voice of the wealthy, raised in protest against Jacobson's execution. The hanging of Jacobson should be preceded by hangings of wealthy criminals..."

One man suggested to submit a petition to the Governor with signatures gathered at this meeting requesting him to spare Jacobson's life...