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Life of Albert Parsons

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strain for about an hour without interruption. He called attention to the fact that seventeen tramps had only two months before been driver through the streets and out of South Bend by and lashes in the hands of armed men. That last winter there were cases of starvation and freezing. That in the Olliver Plow Works, where the steel points to the plows were grown, men were killed by a malady called the "Olliver consumpation." This disease was caused by the fine steel dust and sand dust that was thrown off in fine powder while the men were grinding the plow points. Physicians said that one year at such employment destroyed a man's life, and the dust could never be got from the lungs and death was inevitable. The speaker called attention to the fact that sixty-seven able-bodied men in the prime of life had been murdered at this occupation and Olliver was the recipient of their blood money, and their wives and children were paupers and outcasts. He then, to substantiate what he stated, said that he had a man named Valentine Ruter whom he would exhibit. He asked his audience to look upon this man not yet thirty-five years of age. He was a worker in the grinding mill. This man had worked in the plow works for four years. He was discharged, because he was broken down and could no longer work, over a year and a half ago. Since that time he has had to feed his wife, himself, and three children, aged five, three and two years respectively, on one dollar and fifty centers per week, given them by the town trustee!

This man had four brothers, young and able-bodied, each of whom had been killed in the grinding mill in the past four years. His own disease is incurable and death will speedily put an end to his miseries. (The men then took his seat. There was a sensation among the crowd. Men shook their heads and muttered in low tones to each other.)

The speaker said: "This victim is still alive. He is here to haunt his destroyer. He, too, will soon rest in his grave; but his brothers, the four whose bones lie rotting in the paupers' field, or have been hewn up in the dissecting room, they, alas! are not her. But they are here in my presence as avenging Nemesis. The property beast has devoured them, coined their life blood into flashing jewels, and has made of their sweat and tears vast wealth, power and palaces in

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