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Saturday October 10, 1914
From The Labor World:Carl E. Person, Indiana Labor Editor, Acquitted of Murder
CARL E. PERSON ACQUITTED BY JURY OF MURDER CHARGE
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Editor of Strike Bulletin Who Shot Musser In Self Defense Is Freed by Jury
On Twenty-second Ballot After Being Out Close to Twenty Hours.
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PERSON THANKS JURY IN THE NAME OF 35,000
ILLINOIS CENTRAL EMPLOYEES
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Labor Gains Great Victory Through the Acquittal of Person
Whose Trial Aroused a Nation Wide Interest.
To be Tried on Libel Charge
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LINCOLN, IN., Oct. 9.-(Special) Carl E. Person, editor of a labor magazine at Clinton and leader of 35,000 men who struck last year on the Illinois Central and Harriman lines, was acquitted Saturday of the murder of "Toney" Musser, chief strike-breaker for the former railway and ex-chief of police of Clinton. The jury was out twenty hours and took twenty-two ballots to reach an agreement.
"Organized labor has proved beyond all reasonable doubt its loyalty to me," said Person in preparing to return to Clinton. "I go back to the firing line to take my position in the ranks. The Strike Bulletin will continue to print the truth."
During the trial Person admitted shooting Musser, but offered as a defense that he had been lured into danger by a telephone call from Musser and shot in self-defense.
Person's plea of self-defense was supported by evidence introduced to prove a conspiracy against his life by Illinois Central strike-breakers. Labor unions interested themselves in his defense, raising a fund in his behalf.
The verdict was received by T. M. Harris, circuit judge in the absence of W. K. Whitfield, circuit judge, of Decatur, who heard the case.
Both Person and Frank Comerford, chief counsel for the defense, thanked the jury.
"Gentlemen, I thank you," said Person, "in the names of 35,000 Illinois Central employes on strike."
Story of the Killing
The case grew out of the strike of machinists of the Illinois Central railroad. Person, who was editor of the Illinois Strike Bulletin, attacked Musser as a strike-breaker in the Illinois Central shops.
Dec. 30, 1913, editor and strike-breaker met, and Musser gave Person a beating. They were separated. Person, who is of slight build, is said to have whirled and fired six shots at Musser, all taking effect.
Afterward Person was imprisoned in the Dewitt County jail, at Clinton. A coroner's jury refused him bail. Mrs. Musser, the widow, brought suit for $10,000 damages Jan. 9, 1914. Person's friends decided to raise a defense fund of $10,000 for him among labor unions. A campaign of publicity was waged and Attorney Comerford proposed a nation-wide movement of labor to free him.
Freed in Chicago on Bail
June 7, Person was brought to Chicago on a writ of habeas corpus issued by judge Charles Walker. He was released June 9 on $12,000 bonds. July 13 he was granted a change of venue to Logan county. Comerford filed 512 affidavits showing prejudice against the accused man in Dewitt county, and the state's attorney filed 475 tending to show no prejudice existed.
Sept. 3 Person was rearrested at Clinton, charged with criminal libel on an information sworn out by state's Attorney L. O. Williams of Dewitt county. The trial for murder began Sept. 22. The case was given to the jury Oct. 3.
To Again Stand Trial
Person has a charge of libel standing against him for which he must now stand trial. He called a "scab" a "scab" in the Strike Bulletin and was arrested on the above mentioned charge.
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