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Show JOHN MITCHELL CREATES STIR II COURTROOM With Tears in His lfycs, Noted Labor Leader Upbraids Up-braids Justice Wright for Giving. Him Sentence. GOMPERS ADDS TO I DRAMATIC SCENE President of Federation Characterizes Char-acterizes as an Insult a 'Suggestion 'Sug-gestion That He Apologize for Alleged Contempt. By International Xws Service. WASHINGTON", Feb. P.VHth tf-ars In his eyes and his voi'e Bliukinp- wltlN emotion, .lohn Mitchell. lcc president of the American federation of Labor, today crrntcd an unprecedented stir in the district supreme court when be denounced de-nounced Justice "U'rieht for his action in sentencing him to jail on the e- e of Christmas, 100S. despite the fact that he had liis grip packed with Christmas presents for his little ones and was then on his way home to deliver them. Following- Mitchell's remarkable statement. state-ment. Samuel Gompers, president of. the American Federation of Labor, took the witness stand and brought the dramatic features of the court hearing to a climax cli-max when he characterised as an insult the suggestion of the comniUteo of prosecutors that he apolosize to the court for bis alleged contempt. "I considered the laneuapc of the sus-ecstion sus-ecstion of the committee insulting when 1 had been guilty of no wronpr." said President Gompers sharply. "Jf I had been suilly of wronging- any man or woman, or the merest child on curth, I would abjectly apologize and endeavor to rectify any wromr which J may have done: but, conscious of the' fact that my whole course lias" becii in." a.n"cffort to contend for the principles of free speech arid free press, the offer of an apology the suggestion of an apology, was an Insult." In-sult." Replies Bluntly. . When !Ur. Gompers was asked ' If his statement was the only explanation he desired to offer, he said bluntly "I have none other to make." Doth Mitchell and Gompers were witnesses wit-nesses in their own defense, attempting; to show that they were not guilty of contempt in their alleged activity in encouraging en-couraging a. boycott of the Bucks Stoe & Range company of St. Louis, contrary con-trary to an order of tho court. In criticising- Justice Wright, Vice President Pres-ident .Mitchell made an extended statement, state-ment, in which he said he was an American Amer-ican citizen who had been able to render ren-der some service to his country: that he had been commended by more than one president of the United States; that he felt he occupied no Inconspicuous position posi-tion in this country's affairs,, and Anally, that he saw no reason why the court should have made an effort to drag him away from his children at Christmas time. Statement by Judge. Justice Wright llstenod to Mitchell's sharp comment and at once took exception excep-tion to It "What, justification have you for assuming as-suming that your personal and domestic (Continued, on. Page Two.) JOI MITCHELL IS WiD TO TEMS (Continued Prom Page One.) situation was made known to the court?" ho akeu. "It was made to appear to the court that you assumed an altitude of antagonism antag-onism toward the court In the very demand de-mand that the court's opinion should be rendered when you chose to fix It. That was the attitude of the demnnd which reached me. I do not say that you made the demnnd. but am stating the way the mutter came to court was with the atmosphere at-mosphere of antagonistic demand thnt the decision be postponed until It suited the convenience of tlm vice president of the American Federation of Iibor." Mr. Mitchell sjiid the lelegrnn ho sent the court told of Ida domestic situation nnd when he received the refusal ho supposed sup-posed the court was appraised of it. During his cross-cxauiluntlon Mitchell said: "I wish to say for myself and I yield to no man living In loyally to this countrythat coun-trythat If a Judge were to enjoin me from doing something thnt I IuhI a legal, a constitutional and a moral right to do, I should violate the injunction." Tho Inst witness to be offered by the labor lenders In their defenno ngnlnm the charge that tliey werti guilty or contempt of court will be Frank Morrison, secic-' tary of the American Federation of Labor. |