Samuel Fielden
Encyclopedia
Samuel Fielden was a socialist
, anarchist
and labor activist who was one of eight convicted in the 1886 Haymarket bombing
.
, Lancashire
, England to Abraham and Alice (née Jackson) Fielden. Fielden barely knew his mother who died when he was 10 years old. His father was an impoverished foreman at a cotton mill and was, himself, an active labor and social activist. He was active in the 10-hour day movement in England and was also a chartist
.
Samuel Fielden went to work at the age of eight in the cotton mills and was impressed with the poor working conditions. He emigrated to the United States after he had come of age. In 1869, he moved to Chicago where he worked various jobs, sometimes even traveling to the south to pursue work opportunities. Finally he settled permanently in Chicago and became a self-employed teamster.
In Chicago, he became acquainted with socialist thinking and in 1884, joined the cause full time, becoming a member of the American Group faction of the International Working Men's Association, and later being appointed its treasurer. He became a frequent and eloquent speaker in the labor rights cause. He married in 1880 and had two children, the second of which was born while he was in prison.
On May 3, 1886, Fielden was speaking at Grief's Hall in Chicago. This was the same place and time as the infamous "Monday Night Conspiracy," which, prosecutors later claimed, was where the Haymarket defendants planned violence for the following day. However, Fielden was speaking to a different group from the other so-called conspirators and had no knowledge of the other meeting.
The following day, Fielden was working delivering stone to German Waldheim Cemetery
and had not heard of the planned demonstration at Haymarket for that night. He had promised to speak to some workers, but upon returning home, he learned of an urgent meeting of the American Group at the office of the Arbeiter-Zeitung
, a German-language workers rights newspaper. Feeling it was his duty to attend this meeting as treasurer of the American Group, he abandoned his other engagement. It was only after he arrived at the meeting that he learned of the Haymarket demonstration.
A short time later, there was a request from the Haymarket for additional speakers and Fielden, along with Albert Parsons
, agreed to go and speak. They arrived just as August Spies
was finishing a speech of his own. Parson then made a lengthy speech, but as the weather was growing threatening and the crowd growing thin, Fielden was reluctant to make a speech of his own, but was finally persuaded. He spoke for approximately 20 minutes on the alliance of socialism and the working class and how the law then current was the enemy of the working man.
Toward the end of his speech he was interrupted by a delegation of police who arrived headed by police captain John Bonfield who ordered the meeting to disperse. Fielden briefly protested before he stepped down from the wagon on which he had been speaking. At that moment, someone threw a bomb which exploded in the midst of the crowd. Fielden was shot and slightly wounded in the knee as he fled in the resulting chaos (he was the only Haymarket defendant to be wounded). After he had the wound dressed he returned home. He was arrested the following day and charged with conspiracy in the bombing.
detective reported that Fielden had, in the past, advocated the use of dynamite and the shooting of police officers. Other witnesses declared that he had incited the crowd, proclaiming from the wagon as the police arrived, "Here comes the blood-hounds now; men do your duty and I will do mine". Several police officers reported seeing Fielden produce a gun and fire into their ranks. Fielden denied all of this and several other witnesses denied hearing Fielden make these remarks or seeing him fire any weapon.
Fielden was sentenced to death along with six other defendants, but after writing to Illinois
governor Richard James Oglesby
asking for clemency, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment on November 10, 1887. He spent six years in prison until he was finally pardoned, along with co-defendants Michael Schwab
and Oscar Neebe
, by governor John Peter Altgeld
on June 26, 1893. After being released, he purchased a ranch in Colorado
. He died there in 1922 and is the only Haymarket defendant not buried at Waldheim Cemetery. Instead, he is buried with his wife Sarah (1845–1911), son Samuel Henry "Harry" (1886–1972), and daughter Alice (1884–1975) at La Veta (Pioneer) Cemetery at Huerfano County, Colorado (though Fielden's own grave erroneously marks his year of birth as 1848).
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and labor activist who was one of eight convicted in the 1886 Haymarket bombing
Haymarket affair
The Haymarket affair was a demonstration and unrest that took place on Tuesday May 4, 1886, at the Haymarket Square in Chicago. It began as a rally in support of striking workers. An unknown person threw a dynamite bomb at police as they dispersed the public meeting...
.
Early life
Samuel Fielden was born in TodmordenTodmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England to Abraham and Alice (née Jackson) Fielden. Fielden barely knew his mother who died when he was 10 years old. His father was an impoverished foreman at a cotton mill and was, himself, an active labor and social activist. He was active in the 10-hour day movement in England and was also a chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
.
Samuel Fielden went to work at the age of eight in the cotton mills and was impressed with the poor working conditions. He emigrated to the United States after he had come of age. In 1869, he moved to Chicago where he worked various jobs, sometimes even traveling to the south to pursue work opportunities. Finally he settled permanently in Chicago and became a self-employed teamster.
In Chicago, he became acquainted with socialist thinking and in 1884, joined the cause full time, becoming a member of the American Group faction of the International Working Men's Association, and later being appointed its treasurer. He became a frequent and eloquent speaker in the labor rights cause. He married in 1880 and had two children, the second of which was born while he was in prison.
Haymarket
The following day, Fielden was working delivering stone to German Waldheim Cemetery
German Waldheim Cemetery
German Waldheim Cemetery, also known as Waldheim Cemetery, was a cemetery in Forest Park, a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. It was originally founded in 1873 as a non-religion specific cemetery, where Freemasons, Roma, and German-speaking immigrants to Chicago could be buried without...
and had not heard of the planned demonstration at Haymarket for that night. He had promised to speak to some workers, but upon returning home, he learned of an urgent meeting of the American Group at the office of the Arbeiter-Zeitung
Arbeiter-Zeitung (Chicago)
The Arbeiter-Zeitung, also known as the Chicagoer Arbeiter-Zeitung, a German language anarchist newspaper, was started in Chicago, Illinois, in 1877 by veterans of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. It continued publishing through 1931...
, a German-language workers rights newspaper. Feeling it was his duty to attend this meeting as treasurer of the American Group, he abandoned his other engagement. It was only after he arrived at the meeting that he learned of the Haymarket demonstration.
A short time later, there was a request from the Haymarket for additional speakers and Fielden, along with Albert Parsons
Albert Parsons
Albert Richard Parsons was a pioneer American socialist and later anarchist newspaper editor, orator, and labor activist...
, agreed to go and speak. They arrived just as August Spies
August Spies
August Vincent Theodore Spies was an anarchist labor activist who was found guilty of conspiracy and hanged following a bomb attack on police at the Haymarket affair.-Background:...
was finishing a speech of his own. Parson then made a lengthy speech, but as the weather was growing threatening and the crowd growing thin, Fielden was reluctant to make a speech of his own, but was finally persuaded. He spoke for approximately 20 minutes on the alliance of socialism and the working class and how the law then current was the enemy of the working man.
Toward the end of his speech he was interrupted by a delegation of police who arrived headed by police captain John Bonfield who ordered the meeting to disperse. Fielden briefly protested before he stepped down from the wagon on which he had been speaking. At that moment, someone threw a bomb which exploded in the midst of the crowd. Fielden was shot and slightly wounded in the knee as he fled in the resulting chaos (he was the only Haymarket defendant to be wounded). After he had the wound dressed he returned home. He was arrested the following day and charged with conspiracy in the bombing.
Trial and aftermath
At the trial, Fielden was accused of inciting the crowd to riot and violence. A PinkertonPinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...
detective reported that Fielden had, in the past, advocated the use of dynamite and the shooting of police officers. Other witnesses declared that he had incited the crowd, proclaiming from the wagon as the police arrived, "Here comes the blood-hounds now; men do your duty and I will do mine". Several police officers reported seeing Fielden produce a gun and fire into their ranks. Fielden denied all of this and several other witnesses denied hearing Fielden make these remarks or seeing him fire any weapon.
Fielden was sentenced to death along with six other defendants, but after writing to Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
governor Richard James Oglesby
Richard James Oglesby
Richard James Oglesby was an Illinois statesman and U.S. Army officer. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served Illinois in the legislature. Near the end of the civil war, he was elected the 14th Governor of...
asking for clemency, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment on November 10, 1887. He spent six years in prison until he was finally pardoned, along with co-defendants Michael Schwab
Michael Schwab
Michael Schwab was a German-American labor organizer and one of the defendants in the Haymarket Square incident.-Early years:...
and Oscar Neebe
Oscar Neebe
Oscar William Neebe I was an anarchist, labor activist and one of the defendants in the Haymarket bombing trial.-Early life:...
, by governor John Peter Altgeld
John Peter Altgeld
John Peter Altgeld was the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1893 until 1897. He was the first Democratic governor of that state since the 1850s...
on June 26, 1893. After being released, he purchased a ranch in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He died there in 1922 and is the only Haymarket defendant not buried at Waldheim Cemetery. Instead, he is buried with his wife Sarah (1845–1911), son Samuel Henry "Harry" (1886–1972), and daughter Alice (1884–1975) at La Veta (Pioneer) Cemetery at Huerfano County, Colorado (though Fielden's own grave erroneously marks his year of birth as 1848).
