•BEFORE 1890

AMMIRUS DARROW TO EVERETT DARROW • KINSMAN, OHIO • WEDNESDAY 17 JULY 1872

17 July 1872

Dear Son:

I wrote you two weeks since and then promised to write every week until there was some marked change in your mother’s condition. I delayed in hopes from day to day that I might write something encouraging; but alas! the sad and painful duty devolves upon me to inform you that your mother has changed her state of existence.1 She has gone; you will see her no more in the flesh; yet I think her spirit lives and she is happy. No one knows the anguish I feel, and my heart bleeds for you, my dear son, away from your home in a foreign land among strangers; yet I trust you have made friends who will sympathize with you in this hour of your greatest need. Know that all your friends here are enquiring concerning you, and expressing their deep heart-felt feeling for your loss; and it seems to me that there will cross the broad ocean, with this letter, like a great wave, the united sympathy of all your friends to sustain you in this trial hour.

There are some, I am sure, that think of you and feel for you both day and night. There are some things that should console you. All was done that could be done to save her. No medical man could do it. The proximate cause of her death was a tumor in the duodenum (the small intestine leading from the stomach). This grew so much that no solid food could pass, and she actually died from starvation, although she did not crave food. Nearly all the food she took the last weeks of her life was small quantities of bread coffee at short intervals and nourishment by injection.

It was about ten weeks from the time she gave up work until she passed away. During the first part of her illness she had periods of great pain with intervals of rest. The last two weeks she was more free from pain until about 36 hours before she left—she suffered but not so much as at first. A short time before her departure we turned her on her back and she breathed her life painlessly and peacefully away. Her intellect was strong and clear until a few hours before the last and after that but a short time before her departure she brightened up and kissed her children. She had no fear from the future. From almost the first of her sickness she did not expect to recover. The doctor supposed she would get well until a few weeks before she died. It was weeks after she was sick that she discovered the tumor. Your mother discovered it first. It was too late then for you to reach home. She would have been glad to have seen you and yet she did not express a wish to me that she would like you to give up your plans to come home. She has often mentioned you and seemed to rely on you. You have one great consolation that you have always been kind to her and this she prized above all earthly aid you could have given her. I think you have never given your mother or myself one unkind word. This is remarkable as parents are likely sometimes to be in the wrong.

I think her greatest trial was to leave little Jenny, so young, without a mother. Your sister Jenny2 is a remarkable pretty, bright and active little girl. She is a great comfort to me. Little Hermy³ is a good boy. He has been very kind to his mother, always willing to stay with his mother and fan her. I think hard work was not the cause of the tumor. Her stomach has always troubled her more or less. The tumor may have been coming for years. Your mother’s spirit left her poor emaciated body on Sunday July 12th about 7 ¹/₂ o’clock P.M. I bought a nice lot in the cemetery and on Tuesday a large number of sympathizing friends assembled in the house and followed her remains to the place. I had a nice coffin, cushioned the bottom with excelsior; had a rough box made of thick oak boards—placed a double cover of the same material over the top; so it will be many years before it can rot away. The people of Kinsman were very very kind. The sides of her grave were decked with flowers. After the coffin was lowered they strewed it with beautiful flowers. Loren Perkins⁴ was particularly kind. He told Hermy we might have all the flowers in his summer house if we wanted them. The neighbors sent in beautiful bouquets during her illness. At times her room looked like a floral palace. Your mother was very fond of flowers. Mrs. John Allen5 sent beautiful bouquets. This was very gratifying to your mother. Mr. Eldred⁶ attended the funeral and mentioned you with great sympathy in his prayer. When we returned from the funeral we found your letter to Mary.⁷ It was very consoling to us coming when it did. Many other incidents I could tell you but as Mary is going to write you I will forbear as I have but little room left.

This is the most painful letter I have ever written. I know your character so well that I am sure you will bear up manfully. I shall keep house; I shall keep my family together. Nothing could tempt me to do otherwise. Mary will stay this year and I may arrange matters so that she can go to college after the coming year. We all should be very glad to see you, but it is my deliberate wish that you do not change your plans but attend some German University the coming year. I think without doubt I can furnish the means. What I live for now is to help my children. My business has been very good; think I will have a good fall trade. You must be careful of your eyes. Know how much it will do to use them, and use them no more than they will bear. I will write again soon. Be brave, my son, there is much to live for yet. From your father, most affectionately,

A. Darrow.

MS: ALS, MdCpAIP, Karl Darrow Collection.

TO EVERETT DARROW • KINSMAN, OHIO • FRIDAY 24 JANUARY 1873

Kinsman Jan. 24th 73

Brother Everett

I thought I would write you a few lines tonight and let you know how wee’r getting along at home.⁸ I am studying at home. Recite in Physical Geography Greek and Latin. Am pegging along in the second book of Caesar. Channing⁹ went to Cleveland Monday and we got a letter from him today. He has got into business as an agent in some coal company. There is an auction down to Brackin’s store. It has been going for about a week. Cheap John is the auctioneer. We have just organized a literary and dramatic club to succeed the old literary society. The small boys (and some larger ones) made such a noise that they nearly broke it up so we started a new one. We had an exhibition a few weeks ago in the academy and drew a full house.10 We propose to have an exhibition every four weeks now. We have got a rail road right handy now. We can hear the cars and whistle plain from here. It crosses over by the mule pen on the road to Peabody’s and the station is going to be over near Uncle Ezra’s¹¹: they have got a construction train on the road now. The creek has been so high lately that no one could pass over by the cover bridges; there were three or four persons came pretty near getting drowned a while ago. [ . . . ]¹² Hermy wants you to remember that Steam Nigger you spoke about while you were in London.¹³ Pa sent you fifty dollars the other day. The business has been good this Fall & Winter.

Clarence Darrow

MS: ALS, MnU-L, Darrow Collection.

TO THE ANN ARBOR COURIER • ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN • DECEMBER 1877

“His name is Clarence S. Darrow, and his home is Kindsman, Ohio. He is a junior ‘law’ and has been rooming for some time at Mrs. Foley’s, on Huron street.¹⁴ He could not or would not pay for his rooms, and accordingly left them one day last week, telling Mrs. Foley that he had left his trunk and its contents, and those he said would pay his indebtedness to her. She was of course glad to get even this from him. But on opening the trunk it was found to be filled with wood, burnt boots and other things of equal value. Darrow, it is understood, is still in town. This should warn all others from trusting him.”

The above article is nearly all an entire fabrication. The club with which I was boarding, at Mrs. Foley’s, having been broken up, and not having engaged rooms for any stated period, I proposed leaving and offered her $3.41, her due, which I can prove before witnesses. She insisted on having $2.00 damages which I refused to pay, and accordingly removed my clothing in my chum’s trunk, as she refused to allow me to move mine. I subsequently went back and tendered her her due, but discovering that half of the wood I left was missing, I insisted on her paying me for it, which she refused. I never offered her my trunk in payment for my indebtedness. Although poor, I value my reputation too highly to dispose of it for the small sum in controversy. I will prove by witnesses the above facts, as stated by me, to be true, to any one who will call at my present boarding place, at the corner of Fourth and Packard streets.

Clarence Darrow.

MS: Ann Arbor (Michigan) Courier, 14 December 1877. PLACE: newspaper in which letter was published. DATE: date of publication in the newspaper.

TO THE ANDOVER (OHIO) CITIZEN • NORFALK, VIRGINIA • APRIL 1884

NORFALK, VA.

Editor CITIZEN:—Having a little leisure time, I determined to surprise you by writing a few notes concerning my trip and this portion of the world.15

I arrived in Washington on my way to Va., on Sunday, and of course I could not pass through that city without visiting some of the many places of interest that are to be seen at our National Capital.

Washington is a city well worth visiting, and it makes an American’s heart beat with pride as he enters this historic place to think that here live the principal part of that body of patriots and noblemen called Federal Officers, who are willing to sacrifice their time, their talents and most of their honor for the love they bear their native land.

But Washington is indeed a beautiful city laid out and built upon a grand scale; its streets are wide and clean, its parks are numerous, and its public buildings are imposing. The Capitol building is located at the head of Pennsylvania Ave., and is a very fine structure; its length is 751 ft. its greatest width is 824 ft. its heighth is 287 ft. and it covers about 3¹/₂ acres, its cost up to the present time has been about thirteen million dollars; it is built almost entirely of sand stone and marble. In this building the Congress and Senate pass the laws and here also the Supreme Court declares them unconstitutional. I of course visited Congress, every one does who goes to Washington. Like every one else I was somewhat disappointed at the scene. It is said that “distance lends enchantment to the view.” It certainly is not unusual that men and institutions lose a great deal of their power to dazzle, upon our near approach. My first view of Congress as it was assembled and doing business in its hall, reminded me very much of a session of the Stock exchange, a sort of cross between a prize fight and a dime social. One would imagine as he looked down on the concentrated wisdom of the Nation, that he saw the workmen at the Tower of Bable after the Lord had confused their tongues. Every one talks at once and no one pays any attention to what his neighbor says, unless it is to go and take a drink.

The Senate in the opposite wing of the Capitol is a more reserved assemblage of men, but this body has not half the dignity of a Justices court. As I passed down the marble stairway to the room directly below the hall of Congress, an appalling sight met my view; there within the sacred marble walls of our Capitol buildings, and directly underneath the hall of Congress was a real, living, terrible, saloon. I could hardly believe my eyes; the sight nearly took my breath away, at first I determined to leave the building and never go back again, but then I thought better of it, braced up and went in; I sat down at one of the tables and wept in silence, but even then I felt that I must be in a dream; to make sure of the character of the place, I ordered the drinks. There was no longer any room for doubt; for the first time in my life I was in a saloon. But no one can stop with the first drink, so I went back to the senate chamber, sought out their saloon and entered. There was an other room opened off the main one, and an inscription above the door read, “for senators only”, I asked one of the Abasynian waiters what this private room was used for? and he said that in some respects it was like the one we were in, but that it was kept mainly for the benefit of the Republican Senators; the Democrats took theirs in the main room.

I asked the waiter if he was acquainted with any of our Ohio Representatives, and he answered that most of them were members of his bar; I sobbed aloud as I ordered one more glass of beer, and I could not refrain from telling that coon about our Andover Village Council. Gradually, however my indignation over this shameful business cooled down, and then I looked the matter over like a philosopher, and made up my mind that the saloon was a very wise provision, for if every member of Congress was compelled to go down town for a drink, it would be almost impossible to get a quorum together to do business.

I would respectfully commend the institution to the different boards of County Commissioners through the State, as being a time saving, and money saving provision.

The many fine public buildings through out the city, I will not attempt to describe as it would make this letter too long.

Across the Potomac in Virginia, and in plain view of Washington is Arlington heights, which is the nearest point to Washington occupied by the Rebels during the war, there stands the old house in which General Lee lived during the Rebellion, and there in our National Cemetery sleep sixteen thousand of our union dead, many of whose names can not be carved, but all of whom died fighting for the stars and stripes. Sixteen miles below Washington is Mount Vernon which was the home of “the Father of his Country.” It is a beautiful estate, located on the banks of the Potomac and commanding a fine view of the river and the Maryland shore beyond; near the landing is the tomb of Washington and his wife, where rest the remains of this illustrious pair, and around the grave from morn ’till night, day after day stand scores of devout Americans paying their tribute of respect to the memory of the dead.

Such is fame, for more than eighty years pilgrims from every land and cline have gathered there each day, drawn by the magic of a great man’s name, and neither time nor distance, nor the changing fancies of a fickle world has made his fame grow less; but all the devotion of the coming world, and all the flattery uttered ore a great man’s grave are nothing to the silent dust that lies beneath, while a word of cheer spoken to the living pilgrim as he passes through the world will brighten up his sky, and a kindly act will smooth his rugged path.

The house in which Washington lived and died, stands near the shore of the Potomac, and is kept to-day as nearly as possible in the condition in which Washington left it, much of the furniture contained in the house is a century old, used by Washington and his family; also some of his clothes. In one room dreadful to relate, four or five large bottles in which Washington carried his grog; I closely scrutinized these flasks, but it was no use they were empty. I felt very sorry to think that Washington carried such large sized bottles as the ones I saw, they may however have been necessary in his day, and age, but had they been filled with Ashtabula Co., whiskey, there would have been enough to kill the whole Continental army.

MS: “Notes by the Way, on My Trip to Virginia,” Andover (Ohio) Citizen, 22 April 1884. DATE: publication date.

TO JESSIE DARROW • ASHTABULA, OHIO • MONDAY 4 APRIL 1887

C. S. DARROW, | ATTORNEY AT Law. April 4th 1887

Dear Jessie

I am getting very lonesome without you & Paul & will leave here as soon as I possibly can. Shall go next week any how but think I can get three or four cases tried by that time. After I get to Chicago I will either go to Minnesota & stay two or three weeks or will make arrangements to have you come there as soon as I can get suitable rooms.16 I am getting very tired of boarding around & shall not follow it much longer. Have not stayed two nights in the same place since you left. I spoke at Farmdale yesterday & am going to Warren tomorrow.¹⁷ I have not yet heard from you but hope you & Paul are all right. Hope to hear from you soon. Enclosed you will find Drft. Use all the money you want. Will send you more to come to Chicago.

Kiss Paul for me & remember me to all. Will write again in a day or two.

Yours | Clarence

MS: ALS, Darrow Family. ENVELOPE ADDRESS: Mrs. Jessie Darrow | Edna | Minnesota | Polk Co. POSTMARK: Ashtabula 4 April 1887.

TO PAUL DARROW • JEFFERSON, OHIO • TUESDAY 19 APRIL 1887

C. S. DARROW, | ATTORNEY AT LAW.

Dear little Paul

I wish I was in Minnesota tonight to see you and ma ma. It is lonesome for me here without you. I went to Chicago the other day and saw Aunt Mary18 and Uncle Everett.¹⁹ They both wanted to see you and I told them you would come before long. I went to the theater and saw a funny play. Will take you there when we go.

I got your letter & was glad to hear from you. I am going to Chicago in a few days and then I will go to Minn. or send for you & Mamma. Now you must be good to Mamma & mind every thing she tells you and not make her any trouble, and then every body will think you are a nice boy. Write me an other letter when mama does.

from Papa.

MS: ALS, Darrow Family. DATE AND PLACE: “postmarked from Jefferson, Ohio | April 19, 1887” is appended.

TO THE ASHTABULA (OHIO) DEMOCRATIC STANDARD • CHICAGO • WEDNESDAY 24 AUGUST 1887

When I left “Benighted Ashtabula” I made you a rash promise that at some future time I would write a letter for THE STANDARD. I had not much idea of fulfilling the agreement when I made it and I have no doubt but you hoped I would not, however this morning I determined to surprise you by keeping my word. I will not bother you with any personal narrative of what I have done since leaving Ashtabula, although a full account of this kind would not add much to the length of this letter.

A few days ago I made a pilgrimage to the county jail (I was not in charge of an officer) and as many of Chicago’s most celebrated men are now residing there it might interest some of your readers to tell you what I saw. The sheriff of this county is much more particular than my old friend Latimer²⁰ for when I marched up to the office and asked to go in, he refused me admittance. I was somewhat surprised at this but when he asked me my name, business and where I hailed from I felt considerably reassured. I told him my name and that I wanted to see the Anarchists, and then, as he still hesitated, I added that I came from the home of Giddings²¹ and Wade.²² Imagine my surprise when he looked me over a moment and said, “chestnuts!” This was the first time I had ever known those names to fail one in a public place. As I still insisted that my credentials were good, he looked up at me and said, “who are Giddings and Wade, anyhow?” I was disgusted at his ignorance, but informed him that they were former residents of Jefferson and greatly respected in their day and generation. His next question showed the most dense ignorance, it stunned me like a thunderbolt. “Where is Jefferson?” I told him that it was west of Denmark, east of Eagleville and about three miles from Grigg’s Corners. He seemed to locate it by this minute description and after some further parley I succeeded in getting in. I was very much in hopes that I would not have as much trouble in getting out.

About half of the board of Cook County Commissioners are spending their vacation in this retreat; they belong to both the leading political parties, each is about evenly represented; there is perhaps a slight Republican majority, but a full canvass of the jail would doubtless show a sufficient Democratic plurality in the balance of the institution to overthrow any Republican majority here. I will not weary you with a description of these men, all of your readers have seen commissioners.

After looking over these ex-officials I went to another portion of the jail to see the anarchists. As I had never seen an anarchist before coming to Chicago and had heard so much of these, I was naturally very anxious to see them. Perhaps a short narrative of the Haymarket riot for which these men are condemned to death might be of interest as it happened more than a year ago and its details are nearly forgotten. The first day of May, 1887, was the day generally appointed by labor organizations throughout the United States to strike for eight hours work, as righteous an object as any body of men ever tried to achieve. All the large cities were very much agitated, particularly Chicago. On the evening of the 2d a large body of laboring men held a meeting to aid this cause near McCormick’s factory. At this meeting a riot took place, some of the union men who had been supplanted by non-union men making a rush upon the McCormick works with stones and bricks. The police were present and opened fire on the crowd dispersing them and killing several. On the 4th a meeting was called to protest against this act of the police. The meeting was held at the Haymarket, which is a wide portion of Randolph street. After the meeting was nearly over and the largest part of the audience had gone home, the police marched up and ordered it to disperse; as they did not obey this order they made a charge upon the crowd when a bomb was thrown from their midst killing eight policemen and wounding several more. Two of the eight men now under sentence were present when the bomb was thrown, one was speaking, and six of them had been there at some portion of the meeting. No one claims to know who threw the bomb and no one pretends that any of the defendants did the throwing. The theory on which a conviction was had, is that the defendants were members of a general conspiracy to overthrow the government by force, and that the bomb was thrown in furtherance of that conspiracy, although there is no evidence to show who threw it. It is not pretended that there was a conspiracy to kill any particular persons or to do the deed at any particular time, but it is claimed that there was a general conspiracy to use force at some time although there is no evidence that this meeting was called for that purpose. On the trial evidence was offered of the inflammatory speeches of the defendants, going back several years, also evidence of articles published in their papers counselling violence, and covering a space of several years, evidence of the speeches of three of the defendants on the particular evening which were inflammatory and violent, but in all these speeches no particular act was counselled, and no particular persons were designated, but wild, reckless, inflammatory, general statements were made many of them as brainless as Foraker’s utterance about the rebel flags.23 Also evidence was offered showing that one of the defendants had been in the business of making bombs for some time and one the day of the riot. The legal questions raised are numerous, the principal and vital one being whether general statements and advice to murder, without designating any time, place or person, can make one liable for the act of some one else who is supposed to be influenced by these inflammatory utterances. The above I believe is a fair statement of the case and of course there is great difference of opinion as to what will be the outcome. It is now awaiting the action of the Supreme Court, who have arrived at the decision weeks ago but have not made it public.

Eight men have been convicted of the crime, one, Parsons,²⁴ an American, Fielden,²⁵ an Englishman, and the rest, Spies,²⁶ Schwab,²⁷ Engel,²⁸ Fischer,²⁹ Lingg³⁰ and Neebe,³¹ are Germans. Seven are condemned to death and the last mentioned to fifteen years imprisonment. He would doubtless have received the same as the rest had not the States Atty. told the jury he did not consider the evidence strong enough against him to warrant it.

They are a good looking, intelligent lot of men. At first they were not inclined to talk, but after assuring them that “I was something of a crank myself,” although “I knew nothing about dynamite,” they entered freely into conversation with me. Parsons is a bright, talkative fellow, about thirty five years old. I told him it was reported in Ohio that he was a delegate to the convention that nominated Hayes, and that he was one who was instrumental in fixing the vote of Louisiana. He indignantly denied both accusations and said that although he had been a leading Republican in Texas he had no hand in that job, and that doubtless the story that he helped count out Tilden in Louisiana came from the idea that he was an anarchist and had no regard for law.32 I told him I was very glad to know he was not in that affair and explained to him that I thought the idea hurt his case, still I was not sure as I knew John Sherman was in it, and the Republicans of Ohio had indorsed him for President.³³ I had considerable conversation with all these men and on the whole they are very intelligent, earnest men and I could not help feeling sorry for them. Fielden was once a Methodist preacher but it is not thought even by ministers of other denominations that this had anything to do with his present condition.

It is very hard for one who like me believes that the injustice of this world can only be remedied through law, and order and system, to understand how intelligent men can believe that the repeal of all laws can better the world; but this is their doctrine and it is also the doctrine of many men throughout the world. That these men believed that law should be overturned by force is also true. They imagine that wealth is so strong that it controls legislation and elections, and that we can only abolish present evils by wiping out capital and starting over new. Very few men question their sincerity, it is simply to be determined whether one who advocates doctrines that the world believes to be wild and revolutionary, who wildly and generally advises killing and destroying, without however counselling the doing of any particular act against any particular person, can be held guilty of murder if some one does kill when it is supposed that he is influenced by this foolish talk.

For my part, I say now as I always have, that I believe the establishment of such a doctrine would be a vital blow at freedom of speech and of the press, and far more dangerous to human liberty and happiness than all the foolish speeches ever made in America, even including crazy Fairchild’s famous advice to the Lord to kill the President of the United States.34 There are very few even among anarchists and socialists in Chicago who believe in the use of force, but it is safe to say that three-fourths of all the laboring men of the city believe their conviction was wrong, while very many other honest men and women who have no sympathy with or belief in their doctrines believe that it will be a sad mistake to hang these men.

You will see by this that I still retain my unfortunate habit of looking at many questions in a different light from the majority and of always being ready to express my opinions as it is; but I hope you will not conclude that I am an anarchist, for the more I study, the stronger I am convinced that we need more laws and better rather than fewer, and that although those who believe in anarchy comb their hair and wash their faces and wear as good clothes as most people, still I think their doctrines are wild if their eyes are not.

With best wishes to yourself and readers and assuring you that I will not bore you or them again, I am, as ever,

Your friend, | C.S. DARROW.

Chicago, August 24, 1887.

MS: “Chicago,” Ashtabula (Ohio) Democratic Standard, 2 September 1887.

TO GEORGE SCHILLING • CHICAGO • SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER 1887

– OFFICE OF– | C. S. DARROW, Oct 15th 1887

Dear Schilling

I suppose you keep an eye on Chicago matters and learned that there is a movement on foot to have a mass meeting for Anarchists on Thursday eve of next week, if the mayor & police do not interfere. Some time ago you asked me if I would speak at such a meeting. I would be glad to if you wished but do not know many of the boys.³⁵ I think I could also get Mr. Salter & perhaps Gen. Trumbull. [ . . . ]36 adopted by “land and labor” club. They were published in Herald. I prepared them and although they were not as strong as I really felt, I thought they were best that way. They have been sent to George.³⁷ Am sorry your resolution did not go through at Minneapolis.³⁸ With best regards

I am yours, | C S Darrow

MS: ALS, IHi, Schilling Papers.

TO JESSIE DARROW • UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO • TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 1887

PIERSON HOUSE.

Dear Jessie

I have only a moment to write you now as I take train in ten minutes to go to Marion. Hope I will find a letter there for me. I have spoken every night since coming and am getting tired.³⁹ Shall go to Columbus Sunday & if they will let me off I will not speak next week. Have had good meetings and pretty good crowds all the time. I spoke at Napoleon. Saw Elsie & the baby.⁴⁰ They are both well. The baby has grown a great deal since I saw it. It walks every where & talks a great deal & is a bright smart boy. Looks some like Paul.

I always intend to write longer letters but when I get into a train there are always a lot of fellows to meet me and take my time. But I will try to write more in the future. I do not know as there is any thing else to say. I have been well and having a pretty lively time but I get home sick and will be glad when it is over. Tell little Paul I will write to him next in a day or two. Hope you are having a good time.

Yours | Clarence

MS: ALS, Darrow Family. ENVELOPE ADDRESS: Mrs C.S. Darrow | Chicago | Ill | 2737 Prairie Av. POSTMARK: “Tol & Col.,” 25 October 1887.