The Rise and Fall of Anarchy in America: From its Incipient Stage to the First Bomb Thrown in Chicago

In Short

George N. McLean’s 1888 account offers an immediate, partisan chronicle of the 1886 Haymarket tragedy in Chicago and the trial that followed. Beginning with the radicalization of labor groups like the Lehr und Wehr Verein, the book tracks the plotting of armed resistance, the fatal bomb explosion, and the sensational court battle that doomed several anarchist leaders. Written in the immediate aftermath of the event, it stands as a vivid piece of 19th-century courtroom documentary and a window into the period's deep fears of social revolution and civic disorder.

The Story

The chronicle opens by tracing the growth of radicalism within Chicago’s labor movements. Driven by grievances over working conditions and the struggle for an eight-hour workday, various immigrant and American working-class factions begin organizing. Among these groups, the armed section known as the Lehr und Wehr Verein meets in secret spaces like Greif’s Hall to drill and discuss revolutionary tactics. Agitators publish inflammatory literature in outlets like the Arbeiter Zeitung and the Alarm, openly advocating the use of firearms and dynamite to overthrow capitalistic structures and resist police authority.

Tensions culminate in May 1886. Following violent clashes between police and striking workers near the McCormick plant, radical leaders issue a call to arms for a mass protest at Haymarket Square. Secret signals, including the word "Ruhe" published in the press, are set to mobilize the armed groups. During the rally, as speakers address the crowd, police advance to disperse the assembly. A dynamite bomb is thrown into the police ranks, causing devastating loss of life and wounding dozens of officers.

The narrative then shifts entirely to the hall of justice. The state unleashes a sweeping investigation, arresting key leaders including Albert Parsons, August Spies, Samuel Fielden, Adolph Fischer, George Engel, and Louis Lingg. The prosecution frames the case as a vast conspiracy, asserting that even if the specific bomb-thrower remains unproven, the defendants' violent speeches and writings directly incited the massacre. The trial features intense jury selection, key testimony from former conspirators who turn state's evidence, and detailed descriptions of physical evidence such as dynamite shells.

The defense, led by Captain W. P. Black, struggles against public outrage and prejudice, asserting that the defendants are being tried for their political opinions rather than direct participation in the bombing. Despite their arguments, the jury returns a guilty verdict. Seven men are sentenced to death and one to long-term imprisonment. The legal battle extends through appeals to the Supreme Court, but the original verdict stands. After fiery final speeches from the dock and Lingg's suicide in his cell, four of the condemned men—Parsons, Spies, Fischer, and Engel—are executed by hanging, while others have their sentences commuted. The authority of the state is reasserted over the threat of anarchy.

How It Unfolds

The seeds of revolt Secret meetings of the Lehr und Wehr Verein take place at Greif’s Hall, where radical leaders organize armed sections, plan militia armory raids, and preach that force is the only means to overthrow the government.

The call to arms Incendiary handbills invite working men to assemble at Haymarket Square to denounce police violence, while the publication of the code word "Ruhe" signals the armed factions to prepare for revolutionary action.

The fatal explosion As police officers arrive to disperse the mass meeting at Haymarket Square, a dynamite bomb is thrown into their midst, resulting in severe casualties and immediate municipal panic.

The courtroom battle State's Attorney Grinnell presents physical evidence, including dynamite bombs and radical publications, while defense counsel Captain Black argues that public fear and prejudice are driving an unjust prosecution.

The final defiance From the witness stand and the dock, the accused men deliver passionate speeches attacking the capitalist press, asserting their innocence as murderers, and declaring their willingness to die for their principles.

The sentence executed After appeals are denied and Louis Lingg takes his own life in prison, Spies, Parsons, Fischer, and Engel are executed, bringing the trial to its grim finality.

The People

• Albert R. Parsons: An eloquent American labor leader and editor of the Alarm. He seeks to organize wage earners against perceived capitalist oppression, believing force is inevitable, but later insists his speeches were born of excitement rather than murder. He goes to the gallows maintaining his innocence as an accessory.
• August Spies: Editor of the Arbeiter Zeitung who writes radical editorials and speaks at the Haymarket rally. He attempts to tone down explicit calls to arm on handbills, yet finds his writings used as prime evidence of conspiracy, ultimately facing execution for his leadership role.
• Samuel Fielden: A former English Methodist minister turned labor agitator. He delivers impassioned speeches advocating for the working class, but after his conviction to penal servitude, expresses regret for his violent language and denies any intention to incite crime.
• Adolph Fischer: A radical printer who helps organize the Haymarket meeting and inserts calls for workers to arm. He remains unrepentant, asserting that he dies for his principles as an anarchist rather than as a criminal.
• State's Attorney Julius S. Grinnell: The lead prosecutor who relentlessly pursues the conviction of the defendants, arguing that their incendiary speeches directly caused the tragedy and that upholding the law requires their execution.
• Captain W. P. Black: The primary defense attorney who fights to shield the accused from public passion, maintaining that the state must prove a direct link between the defendants and the actual bomb-thrower.

In Its Own Voice

"The revolutionist must dedicate his life exclusively to his idea, living in this world only for the purpose of more surely destroying it."

— Extract read by the prosecution from Parsons' paper, the Alarm, outlining the uncompromising ideology attributed to the radical movement.

"Fear is the mother of cruelty, and perhaps that will account in some measure for the bitterness with which the State has prosecuted this case."

— Defense attorney Captain W. P. Black addressing the jury on the intense public prejudice surrounding the courtroom proceedings.

"If the ruling classes think that by hanging us, hanging a few Anarchists, they can crush out Anarchy, they will be badly mistaken, because the Anarchist loves his principles more than his life."

— Adolph Fischer addressing the court before receiving his sentence.

What It's Really About

The book examines the clash between state authority and radical labor movements during a period of intense industrial expansion. It explores how public fear and systemic outrage shape the boundaries of the legal system during times of crisis. Beneath the narrative of the crime and trial lies a deep anxiety over foreign influence, economic disparity, and the limits of free speech. The text presents a fundamental conflict of perspectives: the state views the agitators as dangerous conspirators intent on destroying social order through violence, while the defendants view themselves as champions of the working class who are being sacrificed to protect capitalistic interests.

Why Read It Today

This work serves as a primary-source portrait of one of the most volatile moments in American labor history. Readers interested in legal history, social movements, and true-crime documentations will find value in its raw, unvarnished presentation of trial proceedings, testimony, and contemporary press excerpts.

The reading experience feels immediate and visceral, reflecting the sharp polarization of the 1880s. The prose alternates between formal legal transcripts, emotional speeches from the dock, and the author's moralizing commentary. Readers should be prepared for period-specific language, dense transcripts of cross-examinations, and an unashamedly pro-prosecution stance that reflects the establishment attitudes of the era. The text does not attempt neutrality; rather, its historical worth comes from capturing the exact rhetoric, fear, and ideological fury that defined the Haymarket trial, leaving a lasting impression of how quickly civil discourse can break down under the weight of economic tension.