Anarchists.
The battle on the part of society against the anarchists in the
United States may be said to have been fought and won. From the close of the
Civil War up to 1886, the number of anarchists in the country constantly increased.
The organization is supposed to have had its origin in
Russia, the object of its existence being apparently to secure greater freedom for the people through the assassination of those government officers.
most notably the Czar, who to the popular notion embodied tyranny.
The members of anarchist bands knew but five of their fellows, though the society at one time is said to have had over 40,000 members.
The members were divided into groups of six, one member of each group communicating with one of another, thus forming a great chain, but diminishing the fear of traitors.
The oaths of the members are said to be of a most terrible character.
From its original inception anarchism soon changed until the members of the society in all lands were regarded as standing solely for the overthrow of existing institutions.
The growth of the society in this country began to alarm police officials.
The agitators kept busy among the unemployed masses in all the large cities.
Dire predictions were made when on May 4, 1886, an anarchistic meeting in
Chicago resulted in such a disturbance that the people became aroused and anarchy received a death-blow.
On the night of May 4, a great number of anarchists held a meeting in Haymarket Square,
Chicago.
The city was in a restless state at the time because of frequent labor troubles.
One of the speakers waved a red flag and shouted to the people to get dynamite and blow up the houses of the rich,. At these words a small body of police charged the anarchists.
Suddenly a dynamite bomb was thrown at the officers, and five officers and four civilians in the crowd were killed.
Seven of the leading anarchists were arrested, and after a trial
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were condemned to death.
The sentences of two of them were afterwards commuted to life imprisonment, but in 1894 they were pardoned by
Governor Altgeld. One of the anarchists committed suicide while in prison and four were hanged.
On July 30, 1900,
Angelo Bressi, an anarchist, formerly residing in
Paterson, N. J., assassinated King Humbert I., at Mozana,
Italy.
See
Altgeld, John Peter;
Chicago. 
