Early in 1886 labor unions were beginning a movement for an eight-hour day. Serious trouble was anticipated and on May 1 many workers struck for shorter hours. An active group of radicals and anarchists became involved in the campaign. Two days later shooting and one death occurred during a riot at the McCormick Harvester plant when police tangled with the rioters.
On May 4 events reached a tragic climax at Haymarket Square where a protest meeting was called to denounce the events of the preceding day. At this meeting, while police were undertaking to disperse the crowd, a bomb was exploded. Policeman Mathias J. Degan died almost instantly and seven other officers died later.
Eight men were finally brought to trial and Judge Joseph E. Gary imposed the death
sentence on seven of them and the eighth was given fifteen years in prison. Four
were hanged, one committed suicide and the sentences of two were commuted from
death to imprisonment for life.
