The rally began peacefully under a light rain on the evening of May 4,1886. August Spies spoke to a crowd estimated variously between 600 and 3,000 while standing in an open wagon adjacent to the square on Des Plaines Street. He said "There seems to prevail the opinion in some quarters that this meeting has been called for the purpose of inaugurating a riot, hence these warlike preparations on the part o f so-called 'law and order.' However, let me tell you at the beginning that this meeting has not been called for any such purpose. The object of this meeting is to explain the general situation of the eight-hour movement and to throw light upon various incidents in connection with it." Incident in Hey market in Chicago Following Spies' speech, the crowd was addressed by Albert R. Parsons.The crowd was so calm that Mayor Carter Harrison, Sr., who had stopped by to watch, walked home early.Fielden spoke for 20 minutes,at about 10:30 pm, just as Fielden w...
He always has a different theory !