Haymarket affair executions: Lingg's suicide and the hanging of four anarchists (1887)

The conclusion of the Haymarket affair legal aftermath in Chicago involved Louis Lingg's suicide on November 10, 1887, followed by the execution of four anarchists on November 11, 1887. Lingg died in his cell using a blasting cap concealed in a cigar, the day before his scheduled hanging. The next day, August Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, and George Engel were hanged for their roles in the conspiracy, marking the end of the immediate legal proceedings.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Louis Lingg was convicted as a member of the criminal conspiracy behind the 1886 Haymarket Square bombing. On November 6, 1887, four bombs were discovered in his cell. He died by suicide on November 10, 1887, the day before he was scheduled to hang. The other defendants, including August Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, and George Engel, faced execution the following day.

Executions. On November 11, 1887, four defendants—Engel, Fischer, Parsons, and Spies—were taken to the gallows in white robes and hoods. They were hanged for conspiracy following the bomb attack on police. This event followed the suicide of Louis Lingg, who killed himself in his cell with a blasting cap concealed in a cigar on November 10, 1887.

Legal Context. The defendants had appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States. The case was characterized by controversial convictions for conspiracy following the bomb attack on police. The executions marked the culmination of the legal proceedings against the anarchists, distinct from the initial bombing event.

People involved

Sources

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