A KNIGHT OF LABOR; OK, THElASTERWORKlAI'SfOW A >EW AND ORIGINAL DRAMA, DEPICTING STIRRING INCIDENTS RELATIVE TO THE GREAT gl'ESTlON OF LABOR AND CAPITAL, BY F. PIERCE HUMMEL, OF READING, PA. Entered according to act of Congress in tlie year 1 7 c. -A 0.1^ A KNIGHT OF LABOR: OR, THE MASTER WORKMAN'S ?0W A NEW AND ORIGINAL DRAMA, t)EPICTING STIRRING INCIDENTS RELATIVE TO THE GREAT QUESTION OF LABOR AND CAPITAL, I3>T FOTJJEl ^^OTS, F. PIERCE^HUMMEL, OF READING, PA. NOV 9 1888 _) / Entered aceordiug to act of Congress in the year 1 \\\v Characters. Reese Watkins, The Master "Workman. Tom WiLBtTR, his Faithful Friend and Brother Knight. Jack Dabble, alias "Facility Jack," a Traitor. Acting Master Workman. Secretary. Basil Brandon, a rich Mill-Owner's son. Jimmy Isaacs, alias "Jimmy the Eat," the Hebrew Friend. Sam Lambert, a Newsboy; the Faithful little Friend Police Sergeant, Mc Gonnigle, a Model Officer. Mr. Corliss, a Modern Debaucher. Zeb Grinnell, a Thieving Hotel Porter. Lawyer Pincher, Counsel for the Prosecution. Lawyer Brown, Counsel for the Defence. Judge of Court. Warden. Mrs. Watkins, the Master Workman's Wife. Ruth Watkins, their Daughter. Mother Grinnell, an Old Hag. Knights of Labor, Officers, Citizens, ie:.n ex?'ts door ^. in fiat. Tom takes position l. hack, Ruth l, front. Soft rnusic until after Tom's first speech.] Ruth. [We^^vously.] I tremble at his approach, not know- ing whether I shall encounter his love or his hate. [Enter Warden daor r. m fiat bringing in Reese. Warden exits door e. in fiM. Reese sees Ruth and seems dazed for a moment ; then Ms lips quimi^ and his entire body shak^with molent emotion ] Ruth. [Falling on her knees before him in pitiful repen- tance] Father, dear. I've come to you. Kill me if you will, but, oh, have pity if you can! Reese. [ Without noticing her, looks around slowly, then notices Tom and speaks in a choking voice.] Oh, Heaven, Tom, what shall I do ? Tom. Pity and forgive your child. There's no use in being angry with those who love us, Reese, when there are so many peojDle in the world who deserve our hate. Poor Ruth has been greatly wronged. Reese. But she has wronged us all, man. She has disgraced our honest name, and brought ruin to our little home. She has cast the shadow of shame upon me by her guilty love for a rep- robate, and made the community regard me as a criminal, Ruth. [Looking up wistfully .] Oh, father, father dear, don't talk like that I have been wayward, disobedient and foolish, but not guilty in the sense you say. My love wag a mistake, but not a crime. Ree«e. [Indignantly.] Not a crime lass ! not a crime? In Heaven's name, then, what do you call it ? What do yon A KNIGHT OF LA^OE. 31 think the woi'ld calls it, wheu a girl cared for as tenderly as you, runs away from her home in the night with a young ruffian who has no regard f i r Q,nj woman's reputation ? I call that the worst crime a woman can be guilty of, and I am strongly temp- ted to kill you. How dare you come back and look me in the face ? EuTH. I would not come back but that I heard you were in trouble, and 1 could not bear to think that I had caused it all. Eeesk. How much better do you think you have made things by coming? I hate the sight of you^ Leave this place at once before I am tempted to strike you, and let me never see your face again. EuTH. {^Rising to her feet and flinging her arms despairingly around her father'' s neck. Eeese looks at her repulsively.} Father, dear, don't drive me away thus ! Kiss your own little Euth — say you forgive her, and I'll leave Throckton this very night, never, never to come back and annoy you with my presence again. Eeese. iShaJcing her off and speaking impassionately .~\ Silence ! I'll hear no more ! I loved you once as I did my own life, but you deliberately plunged into a vortex of degre- dation and shame, and brought dishonor upon us, causing me to hate you as I would a reptile ! Now go out into the world, it may tolerate you if it will not trust you. To me, you are dead forever, and I would not own you if your's should be the last eyes into which I might look from the scaffold on my way to eternity! \f)oft music until curtain. ] EtJTH. {Meantime legging piteously for mercy. '\ Father! Eeese. {Very impassionately .'\ Begone! On your life, I command you ! {Rushing furiously toward Euth, who screams and totters, Tom catching her limpless in his arms at l. front. Mbs. Watkins, Sam and Wakden enter hurriedly door r in flat looking startled. Mrs. WJLTKms takes positioni. c. Warden, K. Sam, e, f?'o}it. Tom. {Holdi7ig up his hand beseechingly to Eeese. J Mercy on your child! [Eeese stands transfixedly .'] Picture — Curtahst. 32 A KNIGHT OF LABOK. ACT IV. Court Room. — Practical centre doors. — Judge on bench i>. back — Cleek l. front of same at table. — Witness box r. front of Clerk — Jury l. — Audience extreme R. — Mrs. Watkins, EuTH, Tom, Basil, and Sam r. — Basil disguised in lightbrown beard, wig and working clothes, — E,eese and Lawyer Brown at table near front centime —Lawyer Pincher and3Ac^ at table near l. front, — All seated. — Soft music at rise of curtain.'] Pincher. [Rising, facing Judge and bowing.] May it please the court. [Tu7ming to Juby.] Gentlemen of the jury. The prisoner at the bar, Eeese Watkins. [Pointing to Keese,] is indicted here for the murder of Basil Brandon. The crime was committed under the following circumstances : Some time ago the victim eloped with the prisoner's daughter, and this so eD raged the father that it finally culminated in a murderous ■ hate, and led him to slay the supposed destroyer of his child. This is no imaginative sketch, no theory, no coinage of the brain, no circustantial combination of circumstances, but a grim fact which we propose proving by competent testimony. We can show you, gentlemen, that this man, Reese "Watkins, solemn- ly vowed to take Basil Brandon's life, and that he kept his vow, and slew one of the most promising young men that ever adorn- ed the social circles of Throckton. Some may say that he had great provocation ; but no provocation justifies the taking of human life, the shedding of one man's blood by another. Besides, when this deed was done, Eeese Watkins did not know whether he had been injured to any extent. He jumped at a rash conclusion, and indulged in a wild revenge. Society must j)rotect itself against such lawless conduct and we therefore ask for a verdict of guilty. 1 shall now call the first witness, Samuel Lambert. [Resumes his seat.] Sam. [Gom.es forioard reluctantly, addresses Eeese sadly.] What can I do to aid you ? Reese. Sam, lad, speak the truth. Don't swear a lie for me. No, boy ; if it should save my life, don't commit perjury and crush your conscience with a false oath. Tell the truth, what- ever eomes. A KNIGHT OF LABOR. 33 PiNCHER. The prisoner's advice is not needed. This wit- ness needs no coaching from anybody. [Reese look^ co7itemptuously at Pinchejr. Sam takss the witness stand, and is sworn by (Jlebk by uplifted hand.] PiNCHEK, Did you hear Reese Watitins vow that he would take Basil Brandon's life ? Sam. [Wistfully to Judge.] Must I answer that? Judge. [Kindly, \ Yes, boy ; answer the question. Sam. Well, if 1 must, I s'pose I must. I did hear Reese Wat- kins say that if Basil Brandon wronged Ruth, he would kill him. PiNCHER. ['Triumphantly.] When was this ? Sam. The night I told him that I saw Basil Brandon and Ruth goiu' out on the river from the Witches' Landing in a row boat. He was a good deal excited, and mebbe he didn't know what he was saying. Pinch EK. Stop, stop ! We don't want your opinion. We simply want to know the facts. You told him you saw Basil Brandon and Ruth Watkins going off in a small row boat, and then the prisoner, Reese Watkins, said he would kill Basil Bran- don. Did he swear that he would do it? Sam. I believe he did, sir. Pinchejr. Are you quite sure that he did? Sam. I believe I am. PiNCHER. That will do, Yoa may step aside. Bkovvn. We have no questions to ask this witness. [Sam leaoeg the witness stand and resumes his seat.] PiNCHER. VVb will now call Jack Dabble. [Jack takes the witness stand, slightly intoxicated, and is sioo?yi as before] PiNCHEB. Your name is Jack Dabble ? Jack. It is. PiNCHER. Did you witness the murder of Basil Brandon ? Jack. I did. PiNCHER. State the circumstances as well as you can remember. Jack. It was a dark night. The moon had gone down. I was loitering about the mill, where I expected to sleep that night, when I was aroused by a scuffle between two men. I crept closer, and saw that one of them was Basil Brandon and the other Reese Watkins. Brandon was struck down by Watkins, who held a bar of iron in his hands. Then a third party came up and helped Watkins. I think the third party was a man calling himself Dick Russell, Watkins and Rassell both struck Bran- don on the head and face. He moaned pitifully and cried for mercy, but they called him a dog, and said he must die. At last, when he was not able to speak any longer, they flung him into the river, where his body was fouhd shortly after by some of the mill hands. [Reese looks sternly at Jack.] 34 A KNIGHT OF LABOR. Brown, You say you saw all this. What, then, was your motive for keeping it secret at first? Jack. Because I was afraid of Watkins' friends. I feared they would do me violence in case I appeared against him, and for a time I made up my mind not to say anything about the matter. Bkown. Did you ever ask Eeese Watkins' daughter Euth to become your wife ? Jack. I don't see what that's got to do with it. Brown. Well, we will show you presently. You are not ex- actly what might be called a dude, Mr. Dabble, but I understand that you occasionally try to play the masher. Is it not true that you asked Euth Watkins to become your wife, and, when she refused you, you said you would swear her father's life away ? Jack. [Hissingly.^ It is false! I never asked her any such thing, and whoever says so lies. Beown. That will do, Mr. Dabble, Don't show your anjelic temper. We will excuse you for the present, but I would recommend the officers of the court to keep an eye on you, as we may need you again. [Jack steps from the witness stand and resumes his seat ] PiNCHEB. [^Rising and addressing the Judge.] Your Honor, we have no more witnesses to call on behalf of the Common- wealth. {^Resumes his seat.'\ Bkown. {Rising ; facing Judge and hotDing.l If the court please. [Turning to Jury.] Gentlemen of the jury. The great injustice that has been done my client [Pointing to Reese,] by trumping up this terrible charge against him and deprivmg him of the precious boon of liberty, stands without a parallel in the annals of criminal procedure. I shall not call many witnesses, yet I trust to be able to prove to you gentlemen of the jury, to my fellow citizens of Throckton, and to the wide world, that this brave, ' patient, and noble hearted man, Eeese Watkins, [Pointing to ^^^^'k,'] is innocent of the fearful charge against him, and for which he has suffered so much already. The evidence, establishing these facts, will be of such a char- acter as will secure his triumphant acquittal at your hands. I shall now proceed to call our first witness, Eichard Eussell. [Basil takes the witness stand and is sicorn as before ] Beown. [To Basil.] Please state to the court and jury what you know regarding an interview between Euth Watkins and Jack Dabble, in which the latter threatened to swear away Reese Watkins' life because his daughter refused to become his wife. Basil. Last evening I was down along the river bank, below the Steel Mills, where I overheard a conversation between Euth Watkins and Jack Dabble. I was completely hidden ^from A KNIGHT OF LABOK. 35 their view by a clnmp of trees, but I heard all that was said. From their conversation, I soon learned that Miss Watkins was enticed to that place by Dabble under the pretext that he could save her father's life. Among other things, he said to her : " Be my wife and I'll not swear against your father." This she firmly refused. Then he became violent and said : "That's your father's death sentence." PiNCHEK. And you swear positively that you saw and heard all this? Basil. I do. PiNCHER. [Jumping tip excited.] Well, sir, nobody but a sneak and a coward would be guilty of such conduct. [Smiting the table.] and besides, we don't know who you are, what you are, or where you came from. The principal witness here thinks you were an accomplice of Watkins in the murder of Basil Brandon, and, if justice were done, you would not be al- lowed to testify at all. I repeat, sii-, that we don't know who you are, what you are, or where you came from. Basil. [Triumphantly.] Then, sir, you shall know ! lam Basil Brandon ! [Quickly plucks aicay his disguise. Marks of imuiid on right temple seen. Stands transfixedly., looking at PiNCHER. Chord and hurried music until Ruth speaks. Everybody jumps iip startled. WATKiinf sfnends cheer. Judge raps for order u^hen everybody quiets down.] Ruth. [To her mother.] Mother see ! It is Basil Brandon come back from the grave ! [Jack makes a break for centre door but is quickly caught by Tom at centre back ] Tom. Dabble, you are cornered at last. It is j^our turn now to occupy a prison cell, and I think the law will have little mercy for you Jack. [Tremblingly.] Tom, for Heaven's sake let me go. Tom. No! You have been too long at large, while honest men have been suffering for your crimes. You belong to the law, and so heartless a wretch as you need expect no mercy. You have used your liberty to make life a burden to others, and you deserve the severest penalties that can be imposed for ail the bitterness and sorrow you have brought upon an honest narn ^' PiNCHEB. [To Basil.] Well, I declare ! Can it be possible that this is really Basil Brandon ? Basil, Yes, it is Basil Brandon himself, and he is here to see that justice is done to more than one person who has been greatly wronged by what some of you may call a rash mistake, but what I call a cruel outrage. Reese Wlaatkins has suffered, his poor wife has suffered, his charming daughter, Ruth, has suffered and been greatly wronged ; but I too have been a suf- 36 A KNIGHT OF LABOR. ferer, and though I have not come back from the grave, as many of you doubtless supposed when you first saw me, I have come back from the border-land of death. PiNCHEE. But what is the meaning of this melodramatic demonstration ? Why have you caused your family so much misery, when you might have relieved them from anxiety and remorse ? Basil. I don't blame anyone for chiding me. It looks as if I had played a mean part toward everyone, and especially to- ward the young lady whom I had invited to become my wife, and who gave me her confidence and her heart, but after you have heard me, I do not think a man or woman in this court room will be willing to say that I have done wrong. [Looks at Judge.] Judge. Go on with your story, Basil. The night that Miss Watkins and I rowed across the river our intentions were to be married by the Rev. Ira Wood- burn at his residence on the other side, but a fatal mishap to the clergyman prevented the ceromony. We then concluded to go to New York and be married there the following morning. We arrived in that city late at night, went to a hotel and registered as "Basil Brandon and sister." Shortly after I went to my room, a thieving hotel porter entered who attacked and robbed me and afterward flung my helpless body through the window into the court-yard below. From that momen^^nd for weeks after, the world was a blank to me until one day^ found myself a pa- tient in St. Vincent's Hospital. As soon as I had sufficiently re- covered, I left there determined upon hunting down my assail- ant, but when I learned that the father of my affianced wife was to be tried for a murder that he did not commit, I resolved to come back at once and save an innocent man's life. PiNCHER. Why did you not reveal yourself at once and ob- viate the necessity of these proceedings? Basil. Because the condition in which I found things here, suggested the wisdom of my waiting to see how far • injustice would go in wronging an innocent man. The perfidiaous testi- mony of Jack Dabble satisfied me on that point, and so I felt that the time had come for me to speak, and put an end to this tragical farce that had been carried on in the name of the Law. You see that Reese Watkins has not taken my life. The scoun- drel who attempted it is still at large, and if I should succeed in catching and convicting him, I could die happy, PiNCHER. [ With Old-like solemnity'] But whose body was taken from the river, indentified as yours, and buried from the family mansion ? A KNIGHT OF LA^OE. 37 Basil. [Smiling.] It certainly was not mine, and I'm as- tonished that you should ask such a ridiculous question, PiNCHER. [Dri/ly.] I don't ask you, young man. I merely ask the question on general principles. Somebody has been killed — somebody thdt must have looked very much like you, else the victim would not be identified by your own parents as their son, and mourned and buried with all the honors that be- longed to you. Basil. Mr. Pincher, that fellow was a usurper, and he must get out of my grave as soon as possible. 1 shall also dispose of a second-hand tombstone and epitaph cheap — in fact, I may add, '• dirt cheap," as the dealers say, since I don't expect to have any use for such things for many years to come. PiNCHEE. That's very smart indeed, sir. But we would like to know who was murdered and flung into the river the night that Mr, Dabble witnessed the tragedy of which he has told this court and jury. Basil. 1 can't enlighten you as to that. [Enter Jimmy quickly at centre door.] Jimmy. But I can! [Chord.] [E'veryhody looks surprised at Mm. J Pincher. [To Simmy.] What brought you here." Jimmy. Masgular action. Bkown. [I'o Basil.] That will do Mr, Brandon. [Basil leaves the witness stand and resumes his seat.] Bkown. James Isaacs, please take the witness stand. [Jimmy takes the witness stand and is sworn as before.] PiNCHEE. [To JiMiMY.] What do you know about this affair ? . Jimmy. I know de coat vot vos took from de river. It vos Zeb GrinnelL Basil. [Rising excitedly.] "What! the scoundrel who at= tempted my life and robbed me in the hotel ! [Resuines his seat.] JiMAfY, [Cooly.] Der same schnoozer, I heard him tell his mudder how he robbed you. Dey tought dot pooty gal over dere [Pointing to Ruth,] vos your sister, un' af eared dot she might make drouble, Mudder Grinnell tried to put an end to her too, but I balked de old hag. I carried de gal on my back to a boat, un' vos crossin' de river mit her when a lot of train -robbers over took us, Zeb Grinnell had charge of de gang, for Jack Dabble. I left de gal at Hoboken und dey forced me along. When we got to Throckton, Grinnell, he got owitof de cars, und while he was foolin' around de track he vos run over by anoder train und killed as dead as a salt mackerel. Den de gang took und flung his body into the river afeared dey'd be cotched if dey bothered mit him, Grinnell had on some clothes und jooelry belongin' to Mr. Brandon here, [Pointing to Basil], und dot's, I subbose. 38 A KNIGHT OF LABOK. how everybody fought, vhen de body vos found, dot it vos dis young shentlemen's gorbse, und dot's all I know about it. [^Leaves the witness stand and sits r. ] Judge. [To Juky.] Gentlemen of the jury. In as much as the Commonwealth has utterly failed to make out a case against the defendant at the bar, it would be unjust to convict, and you are therefore directed to render a formal verdict of acquittal without leaving the box. [Jurymen gesticulate with each other.'] Judge. [To Jack.] Jack Dabble: From the evidence here given, you are prima facially guilty of numerous crimes, and you will therefore consider yourself under arrest until such time as you shall have answered to the Law. [To Juky.] Gentle- men of the jury, have you agreed upon a verdict ? Jury, \iiising.'] We have. Judge. What say you? Guilty or not guilty ? Jury. Not guilty ! Judge. And so say you all? Jury. We do. [Jurymen resume tlieir seats.] Judge. A most righteous verdict! [To Keese.] Eeese Watkms, [Eeese rises^ you have been legally and honorably acquitted of the great crime with which you have here been charged, and it is with extreme pleasure that I say to you that you are discharged. [Applause by the spectator's. Eeese bows to the court, then clasps Brown by the hand ] Eeese. [Goes to Mrs. Watkins, and embraces her.'] My wife ! [Goes to B.TJTH, and embraces her.] My child! [Goes to Basil, clasps him by the hand, then takes him to 'Rvts.] Take her! [Music until curtain.] [Then takes position at centre back with Mrs. Watkins.] Jack in the meantime makes a break for centre door, where he is met by an officer, who grasps him lohen he crouches; the latter holding a drawn mace over him. [Flats open at back.] Tableau. Goddess of Justice seen on an elevation. A smaller goddess on each side of her, pointing and looking at her. The one on her right holding a banner in her right hand unth the word '■^ Labor"" on it, and the 07ie on her left holding a banner in her left hand with the word " CapitaV on it Eeese. [Looking up, fervently.] Thank Heaven! Justice at last. Picture — Curtain. THE END. I LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS ■■L. 017 400 659 3 # PRESS OF E. THALHEIMER, READING, PA.