German-born S.L.P. comrade Carl Praeger, a journeyman tailor, who was meaninglessly murdered in San Antonio, Texas at age 36 is laid to rest by his comrades and to the songs of the Lassalle Maennerchor, of which he was a member in life.

‘Comrade Carl Praeger’ from The People. Vol. 8 No. 43. January 22, 1899.

SAN ANTONIO. For the first time since Section San Antonio was organized, death has overtaken one of our comrades; but not death from natural causes: no, he fell by the hand of an assassin, who, crazed by drink, wanted to vent his murderous desire on someone. This victim was Carl Praeger, a journeyman tailor, who on his way home from his shop was without provocation, without even knowing his slayer, shot and instantly killed on Monday, the 2nd instant. His supposed slayer–Rooney, a wealthy stockman from Alpine, is in jail. He disclaims any knowledge of the shooting, al: though he was seen running from the spot on a crowded thoroughfare of San Antonio where the tragedy took place. His attorneys, three in number, already give out their plan of defense: “Temporary or hereditary insanity.” As he is wealthy, he will probably escape punishment, and the workingmen will have another object lesson in class justice.

Section San Antonio, S.L.P. at its regular meeting on January 7, adopted the following resolutions:

“WHEREAS, On January 2, 1899, our comrade and co-worker in the noble cause of Socialism–Carl Praeger–was without provocation assassinated in the prime of life on a public thoroughfare of this city, therefore be it

“RESOLVED. That notwithstanding, the fact, that this awful deed has cast a deep sorrow over us, we harbor no feeling of vengeance or hatred against his slayer, knowing that the perpetrator of this crime is but a product of a system in which a small minority of the people can live in idleness and debauchery–ofttimes leading to murder–while the great masses are in abject dependence and poverty, unprotected in life and limb, the prey of the former: further be it

“RESOLVED. That the untimely death of our comrade only strengthens our determination to redouble our efforts for a speedy abolition of such a vicious, crime-breeding system: to raise our beloved country from a semi-barbaric condition to a higher plane of civilization, where class rule and class justice shall have ceased to exist and crimes like this will be impossible: further be it

“RESOLVED, That we heartily thank all friends for the help and assistance rendered in burying our comrade.

The funeral took place on Wednesday the 4th. Behind the hearse marched the Lassalle Maennerchor with their beautiful red banner, wrapped with crape, Behind them followed Section San Antonio also in line of march, headed by the State Organizer, bearing a wreath with a large red bow, and a red background showing the Arm and Hammer, also the initials of our party, “S.L.P.”; demonstrating to the astonished onlookers that there was such a thing as the brotherhood of men Comrade Chas. Mierow delivered the funeral oration, and the Lassalle Maennerchor, of which deceased was an active member, sung a beautiful dirge.

SECTION SAN ANTONIO, S.L.P.

New York Labor News Company was the publishing house of the Socialist Labor Party and their paper The People. The People was the official paper of the Socialist Labor Party of America (SLP), established in New York City in 1891 as a weekly. The New York SLP, and The People, were dominated Daniel De Leon and his supporters, the dominant ideological leader of the SLP from the 1890s until the time of his death. The People became a daily in 1900. It’s first editor was the French socialist Lucien Sanial who was quickly replaced by De Leon who held the position until his death in 1914. Morris Hillquit and Henry Slobodin, future leaders of the Socialist Party of America were writers before their split from the SLP in 1899. For a while there were two SLPs and two Peoples, requiring a legal case to determine ownership. Eventual the anti-De Leonist produced what would become the New York Call and became the Social Democratic, later Socialist, Party. The De Leonist The People continued publishing until 2008.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-slp/990122-thepeople-v08n43.pdf