Czolgosz Tria [sic] Experience of the Daily People Buffalo Correspondent

     To THE PEOPLE.—As you already know from my telegram I was refused admission to the court. It was unquestionably an act of deliberate discrimination against the DAILY PEOPLE as organ of the S. L. P., as you can see from the following facts:
     On the morning of the first day of Czolgosz trial [sic], when I came to the City Hall, where the trial takes place, I found all walks leading from the curb stone [sic] to the main entrance roped off with the exception of the middle walk which was guarded by a score of policemen. On the streets and walks around the building there were at least 100 patrolmen, detectives, mounted police, etc. Besides this outer cordon there was one at the door leading to the ground floor at the foot of the stairway, one on the second floor at the head of stairway, one at the beginning of the part of the hall leading to courtroom, and one at the door of courtroom. There must have been at least as many police offices [sic] inside of the building as outside.
     I was stopped by police on the first cordon on the street and was asked what I wanted. I explained and produced my credentials as the correspondent for the DAILY PEOPLE. I was then referred to a man in civilian clothes standing with the police at the first cordon. I explained to him that DAILY PEOPLE [sic] and showed my credential [sic]. He looked it over, made a face when he read on the letterhead that the DAILY PEOPLE was the organ of the Socialist Labor Party and told me to go and see Police Superintendent W. Bull, as he was the one who supplied the reporters with passes.
     I went to Bull. He examined carefully my DAILY PEOPLE credentials, and then told me to go and see “Mr. O’Brien,” of the press committee. I told him that the man representing the press committee had sent me to him for a pass and and [sic] if that man was not “Mr. O’Brien,” and “Mr. O’Brien” was in the hall I could not seen him anyhow, unless I got his, Bull’s, pass to get into the building. Seeing that this dodge did not work, Bull started to question me more about the paper I represent and finally flatly declared that he would not give me a pass anyhow because—well, because I am “only a reporter and correspondent,” and not an editor! ! ! If I was not satisfied I should go and see “Mr. O’Brien.” I left and as I later learned from a third party who later called at the Police Headquarters, there was a good deal of talk there about how a “representative of a Socialist paper was cut off.”
     I returned to the City Hall Place and told the man in civilian clothes at the first cordon that I wanted to see “Mr. O’Brien.”
     “I am Mr. O’Brien. What do you wish?”
     “I demand admission on the strength of this credential from the Editor of the New York DAILY PEOPLE.”
     “Well, you’ll have to see Superintendent Bull about it.”
     “But I just came from his office and he referred me to you.”
     “Well, I can’t help it. You’ll have to see Superintendent Bull. He has charge of the passes.”
     It was evident that they were bent on cutting the S. L. P. paper out. As faithful guardians of the interests of the capitalist class when they talk about “publicity” they cannot mean anything but the mercenary capitalist press. A clean, honest working class paper is not “in it.”
     Nevertheless, I finally did succeed, and the conspiracy failed as far as the first day of the trial was concerned. It happened th s [sic] way. When I realized that they were determined to keep our paper out I turned to go home. Presently I noticed that Mr. O’Brien had left his place at the first outer cordon, leaving in his stead another man in civilian clothes. I walked up to him, presented the credentials and demanded admission. Evidently “Mr. O’Brien” in his hurry (it was nearly 10 o’clock, and time for the opening of the session) forgot to post this man and he, taken by surprise, let me pass the first—the hardest cordon. Still it was not yet smooth sailing as I had to pass a number of inner cordons. But the cerberuses there were not drilled enough by the head conspirators, and, although grumblingly remonstrating, one after the other let me pass after a hasty glance at your credentials.
     Thus, after all these travels from Pontius to Pilate I at last safely landed inside of the so much guarded courtroom and thus I suceeded [sic] in getting the general impression of the drama enacted there. The proceedings that are to follow can hardly change in any essential particular the general character of the whole affair.

B. REINSTEIN.     

     Buffalo, Sept. 24.