Lucy E. Parsons

Melville Stone’s Lies

February 27, 1922

Copy in Ashbaugh papers, Charles H. Kerr Company Archives, The Newberry Library, Chicago

February 27, 1922

Editor, Federated Press: I read Mr Stone’s article on the Chicago anarchists published in Collier’s Weekly of February 5, 1922, and consider it so defective in so many ways that it’s absolutely unreliable as a historical document. He not only lies about Mr Schilling, whom he accuses of being a part of the revolutionary anarchist groups, but he also lies about Mr Parsons and myself when he says that it was understood that he (Stone) was to have the privilege of surrendering my husband to the court when he voluntarily returned to be tried. It is true that Mr Stone sent for us and offered me a substantial monetary consideration, if such a privilege were granted him. I reported his request to Capt. William P. Black, the leading counsel of the defendants, who at once turned it down, and no one ever went near Mr Stone afterwards.

There isn’t any doubt in my mind but what his other statement about Mr Schilling reporting to him from time to time about the “impending revolution” is just as false as his statement that Mr Schilling was connected with the revolutionary groups.

Yours very truly,

Lucy E. Parsons,

3130 N. Troy St.