Sacco and Vanzetti: The Men, the Murders, and the Judgment of Mankind

Honor the Memory of Sacco and Vanzetti on this the 81st Anniversary of their execution by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (August 23, 1927).I like to put each item about the Sacco and Vanzetti case that I review in historical context with this well-worn standard first paragraph of mine. It, I believe, holds up today as in the past- Those familiar with the radical movement know that at least once in every generation a political criminal case comes up that defines that era. One thinks of the Haymarket Martyrs in the 19th century, the Scottsboro Boys in the 1930's, the Rosenbergs in the post-World War II Cold War period and today Mumia Abu-Jamal. In America after World War I when the Attorney General Palmer-driven `red scare' brought the federal government's vendetta against foreigners, immigrants and militant labor fighters to a white heat that generation's case was probably the most famous of them all, Sacco and Vanzetti. The exposure of the tensions within American society that came to the surface as a result of that case is the subject of the book by Professor Bruce Watson under review here.In the year 2008 one, like myself, who openly proclaims partisanship for the heroic memory of Sacco and Vanzetti when looking for a book to help instruct a new generation about the case is not after all this time afraid of a little partisanship by its author. One is also looking to see if, given advances in modern criminology and technology, those sources have presented any new information that would change the judgments of history. That is apparently not the case with Professor Watson's book. It is rather another garden variety narrative of the events that have been covered elsewhere by partisans on either side of the divide on the question of the guilt or innocence of the pair. Nevertheless it is good to have an updated narrative so that the youth will know that the pressing issues around the case have not gone away.Professor Watson has presented a good description of the events that led up to the Sacco and Vanzetti trial in a Dedham, Massachusetts court presided over by an old WASP figure, Judge Webster Thayer. He details the hard work lives of the two Italian immigrants, the problems with foreigners especially South Europeans like them trying to gain a toehold in America, the future troubles to be brought on by their anarchist beliefs and more damagingly their departure for Mexico in 1917 to avoid being drafted into the American army after its entry into World War I.Professor Watson further links the personal trials and tribulation of Sacco and Vanzetti with the general political atmosphere after World War I with its wave of anarchist bombings, the victory of the Russian Revolution and the response of capitalist America with the Attorney-General Palmer-led " Red Scare, Part I". He further details the South Braintree payroll robbery that set in motion the events of the next seven years that would bring world-wide attention to the cause of the two beleaguered anarchists. He gives the factual events of the day of the robbery and double murders, the subsequent search for the robbers, the narrowing of the chase to these two who were found to be armed at a later date in a very different context and their arrest and indictments for murder.Needless to say any narrative of the Sacco and Vanzetti case needs to pay close attention to the trial itself, the personalities of the players and the evidence. In the background one has to look at the state of the law, especially its procedural aspects, at that time concerning capital punishment and further the social climate against foreigners, specifically Italians here. Watson, more than most accounts, gives special emphasis to chief trial defense lawyer Fred Moore and his various maneuvers, intrigues and, frankly, mistakes.Of course, the heart of the book is an account of the appeals both legal and political throughout the seven year period. That included various strategies from calls for gubernatorial clemency to mass strikes by labor so the whole litany of class struggle defense policies gets a workout in the case. Although Professor Watson does a creditable job of describing these efforts as far as he goes I object, on political grounds, to his short shrift of the work of the Communist International and its class defense organization the International Labor Defense in publicizing the case. Who do you think brought the masses of workers out world-wide? It was not those Brahmin ladies on Beacon Hill, well-intentioned or not. This is certainly a subject for further comment by any reader of these lines.The other point that I object to is Watson's agnostic approach to the question of the guilt or innocence of Sacco and Vanzetti. At this far remove it is not necessary to be skittish about the question of their guilt or innocence in a legal sense. There is, obviously, not quite the sense of urgency of the call today for Mumia Abu Jamal's freedom rather than retrial. However, although 80 years separate the two cases there is a steady tendency to limit justice in these cases to calls for retrial. However, in both cases the parties were innocent so the appropriate call would have been and is for freedom. This political ostrich act by Professor Watson, allegedly in the interest of being `objective' and 'letting the new generation decide for itself', does a tremendous disservice to the memories of these class war fighters.Nevertheless, this is a worthy book to use as a primer toward understanding the background to that long ago case. The end notes are helpful as is the bibliography for further research. Additionally, unlike Professor Watson's excellent book Bread and Roses that I have previously reviewed in this space here he stays more closely with the subject and avoids bringing in every possible historical fact that might tangentially relate to the case. As always, until ultimate justice in done in the Sacco and Vanzetti case honor their memories today.Added: August 17, 2008. Please read Mr. Watson's comment below. I, incorrectly, assumed that he was a professor. That he is not nevertheless turns out to be a compliment to him here as he has done a well-researched job here. The real question turns on our very different political perspectives on the case. And, apparently, from the last sentence of his comment the legal concept of what is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and its consequences then and now, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A complete and faithful telling of the case that will not die, Sacco andVanzetti. Attention to detail especially good. Read it.

I always start with the negatives, but the positives are so positive that I’ve got to list them first:1. This reads like a novel at times, and Bruce Watson’s prose for someone writing a historical sketch of an event in a time period is possibly the best I’ve read.2. I appreciate that he tries not to take sides.That said, the one critique I have is this: Watson reveals his cards too early. Whether Sacco and Vanzetti were the men responsible for the Braintree murders is a mystery (though, I find Watson’s case more compelling than others). The problem is that Watson oversimplifies the reasoning behind the arrest and prosecution as being rooted in xenophobia and racism.Even based on his account, I don’t agree. Sacco and Vanzetti were not poor, little immigrants that America didn’t make room for. Rather, they pinned their own failures on a misunderstanding of the American Dream.That is to say, they spoke almost no English when they arrived. Unsurprisingly, they struggled to find work. To them, it seems, this represented class struggle (Watson highlights how the Italian mindset is ideal compared to the Puritan Pragmatism of the American Northeast). I feel like Watson takes their position — that America was inherently classist — rather than understanding Massachusetts’ so called ‘xenophobia’ for what it was: a reaction to an increase in immigrant radicalism.That is, it’s fair to ask whether or not the Italian population would have been accosted at the same rate if the anarchist movement wasn’t heavily Italian. Maybe they would have, maybe not.I’m not defending the xenophobic response of Bostonians; I think the two evils are somewhat symbiotic. I’m saying that the Italian, immigrant population didn’t always help their own case. The May Day bombings are the obvious example, and the New York/Chicago ties to the Italian Mafia being another.All of that to say that I’m not convinced that Watson is neutral here. I agree, however, that they were tried for the wrong thing.In any event, this is a better account of the trial, its foreplay, and results than any I’ve read (which range from ‘they’re definitely innocent’ to ‘they’re definitely guilty’). 4/5 stars, would recommend.

I like the book, the content is good and compelling. I really get a feel for what happened at the time.I gave it 3 stars because the kindle version is awful. This book has source citations in end notes. In the print book, that usually means numbers (1, 2, 3...) in the text, and a footnote at the bottom of the page or an end note at the end of the chapter or book that cites the source. In a good kindle book, the numbers are still there as links, and if I tap on the link I read the footnote, then tap back to the main text. Not in this kindle book! No numbers at all! I had no idea there were any end notes until I went to the end of the book! That's a major flaw. Also, the text sometimes has words that are hyphenated for word wrap, to go to the next line. For example, America is one word, but if it is broken on two lines, it may appear as Amer-ica with the letters after the hyphen on the next line. In this kindle version, the hyphen is removed but the space remains, so often many words appear as Amer ica or judic ial sys tem which is one word but the hyphen removed, in the middle of a line. With a kindle, the end of a line will vary depending on screen size and font size. But the words should not have the hyphen removed and replaced with a space.I'm sure the kindle version was edited, but whoever did this job was terrible at it. Footnotes gone and hyphenated words appearing funky, with other oddities that I did not appreciate.For content of book and story, 5 stars. For kindle version and poor editing, 2 stars.

Edna St. Vincent Millay had it right when she wrote her poem about justie denied to Sacco and Vanzetti. The case was a travesty, an outrage perpetrated by a frightened establishment against the working class. Watson's book does a wonderful job drawing the reader into the world as it was back then and the ensuing tragedy. I finished this book in 2 days - I normally take a week or so to read a book as I tend to try to savour it as opposed to rushing through but I was unable to do that with this book. The evidence Watson produces doesn't necessarily prove innocence, in fact, Watson doesn't make any explicit claims of innocence, but it does strongly imply the two men deserved a second trial. This is a great book and I recommend it if you have an interest in labour history, true crime, radical politicss & government opposition to such or even just a general interest in the 1920s.

Excellent , well written , book on fascinating subject at a very interesting time. Read it and you will not be disappointed.

very happy with delivery, quality, and content of book. a fascinating story, told in a way that makes the boil spill over!! would buy again thanks

A great read