Month: May 2017

Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong for The Survey: “The Everett Verdict”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 21, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Tom Tracy Acquitted , Free-Speech Prisoners Released

From The Survey of May 19, 1917:

The Verdict at Everett

Acquittal for the Man Tried, Release for the Other I. W. W.’s
By Anna Louise Strong

Anna Louise Strong, 1885-1970, Spartacus

“Not guilty!” With these words the great labor trial growing out of the battle on the Everett dock last November drew to a close, on May 5. “We are making history,” said the judge in his opening remarks to the jury. They were, indeed. Although driven from public notice by the opening of war, the trial of the seventy-four I. W. W.’s, represented technically in the person of one of their number, Thomas Tracy, is in many respects the greatest labor trial in our history. Tracy has been adjudged not guilty, after nine weeks of trial, and the others have been released without trial.

The main events leading up to the trial were covered in the SURVEY of January 27, and the evidence coming in at the trial has shown that statement to have been correct, except for one or two irrelevant details. A boatload of I. W. W.’s went to Everett on November 5, having previously announced a meeting on the streets of that city, and invited by circular the citizens of Everett to “come and help defend your and our constitutional rights.” They were met at the dock by the sheriff and 150 deputies. In the fight that ensued two deputies and five I. W. W.’s are known to have been killed, and there is a strong probability that three or four more I. W. W.’s were lost in the waters of the sound. On the return of the steamer Verona to Seattle, the entire load of passengers was arrested, and subsequently seventy-four were held on a charge of murder in the first degree.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong for The Survey: “The Everett Verdict”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 20, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Mrs. Haywood in Court Each Day

From the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of May 17, 1907:

HMP, Nevada Jane Haywood in WC, Albq Eve Ctz, May 17, 1907

MRS. HAYWOOD IS IN CONSTANT ATTENDANCE
—–

By Jacob Waldeck.

Boise, Idaho, May 17.-A hush more impressive than any words of sympathy could be falls upon the court room crowd every morning when the big green cloth-covered doors swing open and Mrs. Haywood, wife of the man on trial here for the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg, in an invalid chair, is wheeled to a space near the table provided for the lawyers for the defense.

As soon as court is called to order the prisoner is brought in.

Then the family circle is complete, but under the most pathetic conditions imaginable.

Haywood is six feet tall, broad-shouldered, his face furrowed with lines as the result of imprisonment and anxiety concerning his family. Beside him is his youngest daughter, Vernon [Henrietta], who, before his coming, has scrambled into the chair next to the one she knows he will occupy, that she may get the first caress.

Next to her is Mrs. Haywood and their eldest daughter [Vernie], the prisoner when he takes his seat, strokes Vernon’s [Henrietta’s] head, and with a smile speaks some term of endearment to the pet of the family.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share


If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Debs Questions President Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s Labor Letters
—–

Eugene V. Debs
—–

Kidnappers Special by BBH, detail, AtR, May 19, 1906

The letter of President Roosevelt to the Moyer and Haywood conference of New York is in strange contrast with the one previously addressed by him to the Chicago conference on the same subject. The two letters are so entirely dissimilar in spirit and temper that they seem to have been written by different persons. In the first the President bristles with defiance, in the last he is the pink of politeness. The first letter utterly failed of its purpose. Organized labor did not lie down and be still at the command of the President. On the contrary, it growled more fiercely than before in fact, showed its teeth to the President, who has become so used to exhibiting his own. And lo-what a change! The President receives a labor committee, talks over matters for an hour and then addresses a letter to the conference through the chairman, beginning “My Dear Mr. Henry,” explaining that he is ready to perform his duty if only the conference will point it out to him, and putting the whole blame on “Debs and the Socialists,” whom he charges with using “treasonable and murderous language,” but not a word of explanation does he vouchsafe in regard to his denunciation of Moyer and Haywood, the real, and in fact the only, point at issue.

Again has the President vindicated his reputation as one of the smoothest of politicians and one of the most artful and designing of demagogues.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Leaves Seattle, on Speaking Tour Back to New York City

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 18, 1917
From the Industrial Worker: Elizabeth Flynn Heading Back East

According to tour dates published in Seattle Industrial Worker, organ of the Industrial Workers of the World, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, has left Seattle and is heading back east, with speaking engagements scheduled along the way. She has a small son in the care of her mother in New York City, and she must surely be eager to be with him again.

From the Industrial Worker of April 21, 1917:

Everett Massacre, EGF Tour Dates, IW p2c4, Apr 21, 1917

From the Industrial Worker of May 8, 1917:

Everett Massacre, EGF Tour Dates, IW, May 8, 1917, p3

From The Rockford Republic (Illinois) of May 12, 1917:

ELIZABETH FLYNN SPEAKS.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, noted agitator, speaks tonight at the Olympic theater on Seventh street. She will tell about the trials at Everett, Wash., in which seventy-nine I. W. W. men are being tried for murder.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Leaves Seattle, on Speaking Tour Back to New York City” →

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 17, 1907
For The Montana News: Ida Crouch-Hazlett Reports from Boise

Reporting from Boise, Idaho, on the trial William D. Haywood, Ida Crouch-Hazlett, editor of the Socialist weekly, The Montana News, describes the Haywood family as they appeared in court on May 9th, the first day of the great trial:

Haywood’s Family Present.

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907, Crpd

Mrs. Haywood had been carried up the stairs and into the court room in her invalid chair. She was dressed in black with a white collar at her throat and wore a black hat with a white flower. She was accompanied by her two daughters and nurse. The daughters sat in the same line with Haywood behind the attorneys; first the wife, then Verna, then the nurse with Henrietta on her lap, and then the man on trial for his life.

Haywood was clean shaved, well dressed and looked in the best of condition. His face held an expression of confidence that showed that his mind was not greatly disturbed.

As he sat down by the side of his daughter, Haywood placed his hand fondly upon her head and the two exchanged quick, loving smiles. Then he glanced over toward his wife and the two exchanged similar smiles. A moment later Haywood leaned over and began talking earnestly with Attorney Richardson. He was apparently asking some important questions and his attorney nodded vigorously at intervals. Then Haywood said some thing that caused them both to laugh heartily.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett” →

Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 16, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Haywood Showing Signs of Strain?

From The Spokane Press of May 14, 1907:

HAYWOOD SHOWS SIGNS OF BREAKING DOWN
—–

HMP, Haywood by Landon, Stt Str, May 14, 1907

(Scripps News Association.)

BOISE, May 14.-Haywood is beginning to show the effects of long confinement and worry. Lines about his mouth and eyes are becoming more clearly defined daily.

He is still pursuing the study of law, and, according to his attorneys, is making excellent progress. His youngest daughter is his constant companion and his wife is by his side the entire session.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part II

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

Since the earth belongs to the capitalist class,
why should a grand jury concern itself
in such a small matter as
helping itself to the state of Idaho?
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday May 15, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Eugene V. Debs Responds to The Statesman

On April 20th (see below), The Idaho Daily Statesman published an editorial in which it referred to the Appeal as the “Appeal to Treason” and insisted that the Socialists of the Appeal were actually “anarchists…wolves of society.” In the the May 11th edition of the Appeal, Comrade Debs asks, “Who Are the Wolves?” The first part of the response was published in yesterday’s Hellraisers; we conclude today with Part II:

WHO ARE THE WOLVES?
—–
An Inquiry Into Some of the Charges Made Against
the Appeal to Reason by the
Criminal Idaho Statesman.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
—–

“The Wolves Are Coming.”

Idaho Timber Frauds, CdA Press, Apr 20, 1907

Now to return to the question, why does the Statesman so violently denounce the Appeal all at once, and quote a column and a half from its pages, a thing it has never done before? The answer is very easy. It wants to use the Appeal as a bogey man with which to scare the grand jury from its trail.

Do you people of Idaho catch on?

One of the trails the grand jury is on is said to lead straight to the Idaho Statesman, and another one may lead from the Statesman to the penitentiary.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part II” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

Since the earth belongs to the capitalist class,
why should a grand jury concern itself
in such a small matter as
helping itself to the state of Idaho?
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 14, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Eugene V. Debs Responds to The Statesman

On April 20th (see below), The Idaho Daily Statesman published an editorial in which it referred to the Appeal as the “Appeal to Treason” and insisted that the Socialists of the Appeal were actually “anarchists…wolves of society.” In the the May 11th edition of the Appeal, Comrade Debs asks, “Who Are the Wolves?” We will publish the entire response in two parts, beginning today with Part I:

WHO ARE THE WOLVES?
—–
An Inquiry Into Some of the Charges Made Against
the Appeal to Reason by the
Criminal Idaho Statesman.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
—–

HMP, Death to WFM, Ryan Walker, AtR May 11, 1907

UT few people are so blind or indifferent as to be oblivious of the mighty struggle now in progress in the existing social and economic order. It is true that only the few who have studied historic and social evolution have any proper understanding of the forces underlying society, or any clear perception of the trend of its development, but the fact that we are living in an era of industrial transformation and that economic conditions are rapidly changing is pretty generally understood by the whole people.

Now the system under which we live, like the one preceding it, and from which it sprang, has its historic limitations and when its mission is accomplished it will be relegated to the past, but this will happen only after the system that is to succeed it has evolved and taken its place in the orderly march of events and the unceasing progress of civilization.

Capitalist society, corner-stoned in wage slavery, will no more last forever than did the feudal system based upon serf-labor. It will serve its historic time and purpose and that will be the end of it. Another and better system will take its place, out of which will rise a higher civilization.

But the dominant class in every system want that system to last forever. They are on top and want to remain there. That is natural enough. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I” →

Hellraisers Journal: Everett Class War Prisoners Released After Tracy Acquittal, Honor Murdered Fellow Workers

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Pray for the dead and
fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 13, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Following the acquittal of Tom Tracy, the Everett Free Speech Fight Prisoners have been released. They immediately visited the Mount Pleasant Cemetery were three of five Everett Martyrs lie buried:

Everett Free Speech, Class War Prisoners at Cemetery, May 12, 1917, WCS

Their next action was to turn themselves in at the I. W. W. Union Hall, to be assigned as needed. They have spent the time in jail studying in preparation to become capable union organizers.

———-

Everett Massacre Martyrs of Nov 5, 1916

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Everett Class War Prisoners Released After Tracy Acquittal, Honor Murdered Fellow Workers” →

Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett of Montana News Gives Touching Account of Haywood Family’s Reunion

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 12, 1907
From Montana News: The First Meeting of Haywood Family

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907, Crpd

In the May 9th edition of the Montana News, official organ of the Socialist Party of Montana, was published an article by the editor, Ida Crouch-Hazlett which gives a touching account of the reunification Comrade Bill Haywood with his family. The prisoner had not seen his wife and daughters for the past fourteen months.

Just Before the Battle
—–

Family Reunion in Ada County Jail
-Everything Ready for Trial
-“Statesman” Gets Rabid”

Boise, Idaho, April 30, 1907.

One week from next Thursday is the date set for the trial of William D. Haywood. All sides state that they are ready for the great battle. The work that the defense has done throughout Ada county in safeguarding the interests of their clients is a marvel in painstaking and thorough news. The county has been thoroughly polled, and, as Mr. Richardson says, the conditions are certainly nothing like those in Canyon county. C. A. Johnson of Seattle and M. Barber of Caldwell, the men who had charge of the Canyon county work, have had the work here, and they have had a most able corps of assistants in learning what the sentiment is generally concerning the coming trials.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett of Montana News Gives Touching Account of Haywood Family’s Reunion” →