Hellraisers Journal: IWWs Get Heavy Sentences; “Centralia: An Unfinished Story” by Anna Louise Strong

21st April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Wesley Everest, Died for my class. Chaplin Part 15 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday April 21, 1920
Centralia Defendants Get Heavy Sentences; Anna Louise Strong Reports on Trial

From the Washington Standard of April 6, 1920:

HEAVY SENTENCES GIVEN I. I. W.’S
———-

TWENTY-FIVE TO FORY YEARS GIVEN MEN CONVICTED OF
SECOND DEGREE MURDER; PRACTICALLY MEANS LIFE
TO MOST OF THEM; CASE TO BE APPEALED.
———-

—–

The seven men convicted at Montesano March 13 of second degree murder for the slaying of Warren O. Grimm, Centralia Armistice Day parade victim, were sentenced to not less than 25 years in state’s prison and not more than 40 years, by Judge John M. Wilson Monday afternoon.

Defense Attorney Vanderveer took exception to the sentences and gave notice of appeal.

Judge Wilson said that he could not pay any attention to the jury’s plea for leniency in the case of John Lamb and Ray Becker in the light of the evidence submitted. He said he regarded the case against all of the men as identical. Loren Roberts, whom the jury found insane, was ordered sent to the criminal insane ward at Walla Walla penitentiary.

The seven men sentenced to 25 to 40 years were O. C. Bland, Bert Bland, John Lamb, Eugene Barnett, James McInerney, Ray Becker and Britt Smith.

Motion for a new trial was made by Vanderveer, and argued at length but was denied by Judge Wilson before the sentence was passed.

The minimum sentence for second degree murder is 10 years, the maximum life imprisonment. The defense has 90 days in which, to carry the case to the supreme court.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

From The Nation of April 17, 1920:

Centralia: An Unfinished Story

By ANNA LOUISE STRONG

NEITHER side was satisﬁed with the compromise verdict rendered by the jury at Montesano in the trial of the eleven members of the I. W. W. charged with the murder of Warren 0. Grimm in connection with the Centralia tragedy on Armistice Day. The prosecution asked that all eleven be convicted of murder in the first degree, as having conspired to commit murder. The defense asked that all be acquitted, as men who had planned only to defend themselves and their hall against a threatened raid. One of the defendants was freed on a directed verdict. Of the ten considered by the jury, two were acquitted, one adjudged insane, and seven convicted of murder in the second degree. Even to the jury itself this verdict was not satisfactory. It brought in first a verdict of murder in the third degree for two of the defendants, but was informed by the judge that this was inadmissible, and upon further consideration changed the verdict to that of murder in the second degree. It is generally conceded that three of the jurors held out for some time for absolute acquittal of all defendants.

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WE NEVER FORGET the Men, Women and Little Children Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause at Ludlow, Colorado, on April 20, 1914

20th April 20208th October 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, ed, Ab Chp 6, 1925 ———-

WE NEVER FORGET WNF List of Ludlow Martyrs ed ———

Sept 15, 1913 – Trinidad, Colorado
Convention of District 15 of the United Mine Workers of America

The delegates opened their convention by singing The Battle Cry of Union:

We will win the fight today, boys,
We’ll win the fight today,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union;
We will rally from the coal mines,
We’ll fight them to the end,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union.

The Union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah!
Down with the Baldwins and up with the law;
For we’re coming, Colorado, we’re coming all the way,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union.

The miners faced the grim prospect of going out on strike against the powerful southern coalfield companies, chief among them, John D Rockefeller’s Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The coal operators had steadfastly refused to recognize the Union and had ignored all attempts at negotiation.

The miners had had their fill of dangerous working conditions, crooked checkweighmen, long hours, and low pay. They lived in peonage in company towns, were paid in company scrip, and were forced to shop for their daily needs in high-priced company stores which kept them always in debt. But, mostly they hated the notorious company guard system. Every attempt to organize had been met with brutality on the part of the coal operators.

Mother Jones addressed the convention for over an hour, urging the men to:

Rise up and strike! …Strike and stay with it as we did in West Virginia. We are going to stay here in Southern Colorado until the banner of industrial freedom floats over every coal mine. We are going to stand together and never surrender…

Pledge to yourselves in this convention to stand as one solid army against the foes of human labor. Think of the thousands who are killed every year and there is no redress for it. We will fight until the mines are made secure and human life valued more than props. Look things in the face. Don’t fear a governor; don’t fear anybody…You are the biggest part of the population in the state. You create its wealth, so I say, “Let the fight go on; if nobody else will keep on, I will.”

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Seattle Socialist Workingman’s Paper: “The Blanket Stiff” by Cartoonist Fowler

18th April 202018th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Joe Hill, Poor Ragged Tramp, Sing One Song, LRSB 5th ed, 1913 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 19, 1910
“The Blanket Stiff, he built the road…” by Cartoonist Fowler

From the Seattle Socialist Workingman’s Paper of April 15, 1910:

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: Spokane IWW Gives Impressive Farewell to Free Speech Fighter F. J. Ferry

18th April 202018th April 2020 Janet RayeFree Speech Fights

Quote EGF, re Spk FSF, ISR p618, Jan 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 18, 1910
Spokane, Washington – Impressive Funeral Honors Free Speech Martyr F. J. Ferry

From the Industrial Worker of April 16, 1910:

Once again the Grim Reaper Death has visited the ranks of the gallant band of men who valorously defended their principles during the recent Spokane free speech fight, and has claimed as its latest victim Fellow Worker F. J. Ferry, a member of L. U. No. 222.

Fellow Worker S. O. Chinn, the first martyr to Spokane police brutality, who died four weeks ago as a result of the hardships suffered in jail, was a young man not yet in the prime of life. He was a mere youth-the prospect of life stretched before him full of possibilities; he hadn’t begun to live yet. He had just started on “Life’s fitful dream” when he was cut off. He was out of place in this capitalistic world, as is every man of principle, so he had to be sacrificed. Not for him was the boon of life enjoyed by all animated nature; he was an intruder, a revolutionist; he interfered with the smooth working of the well-laid plan of the master class to hold the workers in subjection; his presence in life was a danger to their organized system of exploitation; therefore he, the merest stripling, with every natural right to life, was ruthlessly murdered.

In the mad career of the suicidal capitalist class, not only is the seed of the future society thus wantonly, but the old and storm-twisted oaks of the working class-men who have earned every right to peaceful old age-are also destroyed on the slightest pretext when the interest of the modern juggernaut demands it. Fellow Worker Ferry was an old man 62 years of age. He was a life-long veteran of the cruelest struggle in history-the struggle for existence in a capitalist society. Ever since early boyhood he has been robbed and abused by an insatiate parasite. In common with his fellow-slaves of the working class, he was denied the luxuries and necessaries that make life worth living. He was reduced to the condition of a machine, being given only enough of the product of his labor to simply keep life in his body. After many years of killing slavery as a baker, he became worn out and was cast aside to make room for a younger victim-like an old machine he was “scrapped.”

An old and battle-scarred victim of capitalism-deprived of home and family and all the natural attributes of a worthy old age-he earned his scanty living as best he could with seemingly no other goal in store for him than that of so many workers-an apologetic exit from life-a hurried trip to Potters’ Field.

But he became imbued with the philosophy of the new society; he joined the I. W. W.; he became a rebellious slave. For this he was made a social outcast-even more so than simply as a discarded slave-he became an object of loathing and hatred to his masters-a creature to be eradicated if possible.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Mother Jones Calls for Action to Save Mexican Revolutionaries

17th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones re Mex Rev Fornaro, NYT p15, Nov 29, 1909 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday April 17, 1910
Mother Jones Calls on Men and Women of America to Defend Mexican Comrades

From the Appeal to Reason of April 16, 1910:

To men and women of the United State I stand pleading. There are in our federal prisons some eight or ten Mexican revolutionists who have been silently railroaded to the American bastiles at the behest of the worst tyrant which ever cursed God’s earth-Diaz of Mexico. He can reach across the line, handle our courts and force them to do anything he wants to.

Some humane congressmen have introduced a bill of inquiry asking the attorney general to explain why as revolutionists these men are held. The American nation was founded on revolution. I beg of you in the name of freedom to flood Congress with letters demanding that this investigation be pushed to the end. No pigeonholing. Don’t loose any time, or your hands will be red with the blood of martyrs, as are the hands of Diaz.

Don’t fail, the cause of justice falls on you to hear the pleading of our brothers from behind the bars of the capitalist bastiles.

Oh men, and women, move at once and save these brave revolutionists!

[Photograph and paragraph breaks added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: General Merriam Represents McKinley in War Against Idaho Miners

16th April 202017th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege ed, Ab Chp III ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 16, 1900
Washington, District of Columbia – General Merriam, Tool of President McKinley

From the Appeal to Reason of April 14, 1900:

—–

There is a long and interesting story in the Coeur d’ Alene mining troubles.

The strikers began by acting very badly-no doubt whatever of that. They or their friends unquestionably made mistakes, blowing up a mill with dynamite, etc.

Of course it is probable that the mine owners in their own way abused their power as wickedly. But a mine owner can always hire lawyers, or, if need be, government officials and the army-the strikers cannot. Therefore, the strikers should be careful.

—–

You know that in that mining region men were arrested without warrant. United States troops, sent to obey mine owners’ orders, shut the men up in a “bull pen.” The district attorney was the legal advisor of the Standard Oil corporation. He suspended the habeas corpus idea entirely-said that if the courts had issued habeas corpus papers he would have ignored them.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for March 1910: Found in Girard, Kansas, and at Miners’ Special Convention at Cincinnati

15th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Young Again, Special UMWC Cinc OH p62, Mar 24, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 15, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1910:
-Found Visiting Girard, Kansas, and Speaking to Miners at Cincinnati

From The Pittsburg Daily Headlight of March 11, 1910:

Mother Jones the prominent Socialist lecturer has been in Girard this week.

From Hellraisers Journal of March 27, 1910:

Cincinnati, Ohio-Speech of Mother Jones at Miners’ Special Convention

From The Topeka State Journal of March 24, 1910:

SOUNDS CALL TO ARMS.
—–
“Mother Jones” Arouses Coal Miners
to Great Enthusiasm.
—–

Cincinnati. O., March 24.-Bituminous coal operators and miners of Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania, entered their subscale meeting this afternoon with almost certainty that a disagreement would be reported to the joint committee, that the joint conference would reach a like disagreement before tomorrow noon and that the International Convention of United Mine Workers would then be asked to say whether it should be industrial peace or war after April 1.

Operators of the three states immediately concerned, held a secret conference all morning and at the conclusion announced that the vote had been unanimous to resist all of the miners’ demand. The attitude of the miners in the international convention was shown during an address by “Mother” Jones when she declared:

If the operators force a fight we are all in trim to give them the hottest fight they ever had in their lives.

The convention was almost stampeded and the cheering did not cease for several minutes.

[She shouted:]

Line up, we are ready for war.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “Girl Slaves of Milwaukee Breweries” by Mother Jones

14th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Mlk Girl Slaves n Virtue, AtR p2, Apr 9, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 14, 1910
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Mother Jones on Girl Slaves of Brewery Plutocrats

From the Appeal to Reason of April 9, 1910:

It is the same old story, as pitiful as old, as true as pitiful.

When the whistle blows in the morning, it calls the girl slaves of the bottle washing department of the breweries, to don their wet shoes and rags, and hustle to the bastile to serve out their sentences.

It is indeed true, they are sentenced to hard, brutal labor, labor that gives no cheer, brings no recompense. Condemned for life to drudge daily in the wash-room with wet shoes and wet clothes, surrounded with foul mouthed, brutal foremen, whose orders and language would not look well in print, and would surely shock over-sensitive ears, or delicate nerves!

And their crime? Involuntary poverty. It is hereditary. They are no more to blame for it than a horse is, for having the glanders. It is the accident of birth. This accident that throws so many girl workers into the urging, seething mass, known as the working class, is what forces them out of the cradle into servitude-to be willing (?)slaves of the mill, factory, department store, hell or bottling shop in Milwaukee’s colossal breweries.

Here they create wealth for the brewery barons, that they may own palaces, theaters, automobiles, blooded stock, farms, banks and heaven knows what all, while the poor girls slave on, all day, in the vile smell of sour beer, lifting cases of empty and full bottles, weighing from 100 to 150 pounds, while wearing wet shoes and rags; for God knows they can not buy clothes on the miserable pittance doled out to them by their soulless master class.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Prison Poem from Leavenworth by Conscientious Objector H. Austin Simons

13th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote EVD, Soul in Prison, Statement to Court Upon Conviction, Sept 18, 1918 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 13, 1920
Leavenworth, Kansas – Prison Poem by H. Austin Simons

From The Liberator of April 1920:

From The Liberator of July 1919
-“Try the Big One” by Maurice Becker:

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Poem by Fellow Worker Charles Ashleigh from Leavenworth Penitentiary

13th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 12, 1920
Leavenworth, Kansas – Prison Poem by Charles Ashleigh

From The Liberator of April 1920:

Fellow Worker Charles Ashleigh, No. 13115, Leavenworth, Sept 1918:

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Month: April 2020