Month: July 2022

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part III: On Trial Before Old Injunction Judge John J. Jackson at Parkersburg, W. V.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote re Mother Jones, Most Dangerous Woman, Machinists Mly, Sept 1915—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday July 11, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1902, Part III
On Trial before Judge John J. Jackson at Parkersburg, West Virginia

From the Baltimore Sun of June 24, 1902:

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

PARKERSBURG, W. Va., June 23.-A special car containing 25 witnesses arrived tonight from Clarksburg. They are here to appear against “Mother” Jones and the other persons charged with violating a Federal injunction by holding a meeting for the purpose of influencing miners to quit work. Their defense will be that the meeting was on private property rented by them for that purpose.

[Photograph added.]

From the Baltimore Sun of June 25, 1902:

 

“MOTHER” JONES ON TRIAL
———-
Thirty Witnesses, And The Case May Last A Week.

PARKERSBURG, W. Va., June 24.-The trial of “Mother” Jones and 11 other agitators who are accused of violating an injunction of the Federal Court in regard to interfering with working miners was begun today.

A witness testified that the woman used “insolent language” in a public speech. He said she advised miners to pay no attention to injunctions or to courts.

There are about 30 witnesses and the trial will probably last all the week.

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 26, 1902:

 

WERE ACTING WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS
———-
Favorable Testimony Given For Mother Jones
and Strike Leaders, Arrested For Contempt.
———-

Parkersburg, W. Va., June 26.-The defense had witnesses on the stand in the “Mother” Jones and other strike leaders contempt cases this morning. They testified to the quiet and orderly behavior of the leaders in all the meetings, and said they counselled obedience to laws and proper conduct. “Mother” Jones especially counselled the “boys,” as she calls them, not to drink during the strike troubles. It was shown that the meeting which caused their arrest was on private property rented for the purpose, and that there had been no assemblage in violation of the injunction on public or company property. It is probable that the case will be concluded today.

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 27, 1902:

 

“MOTHER” JONES CASE CONTINUED.
———-

Parkersburg, W. Va., June 27.-In the contempt case against “Mother” Jones and others, the defense announced this morning that they had no more testimony to offer. The court set the arguments for July 11, and the case was continued until that date. “Mother” Jones and the other defendants are out on bail.

From the Baltimore Sun of June 28, 1902:

 

“MOTHER” JONES RELEASED
———-
Judge Jackson Gives Her A Lecture
About Inciting Strikes.

(Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.)

PARKERSBURG, W. Va., June 27.-“Mother” Jones and the other strike leaders who were on trial for alleged violation of an injunction by the United States Court were released today until July 11, when their case will come up again.

Upon being released they were given a lecture by Judge Jackson, who warned them against interfering in any way with the miners at work. He told them they had no constitutional right to come here from another State and interfere with workers. The Judge promised severe punishment if they attempt to incite a strike again.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part II: Mother Jones Arrested with Organizers of UMWA at Clarksburg, West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Injunction Shroud, Bff Exp p7, Apr 24, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 10, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up of June 1902, Part II
Arrested at Clarksburg, West Virginia; Taken to Parkersburg

From West Virginia’s Clarksburg Telegram of June 13, 1902:

Organizers & Agitators Enjoined
———-

Judge Mason Issues State Court Injunctions
and Judge Jackson Federal Injunctions.
Some Organizers Arrested.

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

Last Saturday [June 7] was the time fixed for a general strike among the miners in this state. In the Clarksburg and Fairmont regions but little attention has been paid to it. The day found nearly all the men at work as usual and the mines were in operation, as if there had been no order issued for a strike.

A small crowd of people composed of miners who have been idle for months, other miners, farmers, women and children, about 150 all told was addressed at Mines’ ford, by Mary Jones, known as “Mother Jones,” Saturday morning. The meeting did not result in any definite action or change the situation.

The first of the week the miners from Flemington, who obeyed the strike order, went over to Monongah and formed a marching party. For two or three days they continued to march to and fro between Monongah and Enterprise and some disorder resulted. The Fairmont Coal Company secured an injunction Tuesday [June 10] from Judge Mason at Fairmont against several of the organizers and agitators, restraining them from entering upon the company’s property or interfering with the company’s employes. Some of the organizers were arrested upon this injunction and taken to Fairmont, among whom was Thomas Hagerty and Bernard Rice, “Mother Jones” succeeded in evading arrest.

This was followed by a federal injunction Wednesday afternoon [June 11] issued by Judge John J. Jackson, at Parkersburg, restraining them from marching around or about the company’s grounds and on the roads leading to the mines. U. S. Marshall C. D. Elliott, of Parkersburg, went down the river Wednesday night with a number of deputies to serve the injunctions.

[Marshall Elliott] had summons for Thomas Hagerty, Edward McKay, Thomas Burk, Mary Jones, alias “Mother” Jones, William Morgan, Bernard Rice, J. D. Springer, John Noon, L. D. Murphy, Clyde Hawkins, Sam’l Rogers, James Lake, Charles Ashcraft, John W. Nester, Charles Henderson, Martin Henderson, Webb Poling, Jno. Marci, Edward House, Joe Bell, Orem Brown, John Edwards, Joe Paggoni, David Grace, and Gordon Rush…

[Photograph added.]

From the Danville Kentucky Advocate of June 16, 1902:

WEST VIRGINIA STRIKE.
———-
Effort Made to Enlist the Co-Operation
of the Railroad Men.
———-

Clarksburg, W. Va., June 16.-An effort is being made to induce the railroad men to refuse to handle coal mined in this district. Success in this would mean a complete suspension of mining. There is some little uneasiness among the operators. Organizers left this field Monday on the West Virginia Central to induce a strike among the miners of the Davis Elkins syndicate. Mother Jones and others addressed 300 hundred men Sunday at Willow Tree school house, near Monongahela [Monongah]. The crowd was largely composed of women, children and farmers. 

From the Parkersburg Daily Morning News of June 21, 1902:

[Mother Jones Arrested While Speaking
to Strikers at Clarksburg]

[Clarksburg, June 20]-Mother Jones’ address this afternoon was more than ordinarily bitter. She has good command of language and a powerful voice, which combined with her grey hair and commanding bearing and pleasant face give her undoubtedly much influence. She understands her power and how to use it, and while in private conversation shows a surprisingly cultivated manner and correct speech. Her language, when addressing a crowd of miners, is much after their common style and is thickly interspersed with slang and homely wit. In her speech today she denounced the mine operators as robbers, and defied Judge Jackson, placing him in the same class, and asserting that he, as well as the newspapers, and even the preachers, are in league with the interests of the mine owners against the mine workers. She was vigorously cheered at different times during her address, and especially at the close while the marshal and his deputies were making their arrests. She closed her address by urging the miners not to work, not to drink, to avoid all lawlessness and to stick together and continue to “agitate.”

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part I: Strike Is On in West Virginia Coalfields; U. S. Judge Jackson Issues Injunction

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Injunction Shroud, Bff Exp p7, Apr 24, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 9, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up of June 1902, Part I
Found Speaking to Striking Miners in West Virginia

From Virginia’s Richmond Dispatch of June 1, 1902:

THE MINING SITUATION.

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

From all that can be learned, nearly all of the miners in this field will strike on June 7th, in obedience to the order recently issued. The mine workers’ organization is making a big fight to get the men in this field to obey the order. Agitators are here in large numbers and strike talk is the principal topic of conversation.

“Mother” Jones, a strike agitator, has been in this region since Thursday and is making an appeal to the miners to quit good jobs and join the strike. Yesterday she addressed a large crowd of miners on the mountain side near Coaldale [West Virginia]. To-morrow night she will make another address to the miners at Keystone. Although there is only a small percentage of the miners in this field that belong to the union it is believed that nearly every one will come out. The miners in this field number nearly 200,000. including the Thacker field, and much trouble is feared, in case the strike order is obeyed.

[Photograph added.]

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 4, 1902

SAYS SHE EXPECTS TO BE KILLED
———-
Mother Jones Makes Sensational Address
Before West Virginia Striking Miners.
———-

Huntington, W. Va., June 4.-“Mother” Mary Jones addressed 1,000 miners near Keystone in the Norfolk and Western coal fields last night. Her utterances were extremely sensational. She said her life had been threatened, and that she expected to be killed before she got away from the coal fields. She added:

But for every strike sympathizer that is killed, it will take the life of two operators to appease the crime.

Mother Jones is having tremendous meetings at every point in that region. It is believed the strike order will be generally obeyed on Saturday.

From Virginia’s Tazewell Republican of June 5, 1902:

“Mother” Mary Jones, the noted labor agitator, spoke to a crowd of about one thousand persons at Pocahontas last Saturday. She spoke from the porch of the residence of Col. J. S. Browning. She spoke Sunday night at Keystone, and her address was of a very incendiary character. She is urging the miners to go out on a strike.

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 6, 1902

INDICATIONS OF A BIG STRIKE
———-
United Mine Workers in the Virginias
Go Out Tomorrow.
———-

Bluefield, W. Va., June 6-Tomorrow is the day that the United Mine Workers of Virginia and West Virginia are to strike. The indications are that a large percentage will come out. Swarms of organizers are in the field, and there is nothing but strike talk. “Mother” Jones has canvassed this field and left for Fairmount. All the companies have notices posted warning all trespassers to keep off their land, and persons trespassing upon the property or attempting by any means to induce the employes to quit work, will be prosecuted. The strike fever is high here.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part I: Strike Is On in West Virginia Coalfields; U. S. Judge Jackson Issues Injunction” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones and William B. Wilson Will Brave Injunction at Clarksburg and Fairmont, West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote John Mitchell to Mother Jones re WV Fairmont Field, May 10, 1902—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 8, 1902
U. M. W. Secretary Wilson and Mother Jones to Brave Injunction in West Virginia

From the Indianapolis Sunday Journal of July 6, 1902:

WILL VIOLATE INJUNCTION.
———-
Secretary Wilson, of the Mine Workers,
Will Go to West Virginia.

Mother Jones of UMW, NY Tb p6, Image 20, July 6, 1902

W. B. Wilson, secretary of the United Mine Workers, will leave, this evening at 6 o’clock, for Clarksburg, W. Va., where, with “Mother” Jones, he will speak to-morrow night to a public meeting of miners. In taking part in the meeting Secretary Wilson puts his head in the lion’s mouth; that is to say, he will violate the injunction granted by the federal judge of the Southern district of West Virginia, which declared that he must not hold meetings with the miners within that jurisdiction.

[Mr. Wilson said yesterday:]

I realize that I am liable to be arrested, but I am not permitting that to worry me. I have made arrangements so that the financial affairs of the organization will run along smoothly in other hands should I be placed in jail. You can depend upon it that the affairs of the order will not suffer.

“Mother” Jones and I are billed to speak to the miners to-morrow evening at Clarksburg. Tuesday evening we will address another big meeting at Fairmount. As both of these towns are in the jurisdiction of Judge Keller, they may try to enforce the injunction, but, as I say, I am not troubling myself about that. We will address a public meeting of orderly men, and it would be a high-handed proceeding to attempt to interfere with it.

Secretary Wilson believes that the injunction order cannot be sustained by a fair construction of constitutional law and that Judge Keller went beyond his powers in issuing the injunction in Philadelphia, which is not within his jurisdiction.

—————

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Wheeling Majority: “Hot Times in West Virginia”-Mother Jones Working Night and Day

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Life Work Mission, WV Cton Gz, June 11, 1912, per ISR p648, Mar 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday July 7, 1912
Charleston, West Virginia – Cossacks Rule Paint Creek, Mother Jones at Work

From The Wheeling Majority of July 4, 1912:

Hot Times In West Virginia
———-

[Mother Jones Working Night and Day]

(By G. H. Edmunds.)

Mother Jones WV , Cnc Pst p1, June 11, 1912

Charleston, W. Va., July 3.—(Special.)—You talk about the cossacks of Russia and the state police of Pennsylvania, but the guard system of West Virginia has all these backed off the boards. The guards along Paint Creek have taken the law in their hands, and are openly defying the law in all its phases. They are evicting the miners in open violation of the law up to date, we have been unable to check them. The law firm of Littlepage, Matheney and Littlepage sought to enjoin the coal companies, and here is what happened.

District Judge Burdette did the “fade-away” act’ to perfection. When our attorney went to his court (after having a time set to hear the injunction), and there and then found that the judge had left the community and no one could say where he had gone or when he would return. So the coal companies are still evicting our people. If Kellar, the great magician, wants to learn a few new tricks along the “fade-away” line, he might do well to consult his honor, Judge Burdette.

Assaulting Children.

Assault after assault has been committed upon defenseless men, women and children. But the sheriff of Kanawha county has done absolutely nothing about it at all. We hope that the miners will not forget Judge Burdette when election day comes. If he is afraid to perform the duties of his office, then he is not competent to fill that high office. I know it is pretty hard to go up against such a proposition as issuing or refusing an injunction as the one prayed for, yet it was the plain duty of Judge Burdette to have stood his ground and decided this case on its merits. Judge Burdette stands indicted for rank cowardice before all the people of this county. Will they forget or condone this act? Lots could be said about Kanawha county justice, but we will save it for campaign dope. Board Member Watkins Reports a good meeting at McClannahan, just across the mountain from Raymond City. We are glad to see these men coming out of the kinks at last. There are scores of good men over there and now that they have started again we bid them God speed.

Boys, don’t stop until every man in your locality is a union man and a Socialist. The “man catchers” from Burnwell “caught” two colored brothers in their net of deception, but upon their arrival at Burnwell, they found out about the strike and they left, walking 17 miles, and they informed the guards they would spend a year in the penitentiary before they would work as strike breakers. Pretty good union men, these.

Mother Jones There.

Mother Jones is still here and well and working night and day. She bears her 80 years as if they were 50. We expect big things next week. At this time we have 21 guards on trial for entering the homes of the miners without leave or warrant.

The miners are still firm and there will be no break away from our ranks. Organizers Batley and Davis left for their homes to spend the 4th of July. Organizer G. H. Edmunds and Vice President Frank J. Hayes will speak at Buxton, Ia., on the Fourth. Great credit is due the Majority for the gallant advocacy of the miners’ cause during this strike. All miners should subscribe to this paper, because he is our friend, and we should stand by our friends. Editor Hilton, has been fearless in his defense of our cause.

All mine workers are requested to stay away from West Virginia until notified officially that the strike is ended. 

[Photograph, emphasis and paragraph breaks added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: UMW Organizer Mike Livoda Warned to Leave Colorado, Beaten and Terrorized at Huerfano County

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege ed, Ab Chp III—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 4, 1912
Mike Livoda, Organizer for U. M. W. A., Beaten in Huerfano County, Colorado

Affidavit of Mike Livoda
-Sworn to on June 20, 1912, at Las Animas County: 

Affidavit Las Animas Co CO, Mike Livoda Beaten on 13th at Huerfano Co, Sworn to on June 20, 1912

From the Denver Post of June 27, 1912:

ATTORNEY GENERAL ASKED TO
ASSUME PROSECUTOR
———-
Other Authorities Fail to File in
Assault and Robbery Case.
———-

Governor Shafroth has been reminded that when a county prosecuting officer fails to do his duty when facts are presented sufficient to make a prima facie case the attorney general of the state can step in and personally take charge of the prosecution. When Attorney General Benjamin Griffith returns Friday he will be instructed by the governor to proceed against the five men who dragged Michael Livoda, organizer for the United Mine Workers of America, from his bed, robbed him of his union papers and ordered him to leave Walsenburg and Colorado.

John McLennan and John R. Lawson, in charge of the organization of miners, made the request that the state executive take action after District Attorney McHenry of Las Animas county failed to act. Deputy District Attorney Undershot, at Walsenburg, also refused to cause the arrest of the accused men.

McLennan and Lawson gave the names of these men to Governor Shafroth to turn over to the attorney general for prosecution: Charles A Kaiser, assistant superintendent of the Walsen mine; Deputy Sheriff Carr, stationed at the Walsen mine; James Farr, deputy sheriff, stationed at the Ravenwood mine, where Livoda was beaten, and a nephew of Sheriff Jefferson Farr; John Neish, superintendent of the Ravenwood mine, and Joseph Watson, guard at the Ravenwood mine. They claim to have witnesses to prove the five men guilty of the assault and robbery

Livoda was asleep in the house of a friend on the night of June 13 when five men entered the place, went through his clothes, took all union documents, marched him through the camp with mouth bound so he could not cry out, and when he reached the open country turned him loose after firing four shots and threatening to kill him if he came back.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Comrade: “Child Labor in Free America” by John Spargo, Illustrated by Ryan Walker

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Mother Jones Quote, Child Labor Man of Six Snuff Sniffer—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 3, 1902
“Child Labor in Free America” by John Spargo, Illustrated by Ryan Walker

From The Comrade of July 1902:

HdLn Child Labor by John Spargo, Comrade p221, July 1902

Poem EB Browning, Hear the Children, Comrade p221, July 1902

———-

Child Must Toil by Ryan Walker, Comrade p222, July 1902

Mocking the stately phrases of the Declaration of Independence and the proud boast enshrined in our national songs, is the terrible reality of child-slavery. From the far South comes a cry from children that know no childhood and upon whose degradation the great edifice of our commercial supremacy is being raised. Not since the early years of the last century when the great and good Robert Owen, Michael Sadler and the seventh Earl of Shaftsbury (then Lord Ashley) gave voice to the terrible condition of the mere babes who languished and toiled in British mills and factories, has such a terrible story of shame been told as that which is told of Alabama, Georgia, and the two Carolinas to-day. Little boys and girls of five, six, seven, and eight years, toiling in factories ten, and even twelve, hours a day, all unconsciously mock our “civilization” and imperil the very life of the nation.

But it is not alone in these States that child labor prevails. From almost every State in the Union the cry of the child toiler for rest, for childhood, for life, is heard. In the North no less than the South; East no less than the West, the same great problem exists-the problem of child labor co-existing side by side with a permanent army of unemployed adults. In the textile mills of the South it is estimated that there are at least 20,000 children at work under fourteen years of age. In Alabama alone there are some twelve hundred children employed, being a proportion of between six and seven per cent of all the operatives. In Georgia the proportion of children under twelve to grown persons employed in the mills is stated to be not less than 14 per cent, and in South Carolina it is at least nine per cent. The ages of these children thus classified as “under twelve” run all the way down to six and even five years!

Let those who prate of our “glorious progress,” and boast of our ascendant commercial power, reflect upon the terrible fact that little children, scarcely more than babies, can be found by the thousand in these southern mills working 12 and 12½ hours every day at the spinning frames for wages that range from ten to twenty cents a day. Here is a terrible account of this child slavery, written by a special correspondent of Cincinnati Post, which should be sufficient of itself to shame the people of this country, and to rouse them to vigorous action. He says:

I secured entrance to the People’s mills of Montgomery, (Alabama) which manufacture sheeting for the China trade. In the spinning room, where most of the children are employed, there were 125 persons of all ages at work. Of that number between 40 and 50 were children less than 12 years old. Those who had ever been in a school house were rare exceptions. In this room I saw boys and girls so small that their efforts to perform their work were absolutely pitiful. In reaching up to join the ends of the broken threads they were obliged to strain and stretch every muscle and sinew of their frail bodies and some were so small that they were compelled to stand on their tiptoes. This was repeated every five minutes or oftener for twelve long hours. I called the foreman’s attention to several little ones who I was sure could not be over six years old and was told “they are not working,” which meant that they were not on the pay-roll, but were helping the parent or older brother or sister, or learning the machines, so as to be able to take their place in that mill.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Ettor and Giovannitti Must Be Saved” -a Message from National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party

Janet RayeBread and Roses Strike of 1912
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Quote Giovannitti, The Walker, Rest My Brother—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 2, 1912
Message to Workers from N. E. C. of Socialist Party of America

From the International Socialist Review of July 1912:

Save Ettor n Giovannitti, SPA NEC, ISR p19, July 1912

—–

Message from Ettor, ISR p20, July 1912

—–

Poem Giovannitti, Republic, ISR p21, July 1912

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