Hellraisers Journal, Friday January 19, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Pamphlet Tells of “Everett’s Bloody Sunday”
On Wednesday we presented one of two pamphlets, published by the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee, which told the actually story of events leading up to the Everett Massacre. Yesterday we featured part one of the second pamphlet which reveals the horrific vigilante terror at Beverly Park just a few days before the Massacre. Today we present part two of the second pamphlet which documents that terrible day in Everett, now known far and wide as “Bloody Sunday.”
EVERETT’S BLOODY SUNDAY
———-THE TRAGEDY THAT HORRIFIED THE WORLD!
———-A STORY OF OUTRAGED TOILERS
[Part Two.]The Day of Blood.
It was decided to hold a meeting in Everett on Sunday, November 5th, at 2 p. m. A big attendance of friendly citizens was promised by local sympathizers. A handbill was widely distributed in both Everett and Seattle which read as follows:
CITIZENS OF EVERETT!
Attention!A meeting will be held at the corner of Hewitt and Wetmore Aves., on Sunday, Nov. 5th, 2 p. m. Come and help maintain your and our constitutional rights.
-Committee.
The above was given out some days before the event. It certainly does not appear as though desperadoes, plotting a dark deed of murder, would advertise the fact by means of handbills! Yet, the bosses would characterize this simple announcement of a peaceful meeting as “inciting to riot” and “intent to resist lawful authority!”
The steamer “Verona” left the Seattle docks with some 250 men on board. About forty left later on the S. S. “Calista,” but never reached their destination.
The men aboard the “Verona” had all paid their passages in the regular manner, entitling them to a landing in Everett. They were cheerful on the boat, and full of enthusiasm. The conquest of free speech seemed assured. They never for a moment considered that the Everett mob,-at whose hands they had previously suffered such grievous outrage,-would dare to continue their criminal tactics in the light of day and before a host of conscientious citizens.
Therefore, they sang, that day on the boat, and made merry. They were class-conscious men, enlightened workingmen who believed in the glorious future of their class and who were willing to give their all in the great fight of the workers for bread, happiness and liberty. Little did they think, that bright morning, that the hour was so near in which some of them would be called upon for the supremest of all sacrifices,-life itself.
There were men of many trades and callings on the boat: laborers, loggers, railroad clerks, seamen, farm-hands; members of the Longshoremen’s Union, the I. W. W. the Truckmen, the Seamen’s Union and others. But they were all united in the one common desire: the desire to see established free expression of the voice of labor.
The Assault.
But not a man of them set foot to land. Arrived at Everett, they were greeted from the dock by the voice of Sheriff McRae, the same man who had headed the other outbursts of violence. He stood there with his mob of deputies behind him. They stood behind him upon the dock and others were behind barricades; yet more were in the shelter of adjacent warehouses. On a tug and on a dock on the further side of the boat, were other bands of desperadoes. And this time the gunmen were armed with high-power rifles and the entire stock of ammunition in the town had been appropriated by the Commercial Club. The citizens were massed upon the hills and high places near by, for they were not allowed upon the docks by the gunmen. The rule of the thugs was in complete sway.
“Who is your leader?” shouted Sheriff McRae.
“We are all leaders!” replied the men, who had no intention of having one of their number used as a scapegoat.
“Well, you can’t land here!” cried the Sheriff; and his hand flew to his gun-holster. And then came a volley of shots, pouring into the crowd of men standing upon the unprotected decks. This outrage, this absolutely illegal and uncalled-for assault upon peaceful, legitimate passengers, naturally enraged the men. Out of the 250 who were there, even Prosecuting Attorney Helsell is reported to have said that not more than from 18 to 25 of the men were armed with revolvers; and this is merely guess-work. And this against that small army of gunmen with Winchesters!
Facing the sheriff and his detail,-on the further side of the “Verona,”-were more men on a tugboat and a wharf. Their fire swept the steamer and must have also done much destruction among their accomplices on the opposite wharf, according to the reports of many witnesses. In fact, it is more than probable that the mortality among the sheriff’s posse was caused by the wild firing of the other section opposite them, on the other pier.
Upon the bloodstained decks of the vessel, the dead and dying began to drop. Eye-witnesses assert that some wounded or killed men toppled over the railings into the water, also that others leaped over the side and were shot down while swimming. Five men were killed upon the boat. Counting those who fell from the ship, the number of dead may be as much as twelve.
With her grim cargo of dead and wounded, the “Verona” turned about and made back for Seattle. On the way she passed the steamer “Calista” aboard of which were thirty-eight free speech warriors. The captain of the “Verona” stopped the “Calista” and cried to them:
“For God’s sake, don’t land; they’ll kill you! We have dead and wounded aboard now!”
Thereupon the “Calista” put about and returned to Seattle.
The Return.
In Seattle, the men upon the two steamers were met by a large force of police and militia and conducted to the city and county jails.
The first thought of the men was for their wounded comrades. “Take the wounded off first!” they cried; and the injured were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Four men were already dead and another died shortly afterwards in the hospital.
The newspapers commented upon the serious and contained manner of the prisoners. All through, the men conducted themselves with the solemn dignity of heroes. And heroes they were, noble warriors in the greatest cause the world has seen! Yet another valiant contingent in the army of Labor’s martyrs!
Over a hundred have murder charges against them. Against others, serious charges will also be laid. The employers will spare no time or money in the effort to put these active rebels behind the bars!
Three women, sympathizers with the fight, were also arrested on their way from Everett to Seattle in a car. Two are out on bonds, the third, Edith Fernette [Frenette], is still in jail facing a charge of assault with intent to kill.
Of the injured men, nine are still in hospital gravely wounded. Some of these may die, others are broken and crippled for life.
All precedents of law are being overthrown by the prosecution. They are endeavoring to prove guilt of murder by showing that men have assembled, or talked, for purposes that unexpectedly led to killing. This is what is known as constructive crime and has been proved in famous cases to be utterly opposed to jurisprudence and the just administration of the law. The law requires the proving of immediate acts in the course of the alleged crime, and not of previous acts which were not designed to result in a certain way. In returning to the method of using the policy of constructive murder, the prosecution is abandoning all legal precedent and is returning to an old, archaic interpretation of law, which is discredited by all civilized nations.
An Appeal.
Such was the bloody battle of Everett and its dire results. This is the gravest working-class event that has occurred since the massacre of Ludlow. It is the concern of every worker that these men receive a fair trial and a worthy defense.
The battle was fought in Everett, but it was a battle for the rights of the working-class the world over and, as such, it demands the aid and sympathy of every member of our class.
The bosses have millions of dollars and great influence. We have our naked hands, our few coins of hard-wrung wages, our stout hearts and our unquellable spirit,-the spirit of Labor. Which shall win?
It is for YOU to say which shall win. It is for the workers to take up this fight and to rally to the rescue of our class comrades!
Money is needed for lawyers and for publicity. This case must be tried before the jury of the workers of the world! In order to get the facts among you, we must carry on a strenuous campaign of publicity. This costs money! Good lawyers must be hired to watch over the interests of our fellow workers. This also costs money!
It is to YOU that we appeal, to the great working-class for whose sake our brothers have met their death and for whom others are facing the hell of the penitentiary!!!
Workers, what will be your answer?
* * *
Funds should be immediately collected. Protest meetings must be held and literature circulated.
Protests should be sent to Governor Lister, Olympia, Wash., and to President Wilson.
Funds should be forwarded to:
[Photograph added.]
SOURCE
“Everett’s Bloody Sunday”
Pamphlet of the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee
Seattle, Washington
http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/search/collection/pnwlabor
Note: Publication of pamphlet is estimated from content to have been after November 10th and before November 17th of 1916. See “Hellraisers Journal: Gruesome Story…” (link below) for more on dating of this pamphlet.
IMAGE
Everett Massacre, Verona Returns to Seattle, ISR Dec 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=SVRIAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&source=gbs_atb&pg=GBS.PA340
See also:
Hellraisers Journal: Pamphlet from Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee Exposes Events Leading to Massacre
https://weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-pamphlet-from-everett-prisoners-defense-committee-exposes-events-leading-to-massacre/
Hellraisers Journal: Gruesome Story of Vigilante Terror at Beverly Park Told by Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee
https://weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-gruesome-story-of-vigilante-terror-at-beverly-park-told-by-everett-prisoners-defense-committee/
The Everett Massacre
A History of the Class Struggle in the Lumber Industry
-by Walker C. Smith
IWW, 1918
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001106557
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31810/31810-h/31810-h.htm