Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Miss Helen Schloss, The Red Nurse, Arrested for Picketing, Now in Trinidad Jail

Federals Imprison Trained Nurse

By telegraph to Appeal to Reason.

Trinidad, Colo.-Helen Schloss, Socialist, trained nurse in charge of hospital tents of the striking miners at Ludlow, was arrested while picketing with a number of miners’ wives at the railroad station. The gallant Southern Major Cabell of the United States army had on of his soldiers swear to the complaint, and a company just imported from Tellerville held court in the railroad station, sentencing Miss Schloss to 15 days in Trinidad’s jail.

It was this same Major Cabell and his soldiers that man-handled Miss Schloss and a score of miners’ wives a few days ago at Ludlow, the brutal attacks of the federals leaving black and blue marks upon the women. The jail in which Miss Schloss is confined has been condemned by the state board of health, and is at this time crowded with striking miners just indicted by a hand-picked grand jury, on which were a number of notorious gunmen.

Miss Schloss nursed the wounded miners in the hospital tents, and cared for their children. Her arrest has shocked the entire community.

                                                                                   JOHN MURRAY

[Emphasis added.]

Trinidad Judge Sends to Prison
Appeal Correspondent
and Socialist Candidate for Governor
on Charge of Contempt.

Murray Sentenced to 100 Days in Jail and $100 Fine and Costs,
and Marians Gets $50 and Costs-
Cases will Be Carried to Higher Courts by Appeal-
Movement to Recall Biased Judge Will Continue-
Appeal Army Called on to Join fight for Justice and Human Rights.

By telegraph to Appeal to Reason.

Trinidad, Colo.-John Murray, correspondent for the APPEAL TO Reason, and A. Marians, Socialist nominee for governor of Colorado, were found guilty of contempt of court. Judge Strong imposed a sentence of one hundred days in the county jail and a fine of $100 with costs, upon Murray. Marians was fined $50 and costs, to remain in jail until costs were paid.

In this attempt to recall District Judge McHendrie, the first one of the kind in the United States, the judge himself by contempt of court procedure has attempted to block the recall, and by decision of Judge Strong nearly two thousand people who have already signed the petition are judged to be in contempt of court and their right to the ballot denied. Yet the right to recall judges is a part of the Colorado constitution.

When the case was called, Judge Northcutt, Rockefeller’s attorney  arose and stated that, at the request of Mr. Hines, the following attorneys had volunteered as counsel: Henry Hunter, Judge Northcutt, E. E. Upton, F. A. Hollenbeck and Robert Yeaman. Murray arose, faced the five attorneys and demanded a trial by jury, which Judge Strong quickly denied. The judge then advised Murray to secure counsel or to permit the court to appoint counsel, which Murray declined, saying he would conduct his own case, and filed six motions, setting forth reasons why the case should be dismissed. All were overruled.

Judge Hunter and Northcutt, the chief spokesmen for the complainant, were ably answered by Murray, while the court room remained in a deathlike silence. At the conclusion of the arguments, Murray was found guilty and was ordered to stand to be sentenced. Judge Strong said:

“The court has found you guilty of contempt of court, and owing to that upon which it bears, it is more venomous on your part. It is the judgement of the court that you be imprisoned in the county jail here 100 days and pay a fine of $100 dollars, with the court costs, and you will be released when you have served your term.”

Murray bowed his head and followed the jailer to the cell.

A Marians was next called to the stand and was quickly adjudged guilty and asked to stand for sentence. The judge said to Mr. Marians:

“I thank you for your orderly conduct upon your statement made here in this court and of the statements complained. As judge, I find you are guilty of circulating other matter contemptuous concerning the court and the judge. You may now receive your judgment, that you pay a fine of $50 and the cost of these proceedings and that you stay in jail until such costs are paid.”

Being a workingman and unable to pay his fine, he was led by the jailer to the Las Animas county bullpen and left in this insanitary bastile which is already filled to overflowing.

                                                            E. H. H. GATES,
                                                            Secretary of Recall Committee.

———-Murray’s Message to the Appeal

By telegraph to Appeal to Reason.

From the Crowded and Condemned Jail, Trinidad, Colo.-Judge Strong has declared from the bench his belief that any recall petition containing a statement that, even if true, would cause any reflection upon a judge who has a case pending before him, would put the framers, circulators and signers of such petition for recall in contempt of court. To this I would say that, if this be the agreed-upon attitude of the judiciary of the state of Colorado, then the honest judgment of the citizenship is smothered for all time. This case is the beginning of the trial of the judiciary of the state, and on the bench of public opinion sit the people of Colorado.

                                                                                  JOHN MURRAY.

[Emphasis added.]

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

SOURCES

Quote Helen Schloss, Women w Hungry Souls,
Black Hills Dly Rg p2, July 15, 1910
https://www.newspapers.com/image/91659036

Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-of Sept 12, 1914
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/appeal-to-reason/140912-appealtoreason-w980.pdf
https://www.newspapers.com/image/67315028/?terms=schloss%20marians%20murray

IMAGE
The International Socialist Review, Volume 13
-Jan 1913, Cover: Helen Schloss Jailed during Little Falls Strike
Charles H. Kerr & Company, 1913
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/isr/v13n07-jan-1913-ISR-go-ocr.pdf

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