Category: Hellraisers Journal

Hellraisers Journal: Jubilant Citizens of Matewan, West Virginia, Welcome Home Sid Hatfield and Fifteen Co-Defendants

Janet RayeBattle of Blair Mountain of 1921
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Quote Sid Hatfield, Matewan Friends, NYT p6, Mar 22, 1921———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 23, 1921
Matewan, West Virginia – Sid Hatfield and Co-Defendants Return Home

From The New York Times of March 22, 1921:

Home Folk Welcome Defendants.

Sid Hatfield, Two Gun, Akron Beacon Jr p1, Mar 21, 1921

MATEWAN, W. Va., March 21.-This little mining village called it a holiday today to greet the sixteen mountaineers, defendants in the Matewan battle trial, who were found not guilty by the jury at Williamson this morning.

Apparently all residents of the town were at the station late in the day when the train, which brought home Sid Hatfield, Chief of Police, and his fifteen companions, arrives.

A special car attached to the train held the hillmen and their bodyguard, Pinoon, six deputies, Captain Brockus and ten State troopers.

As the sixteen men stepped from the train and rushed into the arms of relatives and friends women laughed and cried, alternately, and for an hour the defendants were kept busy shaking the hands of men, women and children.

“It is the happiest day Matewan ever knew,” declared one rugged mountaineer as he grasped the hand of Sid Hatfield. 

“At least for me,” Sid replied.

Chief Hatfield was the centre of the admiring throng, and it was with great difficulty that he made his way to his home through the crowd. It took him more than an hour to traverse the 100 yards from the railroad station to his residence.

Arrived at the door of his home, Hatfield gazed upon his right hand, swollen from the hearty grasps of his neighbors, and remarked: “It’s good to know you have so many friends.”

———-

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia: Sid Hatfield and Fifteen Co-Defendants Found “Not Guilty”

Janet RayeBattle of Blair Mountain of 1921
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Quote Fred Mooney, Mingo Co Gunthugs, UMWJ p15, Dec 1, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday March 22, 1921
Williamson, W. V. – Matewan Defendants Found Not Guilty

From The Pittsburg Press of March 21, 1921:

BNR HdLn, Sid Hatfield et al Not Guilty, Ptt Prs p1, Mar 21, 1921

SID HATFIELD AND
15 CO-DEFENDANTS
FREED BY JURY
—–

By S. D. Weyer,
International News Service Staff Correspondent

Sid Hatfield by Robert Minor, Lbtr p11, Aug 1920

Courthouse, Williamson, W. Va., March 21.-Sid Hatfield and his 15 co-defendants in the trigger trial were found not guilty by the jury at 11:21 o’clock this morning.

Three minutes later judge Bailey told the defendants to go back to the county jail, where they will give bond for their appearance in court for the indictments of murdering six other detectives. Bailey arranged to allow the 16 men to go back to Matewan on the noon train.

J. J. Coniff, chief counsel for the defense, made this statement to the International News Service staff correspondent immediately after the verdict was read by the clerk of courts:

I think the result is what the public generally anticipated. It means, in my opinion that the private guard system in West Virginia has been on trial and been condemned, and the legislature now in session should take notice of this fact.

The 16 defendants received the verdict without any show of emotion, except that Sid Hatfield, chief of police of Matewan, smiled his perpetual smile.

After Judge Robert D. Bailey had told them to “go back to jail,” they crowded around Coniff and grasped his hand.

Then, accompanied by two “double gun” deputy sheriffs, they filed out of the court room, where they have sat daily since Jan. 26, and walked through lines of men and women congratulating them, across the court house lawn to the jail.

———-

[Drawing of Sid Hatfield by Robert Minor and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1911, Part II: Found in Report of Socialist Party’s Investigating Committee

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Greensburg PA Cmas 1910, Steel 2, p83———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 20, 1911
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1911, Part II:
–Found in Report of Socialist Party’s Investigating Committee

From The Socialist Party Official Bulletin:

Socialist Party Official Bulletin, SPA, Feb 1911

Report of the Investigating Committee-
Sub-Committee of the National Committee

Report of SPA Investigating Com re Charges by Mother Jones et al, Nat HQ Chg Feb 28, 1911

As to charges of dishonesty, brought by Comrade Mother Jones against Comrade J. Mahlon Barnes, through Attorney Thomas J. Morgan, the Investigating Committee found that:

[W]hen the alleged claim was placed in the hands of Thomas J. Morgan there was, in fact, nothing due Mother Jones; that the debt had been paid in full, and that the subsequent payment of $200 to Morgan was made under duress.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Coming Nation: “Why Some People Dread Socialism” by Ryan Walker

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote EVD Workers n Parasites, SDH Jan 30, 1904———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 19, 1911
Working and Eating in the Co-operative Commonwealth

From The Coming Nation of March 18, 1911:

CRTN Work Eat Socialism, Cmg Ntn p16, Mar 18, 1911

Note: Looks like the Hobo, being a migrant worker, is the only one of those in the drawing who gets to eat.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Here Lies the Gag Law of Fresno, Cal., Died 3, 4, 1911 of Over-Dose of I.W.W.”

Janet RayeFree Speech Fights
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 18, 1911
Fresno, California – Gag Law Against I. W. W. Laid to Rest

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of March 16, 1911:

Gag Law ag IWW Laid to Rest in Fresno etc, IW p1, Mar 16, 1911

THE CLOSING SOUNDS OF THE FRESNO FIGHT
———-

HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON-
FRESNO FIGHT IS NOW HISTORY.
SOLIDARITY WINS IN FRESNO.
—–

Fresno, Cal., March 5, 1911.

After denying the I. W. W. the streets for agitation meetings (because of our attempt to organize the workers of Fresno), after persecuting our members for their activity; after throwing them into jail and subjecting them to the greatest brutality; after passing a city ordinance denying the right of free speech, the authorities of Fresno now allow us to speak on the streets unmolested and unrestricted.

How was this accomplished? Less than 200 working men, roused by the acts of violence against the fighting organization to which they belonged, moved, from various parts on the pacific coast, on the Fresno representatives of their enemies (the capitalist class). They recognized that a defeat at this point would retard the important work of organizing the workers for the near approaching great conflict. From first to last, the fight here was carried on upon the strictest class lines, both sides recognizing and freely admitting fact…..

On February 22, 1911, the leading citizens of Fresno assembled to seriously consider the situation. After full discussion of ways and means of ending the struggle a committee of five was appointed with power to investigate the whole situation, ascertain our terms of settlement and report back to them.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Here Lies the Gag Law of Fresno, Cal., Died 3, 4, 1911 of Over-Dose of I.W.W.”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1911, Part I: Found in Denver, Colorado, at Protest Against Government by Injunction

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

Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 17, 1911
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1911, Part I:
–Found in Denver Speaking Out Against Government by Injunction

From The Rocky Mountain News of February 3, 1911:

1,000 WOMEN, SOME WITH BABIES,
JOIN PROTEST
———-
Twelve Thousand, Including Legislators,
Parade as Rebuke to Judge Whitford
for Recent Injunctions.
———-

OUST HIM, SAY RESOLUTIONS
———-
Auditorium Packed Until Dark; Thomas Urges
Change in Laws; Asks Recall.
—–

Mother Jones crpd ed, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910

The biggest trades union demonstration ever seen in Denver was that which took place yesterday in the form of a parade of the downtown streets and a mass meeting at the Auditorium as a protest against the decisions of Judge Greeley W. Whitford in the injunction cases against the union coal miners of the northern Colorado district and the striking machinists of the Denver Rock Drill and Machinery company.

The actual number in the parade was estimated at 12,000. The Auditorium was packed to its capacity and 2,000 were unable to get in…..

Former Governor Charles S. Thomas was the first speaker and from the time he began his address until “Mother” Jones closed at 6 o’clock the meeting was almost a continual demonstration of enthusiasm, with bursts of stormy applause whenever any especially strong denunciation of the decisions of Judge Whitford or or what the speakers designated “government by injunction” was uttered…..

Big Garment Workers’ Force.

The greatest number of women was in the first division. The Garment Workers’ union, the largest union of working girls in the city, marched in this division. So also did the woman’s auxiliary to the machinists…..

[Former Governor Thomas] urged the enactment of a recall law as one of the most effective means of putting an end to existing conditions, and the unanimity of the sentiment in favor of such a law was evidenced by vigorous applause.

E. E. [E. S.] McCullough, former vice-president of the United Mine Workers of America; John M. O’Neill, editor of the Western Federation of Miners’ magazine, and “Mother” Jones were the other speakers. O’Neill termed Whitford the Pontius Pilate of Colorado.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Ten Thousand March in Denver, Colorado, to Protest Whitford’s Injunction, Jailing of 16 Union Miners

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

———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday March 16, 1911
Denver, Colorado – “A Living Protest” by William D. Haywood

From the International Socialist Review of March 1911:

Living Protest by BBH, CO Miners in Jail, ISR p525, Mar 1901
This picture was taken in Denver County Jail where Pettibone,
Moyer, and Haywood were confined previous to being taken
to the penitentiary in Idaho. The men occupy the same
corridor where Haywood’s cell was located.

FEBRUARY the second was a memorable day in Denver, Colorado. Government by injunction received a jolt in the solar plexus that if followed up by a united working class will put the courts out of business.

Ten thousand men and women unionists and Socialists paraded the streets of the Queen City of the Plains, demanding that government by injunction be abolished. They marched in fours and sixes to the capital building. When the Socialist section arrived at the law factory, their band started up the Marseillaise, every red, big and little, singing the battle song of all nations.

From the capital building the parade marched to the city auditorium, where a monster protest meeting was held. Judge Greeley W. Whitford was damned, and denounced for sending sixteen coal miners, members of the U. M. W. A., to jail for a term of one year for the alleged violation of an injunction issued by him. The injunction was one of the blanket style that covers everything and everybody. Prohibited one from breathing in the vicinity of the coal company’s property or looking at one of their strike-breaking pets that they have imported from West Virginia.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Social Democratic Herald: Sketch of Mother Jones, Publications of Charles H. Kerr

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote JA Wayland, Mother Jones, AtR p1, Mar 17, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 15, 1901
Chicago, Illinois – Sketch of Mother Jones, Ad for Publications of Charles H. Kerr 

From the Social Democratic Herald of March 9, 1901:

Mother Jones, Drawing, SDH p4, Mar 9, 1901———-AD for ISR fr SDH p4, Mar 9, 1901

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Hellraisers Journal: Miss Flynn Speaks before New England Civil Liberties Committee on Behalf of Sacco and Vanzetti

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, re Sacco at Dedham Jail, Oct 1920, Rebel Girl p304———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 14, 1921
Boston, Massachusetts – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks for Sacco and Vanzetti

From The Boston Daily Globe of March 12, 1921:

MISS FLYNN RAPS “RED” HYSTERIA
———-
Criticises Method Used in
Prosecuting “Holdup Men”
———-
Asks Twentieth Century Club if
Justice Is Being Done Immigrants
———

EGF, Invitation f Speech re Sacco Vanzetti, Boston, Mar 11, 1921

In defending Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, the two Italians who are to be tried for the murder and robbery of a paymaster in East Braintree some months ago, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, at the Twentieth Century Club last night [March 11th], denounced the methods used in prosecuting them, warmly upheld the foreign born workmen, or their children, as the victims of gross misconceptions among the so-called “American” population, excoriated this same attitude as unjustified, stupid and cruel-the product of fear and the “Red” hysteria.

Miss Flynn spoke before the New England Civil Liberties Committee.

[Said Miss Flynn:]

If a man is active in the labor movement and is trying to bring about better working conditions in industry, we have been taught to look behind charges brought against him. The Mooney case taught us to investigate before conviction, not afterward. We are willing to assume that men interested in labor movements are not of the criminal type.

That may not be a good reason in law, but it is perfectly true. No one with a studious, thoughtful mind can on the spur of the moment plan a crime requiring the skill of practiced criminals.

Touching on the popular prejudice against the alien element, she said she had read a sketch by Owen Wister, in which Mr. Wister compared aliens to guests within our house, who. if they did not like our ways, are privileged to leave, but not privileged to break up our home.

[She said:]

Yes, but they are not guests who sit in the parlor playing the piano while we are out in the kitchen doing the work. Not by a good deal. We are sitting in the parlor and they are washing the dishes, scrubbing the floor, fixing the furnace and doing all the drudgery we can load on them. If they were really guests we might expect them to reciprocate; but we expect them to do all the work and have nothing to say about the conditions under which they do it.

John S. Codman presided.

———-

[Invitation and emphasis added.]

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