Category: Hellraisers Journal

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks on Industrial Unionism at IWW Headquarters in Spokane

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Life and Liberty, Btt Inter Mt p1, June 14, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday July 3, 1909
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks at I. W. W. HQ in Spokane

From the Spokane Daily Chronicle of July 1, 1909:

WOMAN SPEAKER IS YOUNG GIRL

EGF to Speak at IWW HQ, Spk IW p4, July 1, 1909

The hall of the Industrial Workers of the World was packed on Tuesday night to hear Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York. Miss Flynn spoke on “Industrial Unionism.”

The history of this speaker, who is known among the industrial unionists throughout the United States, is full of interest. She is but a girl of 19 years, and yet those who have heard her speak insist that her addresses show she has thought deeply upon the subject considered by her. One of her favorite subjects is “Industrial Unionism and woman’s Suffrage.”

A child of poor parents in New York, she was left destitute at the age of 13. At this early age, it is said, she began to think on the subjects on which she now makes her talks.

Miss Flynn left this city yesterday for Seattle. She will make several addresses in this city and in about a week return to the east.

———-

[Emphasis added. Advertisement added from Spokane Industrial Worker of July 1, 1909.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Workers’ World: “What Kind of Boys Do They Jail in Kansas?” -19 Months Without Trial

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———–

Hellraisers Journal -Wednesday July 2, 1919
Kansas Class-War Prisoners, Who Are These Men?

From the Kansas City Workers’ World of June 27, 1919:

WHAT KIND OF BOYS DO THEY JAIL IN KANSAS?

ARE THESE MEN CRIMINALS?

WWIR IWW Remember the Boys in Jail, OH Sc p3, Aug 21, 1918

On November 20,1917, a general roundup of union men was conducted in the oil fields of Kansas. Thirty-five were arrested without warrant on this date and held on the charge of vagrancy. Later they were indicted under a Federal charge and since that time they have been confined in various jails in the state.

Results of Confinement.

For eighteen months these men have sacrificed their freedom because of their loyalty to their ideals. Had they been willing to renounce their organization, and cease their activities, they would have been set free. This they have refused to do. Their bond has been set at $10,000 and until very recently every effort to secure a reduction has failed, and now only in the case of a few of the imprisoned men. As a result of their long months of confinement, one man has died, two have gone insane-one being confined in the insane asylum at Osawatomie, Kansas, and the other held in solitary confinement in the jail in Ottawa. Another man has become a nervous wreck, trembling like a leaf and falling to the floor in complete collapse at the slightest excitement. Two of them have lost all of their teeth. Men who were physical giants at the time of their arrest are today but a shadow of their former selves.

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Hellraisers Journal: Kansas Class-War Prisoners Held Nineteen Months without Trial; Oil Trust Is Real Prosecutor

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———–

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 1, 1919
Kansas Class-War Prisoners Re-indicted Yet Once Again

From the Kansas City Workers’ World of June 27, 1919:

LIVES USED AS PAWNS
—–

POLITICIANS IMPRISON WORKERS IN GAME FOR OIL TRUST
FAVORS AND POLITICAL PREFERMENT
—–

WHO IS KEEPING THESE MEN FROM TRIAL?
—–
Men Held for Nineteen Months, Charge Oil Trust
Is Real Prosecutor.

WWIR IWW Remember the Boys in Jail, OH Sc p3, Aug 21, 1918

WICHITA, June 24.-Thirty-three men are still in prison, starting on their twentieth month, although on June 6th an order was filed in the District Court quashing all counts of the second indictment against them. Within a few hours of the filing of that order, District Attorney Robertson had gathered another Grand Jury and re-indicted the men on the same charges with which he has been unable to bring them to trial for twenty months.

Political Capital from Men’s Lives.

The men in prison charge that the Oil Trust is the real prosecutor in the case. This is substantiated by political gossip around Wichita, which runs to the effect that Robertson did not even draw up the indictments, that they were the work of the attorneys for certain oil companies. The political gossips are, however, most interested in Robertson’s candidacy for Governor on the Democratic ticket. They seem to take it as a matter of course that Robertson is connected with the Oil Trust.

When Robertson’s name was mentioned for Governor here recently, it immediately created a storm. He has few friends in this district, and now many prominent democrats are saying that Wichita indictments are purely for political capital, that he is keeping these men in prison in order to have a peg to hang publicity on to keep his name in the papers. They point out that while he has been very busy indeed giving interviews to the papers, trying to create sentiment against the men whom he has had locked up for nearly two years, he has not had time to draw an indictment against them under which a court would try them.

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Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: E. H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Parts III & IV

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

Hellraisers Journal – Friday June 30, 1899
Edward H. Hamilton Reports from the Coeur d’Alene Country, Parts III & IV of IV

From the San Francisco Examiner of June 28 & 29, 1899:

ID Bullpen, EHH No Free Speech, Tyranny Runs Riot, SF Exmr p1, June 28, 29, 1899

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Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: Edward H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Part II

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

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 29, 1899
Edward H. Hamilton Reports from the Coeur d’Alene Country, Part II of IV

From the San Francisco Examiner of June 27, 1899:

Note: Sadly, it was thought necessary by The Examiner to specify that the soldiers committing acts of terror against the miners in the bullpen are “Blacks” or “Negro troopers,” but whenever white soldiers and/or deputized company gunthugs commit acts of terror against strikers, the race of those perpetrators of despotism is never mentioned.

ID Bullpen, Edward H Hamilton, SF Exmr p1, June 27, 1899

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Called Off Thursday after All-Night Session of General Strike Committee

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, WLNs May 19, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday June 27, 1919
Winnipeg, Manitoba – General Strike Called Off

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of June 25, 1919:

WINNIPEG STRIKE ENDS
—–
Strike Committee After All Night Session Decides
to Let Government Commission Investigate.
—–

Wpg GS, Strike Ends, Wpg Tb p1, June 6, 1919

(Special to The Bulletin.)

Winnipeg. June 25.-The general strike which has lasted more than 40 days, will end Thursday at 11 o’clock. This announcement was made after an all-night session of the general strike committee. Sympathetic strikes in other cities will end at the same hour.

The decision of the strike committee, which ends a struggle that will have been exactly six weeks in effect at 11 o’clock Thursday, follows a conference of the delegates of the strike committee with Premier Norris and members of the provincial government yesterday.

The men forward the proposition that if the government would appoint a commission to investigate the strike and settle all disputes they would call off the general strike. The reply of the government was that the general strike must be called off first.

If that were done, then a commission, headed by H. A. Robertson [Hugh Amos Robson], would be appointed. It has been intimated that it had been the intention of the government for some weeks to appoint a commission, but action by the strike committee was awaited in regard to calling off the strike.

———-

[Newsclip added from Winnipeg Evening Tribune of June 26, 1919. Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Bulletin: “Bloody Saturday-R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut” Shoot Peaceful Citizens

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, WLNs May 19, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 24, 1919
Winnipeg General Strike News: Mounties and Specials Attack “Silent Parade”

From Western Labor News Special Strike Edition No. 32 of June 23, 1919:

BLOODY SATURDAY

R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut
-Peaceful Citizens Shot Without Warning
-City Under Military Control
-Returned Men Incensed
-Strikers More Determined.

Wpg GS, Bloody Sat, After the Shooting, Wpg Tb p2 June 23, 1919

One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon. Apparently the bloody business was carefully planned, for Mayor Gray issued a proclamation in the morning stating that “Any women taking part in a parade do so at their own risk.” Nevertheless a vast crowd of men, women and children assembled to witness the “silent parade.”

The Soldiers’ Committee, which had been interviewing Senator Robertson, had not returned to their comrades when the latter commenced to line up on Main Street, near the city hall.

No attempt was made to use the special city police to prevent the parade. On a previous occasion a dozen of the old regular city police had persuaded the returned men to abandon a parade which had commenced to move.

On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.

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Hellraisers Journal: Kansas City Workers’ World: 23 Members of Oil Worker’s I. U. Languish in Kansas County Jails

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———–

Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 23, 1919
Kansas County Jails – I. W. W. Members Languish in Hell Holes

From the Kansas City Workers’ World of June 20, 1919:

TO THE READERS OF THE WORKERS’ WORLD

WWIR IWW Remember the Boys in Jail, OH Sc p3, Aug 21, 1918

There are now, in three Kansas jails-Topeka, Lawrence and Ottawa-twenty-three members of the Oil Workers’ Industrial Union No. 450, I. W. W. who have been held for nineteen months under indictment in U. S. district court, second Kansas division.

Two indictments have already been returned against these men, but both were flimsy, and the defense attorneys were successful in having both of them quashed; the last one on June 7th in Judge John Pollocks court at Wichita, Kansas. But Fred Robertson, U. S. district attorney succeed in having a third one returned, also on June 7th.

The fact that two indictments were quashed plainly shows that these men are innocent of the charges brought against them; yet the prosecution seems determined to “rail-road” them to prison.

Since these men were jailed three of their number have gone insane and one has died; this as the result of the persecution to which they have been subjected.

These men who, as said, are innocent, yet who have been forced to be in jail for nineteen months, are anxious to secure bail and are taking this opportunity to appeal to all lovers of liberty to come forward and give whatever assistance you can.

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