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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday August 26, 1914
Colorado Strike Still On; Federal Troops Serve as Scab Herders; Linderfelt Arrested
The Labor World this week republished a report from the United Mine Workers Journal on the Colorado Coalfield Strike. The strike zone continues to be occupied by federal troops who have, sadly, taken on the role of scab herders.
Also reported was the news that Lieut. Linderfelt, “The Butcher of Ludlow,” has recently been arrested for trying to force a young girl into a rooming house. There is, however, no amount of depravity, regarding that particular officer of the Colorado National Guard, that would in any way surprise us. Linderfelt was one of the officers who took the lead in the Ludlow massacre, and was responsible for the murder of Louis Tikas.
From the Duluth Labor World of August 22nd:
COLORADO STRIKE STILL IN PROGRESS
———-Militia Involved In Ludlow Massacre Has Been Discharged.
Gunmen to Cities.
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LIEUTENANT HELD ON SERIOUS CHARGE
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Lieut. K. E. Linderfelt Arrested on Charge
Denoting His Depravity
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DENVER, Colo., Aug. 21.-The Colorado national guard, which terrorized the coal strike district for seven months and finally murdered and cremated nineteen men, women and children at Ludlow, April 20, has disintegrated.
The Ludlow massacre had no sooner been perpetrated than a few of the hitherto supposed decent “men” began to talk of resigning. Practically all of the officers have severed their connection with this body of derelicts, who made Colorado the scarlet letter sister among the states, or are trying to do so.
Gunmen to Cities.
The gunmen members have scattered to the slums of large cities whence they came to Colorado and are waiting for other jobs where they may go and ply their trade shooting down the workers at $3 to $7 a day.
Adjutant-General Chase, despotic czar of the Colorado cossacks, continues to hold forth at the stated house at a fat salary, seemingly hoping that the federal troops may soon be withdrawn so he may have another chance to terrorize the strike district and kick young girls, like sixteen-year-old Sarah Slater, in the breast.
The state militia, however, is still “breaking in” to the newspapers through some of its star court-martial witnesses landing in police court.
Murderers Peeved
Since the court-martial was held several members of Company A which was made up of operators’ assassins, have been stopping at a leading Denver hotel, presumably awaiting the verdict for the murder of the men and women and little babies at Ludlow.
It seems they were told that all expenses would be paid by the state. They have been waiting several months for money and none has been forthcoming.
Now they intend to sue the state unless their expenses are paid at once. It is believed that Chase and other lickspittles of the operators are afraid of what these men might tell regarding the massacre at Ludlow and that they will therefore pay the bills.
Linderfelt Caught.
Lieutenant K. E. Linderfelt, the “Butcher of Ludlow,” who led the attack on the strikers and among other things murdered Louis Tikas while he was a prisoner, is the latest member of the court-martial squad to appear in police court.
Linderfelt, who is married, was arrested at 4 o’clock one morning charged with trying to force a girl into a rooming house.
According to reports received by the United Mine Workers, the federal troops are continuing their practice of allowing scabs to enter the mines, which is against the order of secretary of war, Garrison.
When the federal troops came into the field it was believed that they would carry out the orders of the secretary of war, which the miners interpreted as a policy of strict neutrality. This order seems to have gone by default among officers in charge of the federals since the shipment of scabs into the mines has become a common occurrence.
Ammons Disowned.
That not all of the democrats of Colorado approve of the actions of Governor Elias M. Ammons, who has always been a pliant tool of the coal operators, has been shown by action of assemblies throughout the state. In none of these has the picture of the governor appeared on the platform and in some meetings the chief executive of the state has been jeered and hissed when ever his name was mentioned.
The unrest among the strike breakers is growing, and unless the operators make some immediate change in the treatment of the scabs, it is believed that they will walk out in a body within the next several weeks.
-United Mine Workers Journal.
[Photograph and emphasis added.]
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SOURCES
Quote KE Linderfelt re Damn Red Neck Bitches of Ludlow Massacre,
Apr 20, 1914, CIR p7378
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112087783327&seq=398&q1=red+bitches&start=1
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Aug 22, 1914
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1914-08-22/ed-1/seq-1/
IMAGE
Hamrock and Linderfelt Butchers of Ludlow, 1913, 1914,
CO Coal Field War Project
https://www.du.edu/ludlow/gall2a.html
Lt Karl E Linderfelt 1913/1914, Butcher of Ludlow,
CO Coal Field War Project
https://www.du.edu/ludlow/gall2b.html
See also:
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday May 6, 1914
“It is a damned pity that all of you damned red-necked bitches
were not killed.”-Lt. Karl E. Linderfelt
Las Animas County, Colorado – Affidavits from Survivors of the Ludlow Massacre
Tag: Linderfelt Butcher of Ludlow
https://weneverforget.org/tag/linderfelt-butcher-of-ludlow/
Tag: Colorado Coalfield Strike of 1913-1914
https://weneverforget.org/tag/colorado-coalfield-strike-of-1913-1914/
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The Ludlow Massacre – Christy Moore
Lyrics by Woody Guthrie