Hellraisers Journal: Denver United Labor Bulletin: Colorado Labor Leaders Issue Call to Arms: “Be Ready to Defend Your Homes”

Quote CO Labor Leaders Call to Arms, Apr 22, ULB p1, Apr 25, 1914 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday April 25, 1914
Denver, Colorado – State Labor Leaders Issue Call to Arms

From the Denver United Labor Bulletin of April 25, 1914
CALL TO ARMS:

Call to Arms, Denver, Colorado, April 22, 1914

Organize the men in your community in companies of volunteers to protect the workers of Colorado against the murder and cremation of men, women and children by armed assassins in the employ of coal corporations, serving under the guise of state militiamen.

Gather together for defensive purposes all arms and ammunition legally available. Send name of leader of your company and actual number of men enlisted at once by wire, phone or mail to W. T. Hickey, Secretary of State Federation of Labor.

Hold all companies subject to order.

People having arms to spare for these defensive measures are requested to furnish same to local companies, and, where no company exists, send them to the State Federation of Labor.

The state is furnishing us no protection and we must protect ourselves, our wives and children, from these murderous assassins. We seek no quarrel with the state and we expect to break no law; we intend to exercise our lawful right as citizens, to defend our homes and our constitutional rights.

John R. LAWSON
JOHN McLENNAN
E. L. DOYLE
JOHN RAMSEY
W. T. HICKEY
E. R. HOAGE
T. W. TAYLOR
CLARENCE MOOREHOUSE
ERNEST MILLS

[Emphasis added.]

-Lawson, International Organizers from U. M. W. District 15.
-McLennan, President of District 15, U. M. W.
and also President of Colorado State Federation of Labor.
-Doyle, Secretary-Treasurer of District 15 U. M. W.
-Ramsey of the U. M. W. of A.
-Hickey, Secretary of Colorado State Federation of Labor.
-Hoage of the Denver Printing Press Assistants’ Union No 14.
-Taylor and Moorehouse of the Denver Trades and Labor Assembly.
-Mills, Secretary-Treasurer of Western Federation of Miners.

More from the United Labor Bulletin of April 25, 1914:

[The article continues:
“Louie Tikas the First Man Shot.”
“Torch Applied to the Tents.”
“Undertakers Turned Back.”
“Battle All Day Wednesday.”
“Special Session of Legislature.”]

[Entire Costa Family Perished]

Died With Song on His Lips.

“Sing union forever.” This was the dying request made by Charles Costa as he lay with a bullet hole in his head. This appeal was made to his comrades as they crowded around him seeking protection from the constant rain of bullets. And Costa joined in the refrain:

We’ve whipped them in the North, boys;
We’ll whip them in the south,
Shouting….

He reached this point when he expired. The smile on his lips showed that he was willing to go…..

The entire family of Charles Costa was wiped out in Monday’s battle at Ludlow. Costa himself was killed during the encounter and his wife and two children burned to death in the cellar under the tent after the tents were set afire.

[Emphasis added.]