There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 17, 1907
For The Montana News: Ida Crouch-Hazlett Reports from Boise
Reporting from Boise, Idaho, on the trial William D. Haywood, Ida Crouch-Hazlett, editor of the Socialist weekly, The Montana News, describes the Haywood family as they appeared in court on May 9th, the first day of the great trial:
Haywood’s Family Present.
Mrs. Haywood had been carried up the stairs and into the court room in her invalid chair. She was dressed in black with a white collar at her throat and wore a black hat with a white flower. She was accompanied by her two daughters and nurse. The daughters sat in the same line with Haywood behind the attorneys; first the wife, then Verna, then the nurse with Henrietta on her lap, and then the man on trial for his life.
Haywood was clean shaved, well dressed and looked in the best of condition. His face held an expression of confidence that showed that his mind was not greatly disturbed.
As he sat down by the side of his daughter, Haywood placed his hand fondly upon her head and the two exchanged quick, loving smiles. Then he glanced over toward his wife and the two exchanged similar smiles. A moment later Haywood leaned over and began talking earnestly with Attorney Richardson. He was apparently asking some important questions and his attorney nodded vigorously at intervals. Then Haywood said some thing that caused them both to laugh heartily.
[Photograph added.]
The Haywood family in court on May 11th:
The Haywood family, looking as fresh and attractive as daisies, were all in court. It is touching to see Henrietta’s joy when her papa comes in, she sits with one arm lovingly around his neck and her head on his shoulder, her dainty dress and beautiful white arms make a pleasing picture.
Socialist Journalist Cover the Trial
Socialists at Boise
—–No Street Meetings
The socialists are here in strong forces now, both to report the trial from the position of the interests of the working class to the socialist and labor press, and to be present, a silent, strong and forceful minority.
Dr. Titus is here to represent the Seattle Socialist, accompanied by his wife. Ernest Untermann got in this morning for Wilshire’s Magazine. The plan now is that he shall only remain a few weeks and Comrade McMahon of New Jersey will be here to take the work to the end. Ryan Walker has arrived from New York to do the sketch work for the Appeal. Dr. Titus will also report for the “Volkszeitung,” the German socialist daily of New York.
This western court room with its settings is to be one of the historic landmarks in the evolution of the great proletarian struggle, and the most august and powerful force amid these solemn and judicial scenes is the bunch of socialists present, with the grim brows and set lips, and the light of intelligence upon their faces, that is even now a reflection from the new day that is dawning. All the rest of these forms and pageants of injustice and the rule of a few over the workers will pass away and go into the lumber room of things that have been. But the force that these socialists represent will be the thing that will live and go on into the future.
And the usurpers are warned not more now than they have ever been amid their crumbling powers of the past. They think because they are strong that they are stable. They resent the impudence and threatening menace of the serving class. They will crush them under the institutions that they have reared so laboriously. And the great silent struggle of the ages is there with its vital forces of which the contest at bar is but the beat of the surf of the mighty sea.
Among these socialists sits the revolutionary forces. They alone understand the ultimate issues of the scenes they see before them.
No Street-Speaking.
The close of this day was not without its sensation. We had gathered in Comrade Shoaf’s room for a friendly chit-chat previous to a little treat from Comrade Titus and wife at Brand’s cafe, later on in the evening. Comrade Unterman was busy pounding out scientific wisdom from the typewriter to the great distress of Mrs. Titus who was laboring to see if she could get Comrade Shoaf to stick once on a single point of veracity. Presently there was questioning as to what had become of Dr. Titus, when it transpired that the chief of police had sent for him to go to the mayor’s office. We waited breathlessly till he reappeared-socialists plotting desperately in the upper chamber, with one of their number already in the hands of the government authorities.
How relieved we were when he returned with his story. It seems the report had been carried to Mayor Haines that the dangerous and revolutionary Titus was in town, and intended giving a series of inflammatory street speeches. Whereupon the mayor thought he would try the gentle art of moral suasion upon him. The doctor replied with the utmost good humor that he had no idea of street meetings whatever, and in fact should consider them in very bad taste at this time; but he did not neglect to advise the mayor that it might be a wise act not to forbid any meetings, as socialists were known to be somewhat obstreperous where administrative prohibitions conflicted with their constitutional rights.
The mayor thanked the doctor for his suggestion and the parting was amicable.
As the doctor related his experience Shoaf’s greyhound reportorial instinct could not afford to let such a tid-bit of sensation pass, and he soon had a thrilling dispatch ready for the wire. As he went into the Western Union offices the Hearst, Post and Associated Press men gathered there with a mysterious air of “scoop” about them. So to the daily press all over went the thrilling tale of the first conflict at Boise of the socialists with the authorities.
Debs has sent word that so far as he was concerned he thought meetings would be very much out of taste during the time of the trial unless Borah or other of our opponents would accept his challenge to debate with him.
IDA CROUCH-HAZLETT.
———-
[Photographs added, top to bottom: Ida Crouch-Hazlett, Dr. Hermon F. Titus, George Shoaf.]
From Florida’s Pensacola Journal of May 16, 1907:
SOURCE
The Montana News
(Helena, Montana)
-Apr 25, 1907
“Owned and Published by the
Socialist Party of Montana”
Editor: Ida Crouch-Hazlett
-May 16, 1907
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024811/1907-05-16/ed-1/seq-1/
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024811/1907-05-16/ed-1/seq-4/
IMAGES
Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/116462796/
Ida Crouch-Hazlett, wiki, Montana News, Aug 3, 1904
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Crouch-Hazlett
Hermon F Titus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermon_F._Titus
George Shoaf
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=Q_E-AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA391
HMP, Haywood and Miners, Pensacola Jr, May 16, 1907
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062268/1907-05-16/ed-1/seq-1/
See also:
Radicalism in the Mountain West, 1890-1920
-by David R. Berman
University Press of Colorado, May 18, 2011
https://books.google.com/books?id=d8W9AwAAQBAJ
The Commonwealth of Toil – Pete Seeger
Lyrics by Ralph Chaplin
https://archive.org/stream/whenleavescomeou00chap#page/4/mode/2up