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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 5, 1909
Fellow Worker James Kelly Cole Killed on the Road to Spokane
From the International Socialist Review of December 1909:
KILLED ON WAY TO SPOKANE.
James K. Cole, one of the members of Chicago Local 85, I. W. W., who left here in company with many comrades Monday evening, November 15th, to join the men and women engaged in the fight for free speech at Spokane, was killed on Tuesday [Wednesday November 17th] while jumping a train, en route, in Wisconsin. James Cole was only 23 years of age and for a long time had been known as one of the most uncompromising members of the I. W. W. Always ready to lend his aid to any struggle of the wage-working class, Cole was one of the first to volunteer to go to Spokane. The following photograph of the men who left this city on the 15th was taken Sunday the 14th. Comrade Cole is the fourth man from the right of the picture, in the front row. Cole said:
It’s a long trip and it’s a cold trip out to Spokane at this time of year. But don’t talk about that. We’re going and we are going to WIN.
Men like Cole are the fighting timber of the revolutionary movement of the working class. They do not weigh consequences, they scoff at dangers threatening themselves; silently, without any demonstration, or brass bands, or RAILROAD TICKETS they pick up [their] hats and are on the way whenever their class sends out a call for help. James Cole and his fellow-workers are the BACK-BONE of the revolutionary army. Cole never looked back. He was never afraid. He never gave up. He was the best that can be said of any man or woman of our class—he was a revolutionist. He fought living and died on the way to help in a great fight.
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[Following telegram is from Comrade Tom Lewis who came to Spokane with the Portland Comrades.]
(Special Telegram to the Review.)
Spokane, Nov. 19.
Ten more speakers were arrested to-day, being knocked down and bundled off to jail in the usual rough manner. The police were treated to an extra volley of jeers for their pains by the large crowd.
The conditions in the three jails now being used as bullpens by the city officials is revolting. In the [Franklin] school house a solitary bucket is being used for a toilet. The place is alive with vermin. The prisoners have been refused water to boil their clothes. The windows are broken, offering ready access to the cold winds. All visitors are denied the privilege of seeing the prisoners. There is no place to sleep except on the bare floor. No blankets are provided with which to keep warm. Half a loaf of bread daily are the rations with which the men are expected to fight off hunger.
As a direct result all of the men are suffering with cramps, for which the doctor gives them castor oil. Many are very sick, nevertheless they are ordered to work on the rock pile. Only a few have accepted this means of release.
A six-day striker was released yesterday, badly afflicted. At first they ordered him to the rock pile, but later decided on his release. In spite of the fact that he could hardly walk, he was refused admission to the hospital. He was also penniless, the authorities refusing to return thirty cents taken from his person when he was arrested on the plea that he owed for costs.
Tom J. Lewis.
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[Following telegram is from Agnes Thecla Fair.]
(Special Telegram to the Review.)
I am now labeled by the police as dangerous. Offense, mixing in [Spokane] speech fight. I talked to a large crowd at Howard and Riverside for ten minutes. A detective took me down and wanted me to walk. I insisted on riding. The crowd grew and waved red handkerchiefs. As I got into the wagon the crowd cheered. I little dreamed what was to follow. They put me in a cell with drunken women. In a few minutes the officers returned and took the women out, although they told me they were not to go until Monday. They put me in a dark cell. About ten burly brutes came in and started to question me about the union. I was so scared I couldn’t answer. “We’ll make her talk.” “She’ll talk before we get through with her,” said another. * * * * I went into spasms and never recovered till evening.
Hardly over the first when they brought a man disguised as a woman. I thought it was a drunken woman till the “bulls” went out. Then I felt a large hand creeping over me. I jumped into an enclosure screaming. Two of our other girls were brought in or I would have never come to. Even then they showed no disposition to treat me as human. I never slept nor ate the three days I was there. I was very weak when the doctor came. A “trusty” told me that the doctor said that “she cannot stand it another hour.” They hurried in and carried me to the window. The matron on the pay roll is a salvation army woman, but is never around the women. Taking me into court an officer said: “Let her walk.” “She can’t,” said the matron. “If she faints we will throw a bucket of water in her face; that’ll wake her up.”
The court asked if I was let out on own recognizance would I make any disturbance. I told counsel that I would not be able to for a few days, but I did not know what I would do then. The counsel worded it different to the court. The court ordered me to the receiving hospital. I only stayed there a few minutes. I asked a fellow worker to take my arm to the hall. Fellow workers carried me to my room through the principal streets. Advertise brutality of police. Twenty-five more went in to day while the “bulls” beat back a crowd of ten thousand.
Agnes Thecla Fair.
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[Emphasis added.]
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SOURCE & IMAGE
The International Socialist Review, Volume 10
(Chicago, Illinois)
C. H. Kerr & Company,
-July 1909 to June 1910
https://books.google.com/books?id=MVhIAAAAYAAJ
ISR of Dec 1909
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=MVhIAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA483
“Killed on Way to Spokane”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=MVhIAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA557
See also:
James Kelly Cole
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kelly_Cole
Revolutionary Writings
–Poems and Prose Writings
-by James Kelly Cole
IWW, 1910
https://archive.org/details/poemsprosewritin00cole
https://archive.org/details/poemsprosewritin00cole/page/n3
-includes biography
https://archive.org/details/poemsprosewritin00cole/page/n7
-re his death, see page 12
https://archive.org/details/poemsprosewritin00cole/page/12
And it was on a pilgrimage to help others who believed in the rights of men that James Kelly Cole was halted suddenly by death. A railroad accident at Tomah, Wis., November 17th, 1909, ended only too untimely his brief, young, hopeful life. He lived well and bravely and thus did he die.
[Emphasis added.]
Tag: Agnes Thecla Fair
https://weneverforget.org/tag/agnes-thecla-fair/
Spokane Free Speech Fight of 1909-1910
https://weneverforget.org/tag/spokane-free-speech-fight-of-1909-1910/
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Hobos Lullaby – Goebel Reeves