Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday May 27, 1914 Washington, D. C. – Judge Lindsey and Women of Ludlow Visit the White House
From the Washington Evening Star of May 21, 1914:
LINDSEY HAS PLAN TO MEDIATE STRIKE ———- Discusses Colorado Situation With President Wilson This Afternoon. ———-
FAVORS KEEPING TROOPS IN THE TROUBLE DISTRICT ———- “Survivors of Ludlow Massacre” To Tell of Sufferings at National Rifles’ Armory Tonight. ———-
Rep. Keating, Judge Ben Lindsey, Rep. Kent, Mrs. Lindsey, Pearl Jolly, Mary Petrucci, Mary Thomas, Mrs. Lee Champion, Rachel and Olga Thomas
With a plan to mediate the Colorado coal fields strike, which he believes will be successful if fathered by the President,Judge Ben B. Lindsey, who came to Washington with a delegation of women and children refugees from Ludlow, called at the White House this afternoon by appointment.
Judge Lindsey stated he is emphatically in favor of keeping the troops in the strike district. He hopes the President will hear the stories of the women “survivors of the Ludlow massacre” who can tell him what they personally suffered during the battle and fire.
Judge Lindsey declares that the people of the country are guaranteed a republican form of government; that no such government exists in Colorado at this time, and that it is fully within the power of the President, backed by public sentiment, to force a settlement of the troubles.
Judge Lindsey urged the President to keep the federal troops in the coal strife region under all circumstances, asserting that if they are not retained there bloodshed will continue and that there will be nothing like law in all that region.
Suggests U. S. Close Mines.
Judge Lindsey declined to go into details as to what his plans are, but in a general way he hinted that public opinion would justify the President, under the guarantee of a republican form of government to all citizens, to close down the mines and practically assume charge of them by federal troops, compelling the mine owners and the striking miners to mediate their differences. He recalled the steps taken by President Roosevelt in the great Pennsylvania coal strike some year ago, and believes it within the power of the President to do almost anything he wants in Colorado.
“The President may not think he has power to settle the strike, but we think he has,” declared Judge Lindsey. “He has gigantic powers under the law and under the reign of public opinion.”
Judge Lindsey bitterly criticized Gov. Ammons, declared him incompetent, and hinted that Ammons and Rockefeller are in agreement as to how the fight should be resolved.
Judge Lindsey has asked an interview with John D. Rockefeller, jr. He didn’t know today whether Mr. Rockefeller would grant this interview, in which he will seek to have the New York millionaire accept some plan of medication, but he intended to try. He was asked if the party with him would also see Mr. Rockefeller.
“I do not know,” he answered, “but Mr. Rockefeller is no bigger than the President of the United States. Mr. Wilson has seen us-all of us-and I think Mr. Rockefeller can afford to do the same thing.”
Judge Lindsey persisted in his view that the President should bump the heads of both sides together and bring about a settlement.
The Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia) -May 21, 1914 Note: The continues: Lindsey’s envoy arrived in WDC by train at 4:40 pm on May 20th, and met at station by Mrs. McCormick of Woman’s Suffrage Council, Rep. Kent (CA), Rep Keating (CO), and friend of Lindsey’s from Denver. The survivors of Ludlow Massacre, and their ordeal during that terrible day, are described. Thomas family, Jolly and Petrucci stayed at the St. James Hotel under the protection of Frank Hayes. Mrs. Champion, of the Denver Woman’s Relief Association, described the courageous actions of Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Jolly during the massacre; she further described the terror experienced by Mrs. Petrucci who lost her three children when the militia set fire to the tent over their heads. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1914-05-21/ed-1/seq-1/ https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1914-05-21/ed-1/seq-5/
Mrs. Lindsey, Judge Lindsey, Mary Petrucci, Mary Thomas, Pearl Jolly, Mrs. Lee Champion, Olga and Rachael Thomas Mrs. Lee Champion, Mary Thomas with Olga Thomas, Mary Petrucci, Pearl Jolly with Rachael Thomas, Mrs. Lindsey
May 23, 1914, Denver United Labor Bulletin: -Governor Ammons Lies to President Wilson -President Will Leave Federal Soldiers in Colorado -Aid for Strikers Arriving from all Sections of the United States -The Gunthug Militia perpetrated Ludlow Massacre: “126 Company Gunmen on Rolls of Chase’s Militia at Ludlow Battle” =71 were were CF&I (Rockefeller’s) gunthugs and 50 were Victor-American gunthugs. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91052295/1914-05-23/ed-1/seq-1/
May 23, 1914, Appeal to Reason: Page 1: -Article by Upton Sinclair re Jack Reed’s visit to Colorado Strike Zone Page 2: –Mrs. Alma Lafferty, of Denver Women’s Peace League, describes the terror inflicted upon the women and children of Ludlow by the Colorado Militia, commanded by Major Hamrock and Lt. Linderfelt, during the massacre. She describes the state militia who fought at Ludlow as being hastily formed: “out of the mine guards, mine employes, itinerant gunmen and slum sweepings, together with desperadoes under command of Lieutenant Linderfelt in Company B-imported assassins who masqueraded as sons of Colorado in the uniform of the National Guard.” -Several other articles re Colorado strike, including report on the “recent” speechgiven byMother Jones at Frontenac, near Girard, Kansas. Page 4: -Cartoon by Ryan Walker: Henry Dubb attempts to call on John D. Jr, friend of the worker. https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/appeal-to-reason/140523-appealtoreason-w964.pdf
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