There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday October 4, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – I. W. W. Defendants Must Stand Trial
From The Duluth News Tribune of September 19, 1916:
I. W. W.’S DENY MURDER CHARGE
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Must Stand Trial in Myron Case, as
Court Overrules Quash Motion.
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Overruling all motions to quash indictments against Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlett, Philip Masonovich and other I. W. W.’s charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff James Myron at Biwabik, July 2, Judge Bert Fesler in district court yesterday ruled that all defendants would have in face trial. Formal pleas of not guilty were then entered by all.
Attorney John Keyes at the conclusion of the hearing announced that on Wednesday morning before Judge Martin Hughes at Virginia that he would make a motion for continuance, Assistant County Attorney I. L. Boyle then stated that every effort would be made by the state to force trial immediately and that riot cases would be moved for trial next Monday.
In making the argument for the freedom of Tresca, Scarlett and Schmidt, Attorney Keyes pointed out that these men were miles away from the scene of the crime at the time of happening and argued that if they were held it should be on a charge of conspiracy and not of murder.
Motion to quash indictments on grounds that they were not drawn in conformity to law also were advanced.
Judge Fesler held that the two classes of indictments charging the defendants with murder were regular in form, even under the theory that the state might attempt to prove a conspiracy.
May Ask Action Later.
That attorneys of the defendants were availing themselves of all rights under the law and records of the proceedings was the statement of Attorney Keyes who said that all of the motions to quash may come up again at any time of the trial and, if a conviction follows, they may be used in an appeal to the supreme court…
[Photograph added.]
From Cronaca Sovversiva of September 30, 1916:
A Virginia, nel Minnesota, sono in carcere, imputati di omicidio in primo grado, senza che nessuno possa comprovare l’accusa vigliacca, Carlo Tresca, Joe Schmidt e Scarlett, tre indomiti ed indomabili lottatori, rei di aver sposata la causa degli oppressi contro gli oppressori; una donna, rea di aver soccorso il marito assalito da una masnada di sbirri briachi, cinque operai montenegrini rei di essersi ribellati contro le angherie degli aguzzini del Trust siderurgico.
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Somerville, Mass,-Domenica mattina 17 settembre ebbe luogo a Somerville l’annunciato comizio di protesta contro la reazione, ove parlarono nel pomeriggio dello stesso giorno ad E. Cambridge.
Fra gli intervenuti in ambedue le località furono raccolti e devoluti agli scioperanti ed arrestati del Minnesota $53.00 che, dedotte le spese di $3 per manifesti 3.00 per la sala e 0.60 per un telegramma a Tresca, mandiamo a destinazione pel tramite della Cronaca.
Gli iniziatori
[Photograph of Tresca added.]
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SOURCES
The Duluth News Tribune
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Sept 19, 1916, page 12
http://www.genealogybank.com/
Cronaca Sovversiva
(Lynn, Massachusetts)
-Sept 30, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/2012271201/1916-09-30/ed-1/seq-3/
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/2012271201/1916-09-30/ed-1/seq-4/
Note: Translated by google:
In Virginia, Minnesota, are in jail, accused of murder in the first degree, and no one can prove the accusation cowardly, Carlo Tresca, Joe Schmidt and Scarlett, three fearless and indomitable fighters, guilty of having married the cause of the oppressed against the oppressors; a woman, guilty of having helped her husband assaulted by a gang of drunken cops, five workers Montenegrins guilty of having rebelled against the harassment of the torturers in the steel Trust.
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Somerville, Mass, -Sunday morning September 17 took place in Somerville announced the rally of protest against the reaction, when they spoke in the afternoon of the same day at E. Cambridge.
Among those present in both locations they were collected and donated to the strikers and arrested Minnesota $ 53.00 that less expenses of $ 3 for 3:00 posters for the room and 0.60 for a telegram to Tresca, send to your destination through the medium of the Chronicle.
the initiators
IMAGES
Funeral John Alar, IWW Leaders, Virginia MN, by Dawson, June 26, 1916
(Tresca 2nd from left in front row, I believe Frank Little is directly behind Tresca.
Help to identify the others would be much appreciated.)
http://ironrange.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4002coll1/id/1399/rec/5
Cronaca Sovversiva, Sept 30, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/2012271201/1916-09-30/ed-1/seq-1/
Carlo Tresca, Funeral of John Alar, Virginia MN, June 26, 1916
http://ironrange.cdmhost.com/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p4002coll1/id/1400/rv/singleitem
See also:
Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Greets Carlo Tresca and Other Defendants in Minnesota Courtroom
https://weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-elizabeth-gurley-flynn-greets-carlo-tresca-and-other-defendants-in-minnesota-courtroom/