—————-
Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 17, 1914
Walsenburg, Colorado – Mother Jones Released from Cold Cellar Cell
Mother Jones is in Denver today after her release yesterday from the cold damp cellar cell which served as the Military Bastille in Walsenburg, Colorado. Newspapers around the country are reporting the news.
From El Paso Herald of April 16, 1914:
Walsenburg, Colo., April 16.-“Mother” Mary Jones, who has been a military prisoner in the hospital ward of the county jail since March 22, was released this morning upon orders of Gen. John Chase. The aged strike leader was offered transportation to any point in the state, but the offer was refused.
The appearance of “Mother” Jones at the door of the jail was the signal for a demonstration by a large crowd of strikers and the strike sympathizers that had gathered in anticipation of her release. The aged leader appeared in good health and declared she was feeling well.
Will Lay Woes Before Wilson.
“Mother” Jones was escorted to union headquarters, where she conferred with a number of strike leaders. She announced her intention of speaking at a mass meeting late today after which she plans to go to Trinidad and speak. Later she intends to go to Washington.
“Mother” Jones said:
“You’ll know soon enough why I go to Washington.” Later she intimated that she proposed to tell the story of her experiences in the Colorado coal strike to president Wilson and to the congressional strike investigating committee.
[Emphasis added.]
Note: the cellar cell where she was held for 26 days is hardly a “hospital ward.” It is, in fact, the same cold damp cell which claimed the life of striker Kostas Markos earlier this year.
From the San Bernardino Daily Sun (California) of April 17, 1914:
‘MOTHER’ JONES,
FREE HEADS FOR DENVER
———–WALSENBURG, Colo., April 16.-After announcing, immediately upon her release from the county jail, that she would deliver an address and go to Trinidad tonight, “Mother” Mary Jones suddenly changed her plans and left for Denver this afternoon. A cheering crowd of strikers escorted her to the station.
[Emphasis added.]
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of April 17, 1914:
“Mother” Jones Back at Denver.
Denver, Colo., April 16.-“Mother” Mary Jones, released from military imprisonment today at Walsenburg, arrived here tonight. She went directly to her hotel, where she held a conference with John R. Lawson, executive board member for Colorado of the United Mine Workers of America.
[Emphasis added.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote Mother Jones re Walsenburg Cellar Cell, Mar 22, 1914 x26 days,
Ab Chp 21, 1925
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/21/
El Paso Herald
(El Paso, Texas)
-Apr 16, 1914
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1914-04-16/ed-1/seq-1/
Buried Unsung
Louis Tikas and the Ludlow Massacre
-by Zeese Papanikolas
U of Nebraska Press, 1991
https://archive.org/details/buriedunsungloui0000papa/mode/1up?view=theater
(search: freezing jail)
https://archive.org/details/buriedunsungloui0000papa/page/190/mode/1up?view=theater&q=%22freezing+jail%22
San Bernardino Daily Sun
(San Bernardino, California)
-Apr 17, 1914
https://www.newspapers.com/image/47076184/
The Chicago Daily Tribune
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Apr 17, 1914
https://www.newspapers.com/image/355055413/
See Also:
Tag: Kostas Marcos
https://weneverforget.org/tag/kostas-marcos/
Tag: Military Despotism Colorado 1914
https://weneverforget.org/tag/military-despotism-colorado-1914/
Tag: Colorado Coalfield Strike of 1913-1914
https://weneverforget.org/tag/colorado-coalfield-strike-of-1913-1914/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~