Hellraisers Journal: Kansas Class-War Prisoners Held Nineteen Months without Trial; Oil Trust Is Real Prosecutor

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———–

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 1, 1919
Kansas Class-War Prisoners Re-indicted Yet Once Again

From the Kansas City Workers’ World of June 27, 1919:

LIVES USED AS PAWNS
—–

POLITICIANS IMPRISON WORKERS IN GAME FOR OIL TRUST
FAVORS AND POLITICAL PREFERMENT
—–

WHO IS KEEPING THESE MEN FROM TRIAL?
—–
Men Held for Nineteen Months, Charge Oil Trust
Is Real Prosecutor.

WWIR IWW Remember the Boys in Jail, OH Sc p3, Aug 21, 1918

WICHITA, June 24.-Thirty-three men are still in prison, starting on their twentieth month, although on June 6th an order was filed in the District Court quashing all counts of the second indictment against them. Within a few hours of the filing of that order, District Attorney Robertson had gathered another Grand Jury and re-indicted the men on the same charges with which he has been unable to bring them to trial for twenty months.

Political Capital from Men’s Lives.

The men in prison charge that the Oil Trust is the real prosecutor in the case. This is substantiated by political gossip around Wichita, which runs to the effect that Robertson did not even draw up the indictments, that they were the work of the attorneys for certain oil companies. The political gossips are, however, most interested in Robertson’s candidacy for Governor on the Democratic ticket. They seem to take it as a matter of course that Robertson is connected with the Oil Trust.

When Robertson’s name was mentioned for Governor here recently, it immediately created a storm. He has few friends in this district, and now many prominent democrats are saying that Wichita indictments are purely for political capital, that he is keeping these men in prison in order to have a peg to hang publicity on to keep his name in the papers. They point out that while he has been very busy indeed giving interviews to the papers, trying to create sentiment against the men whom he has had locked up for nearly two years, he has not had time to draw an indictment against them under which a court would try them.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Kansas Class-War Prisoners Held Nineteen Months without Trial; Oil Trust Is Real Prosecutor” →

Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: E. H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Parts III & IV

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege, Ab Chp III———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday June 30, 1899
Edward H. Hamilton Reports from the Coeur d’Alene Country, Parts III & IV of IV

From the San Francisco Examiner of June 28 & 29, 1899:

ID Bullpen, EHH No Free Speech, Tyranny Runs Riot, SF Exmr p1, June 28, 29, 1899

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: E. H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Parts III & IV” →

Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: Edward H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege, Ab Chp III———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 29, 1899
Edward H. Hamilton Reports from the Coeur d’Alene Country, Part II of IV

From the San Francisco Examiner of June 27, 1899:

Note: Sadly, it was thought necessary by The Examiner to specify that the soldiers committing acts of terror against the miners in the bullpen are “Blacks” or “Negro troopers,” but whenever white soldiers and/or deputized company gunthugs commit acts of terror against strikers, the race of those perpetrators of despotism is never mentioned.

ID Bullpen, Edward H Hamilton, SF Exmr p1, June 27, 1899

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Four Part Series from San Francisco Examiner: Edward H. Hamilton on Tyranny in Idaho, Part II” →

Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Called Off Thursday after All-Night Session of General Strike Committee

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, WLNs May 19, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday June 27, 1919
Winnipeg, Manitoba – General Strike Called Off

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of June 25, 1919:

WINNIPEG STRIKE ENDS
—–
Strike Committee After All Night Session Decides
to Let Government Commission Investigate.
—–

Wpg GS, Strike Ends, Wpg Tb p1, June 6, 1919

(Special to The Bulletin.)

Winnipeg. June 25.-The general strike which has lasted more than 40 days, will end Thursday at 11 o’clock. This announcement was made after an all-night session of the general strike committee. Sympathetic strikes in other cities will end at the same hour.

The decision of the strike committee, which ends a struggle that will have been exactly six weeks in effect at 11 o’clock Thursday, follows a conference of the delegates of the strike committee with Premier Norris and members of the provincial government yesterday.

The men forward the proposition that if the government would appoint a commission to investigate the strike and settle all disputes they would call off the general strike. The reply of the government was that the general strike must be called off first.

If that were done, then a commission, headed by H. A. Robertson [Hugh Amos Robson], would be appointed. It has been intimated that it had been the intention of the government for some weeks to appoint a commission, but action by the strike committee was awaited in regard to calling off the strike.

———-

[Newsclip added from Winnipeg Evening Tribune of June 26, 1919. Emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Called Off Thursday after All-Night Session of General Strike Committee” →

WE NEVER FORGET: Martyrs of the Winnepeg General Strike, June 21, 1919-Mike Sokolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, Ab Chp 6, 1925
———-

WNF, Winnipeg GS Bloody Saturday, June 21, 1919
———-

WE NEVER FORGET
The Martyrs of the Winnipeg General Strike
Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause
on Bloody Saturday, June 21, 1919

Blooday Saturday

Bloody Saturday, Wpg GS, WLN Strike Bltn p1, June 23, 1919The Western Labor News, Special Strike Edition No. 32, of June 23, 1919 described events of Saturday, June 21st:One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon…..

On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.

Shooting to Kill

Then, with revolvers drawn, they galloped down Main Street, turned, and charged right into the crowd on William Avenue, firing as they charged. One man, standing on the sidewalk, thought the mounties were firing blank cartridges until a spectator standing beside him dropped with a bullet through his breast. Another standing nearby was shot through the head. We have no exact information about the total number of casualties, but there were not less than thirty. The crowd dispersed as quickly as possible when the shooting began.

Mike Skolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz

From “Winipeg General Strike…Two Ukrainians Killed”
-by Peter J. Manastyrsky:

Mike Sokolowski, GraveStone, June 21, 1919Mike Sokolowski (AKA: Sokolowiski) was killed in front of City Hall on what came to be known as Bloody Saturday, shot by the Royal Canadian Northwest Mounted Police during the fighting. Sokolowski was the only person killed in the riot and buried at Winnipeg’s Brookside Cemetery (section 45, plot 450). Mike Sokolowski’s grave was unmarked for over 80 years until June 20, 2003. As part of the Brookside Cemetery’s 125th Anniversary, a donation was made to purchase a headstone for Mike Sokolowski.

Steve Szczerbanowicz, GraveStone, June 21 1919On the other hand, Steve Szczerbanowicz (AKA: Sheebaubucz, Schezerbanowicz, Schezerbanowes) after being shot through both legs by a police officer during the Winnipeg General Strike on June 23rd, died due to a gangrene infection. For 96 years Steve Szczerbanowicz was buried at an unmarked grave at Brookside Cemetery but on June 20th, 2015 funds were raised to cover the cost of a gravestone in memory of Steve Szczerbanowicz (section 80, plot 7) victim of the six-week Winnipeg General Strike.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Martyrs of the Winnepeg General Strike, June 21, 1919-Mike Sokolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz” →

Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Bulletin: “Bloody Saturday-R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut” Shoot Peaceful Citizens

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, WLNs May 19, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 24, 1919
Winnipeg General Strike News: Mounties and Specials Attack “Silent Parade”

From Western Labor News Special Strike Edition No. 32 of June 23, 1919:

BLOODY SATURDAY

R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut
-Peaceful Citizens Shot Without Warning
-City Under Military Control
-Returned Men Incensed
-Strikers More Determined.

Wpg GS, Bloody Sat, After the Shooting, Wpg Tb p2 June 23, 1919

One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon. Apparently the bloody business was carefully planned, for Mayor Gray issued a proclamation in the morning stating that “Any women taking part in a parade do so at their own risk.” Nevertheless a vast crowd of men, women and children assembled to witness the “silent parade.”

The Soldiers’ Committee, which had been interviewing Senator Robertson, had not returned to their comrades when the latter commenced to line up on Main Street, near the city hall.

No attempt was made to use the special city police to prevent the parade. On a previous occasion a dozen of the old regular city police had persuaded the returned men to abandon a parade which had commenced to move.

On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Bulletin: “Bloody Saturday-R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut” Shoot Peaceful Citizens” →

Hellraisers Journal: Kansas City Workers’ World: 23 Members of Oil Worker’s I. U. Languish in Kansas County Jails

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———–

Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 23, 1919
Kansas County Jails – I. W. W. Members Languish in Hell Holes

From the Kansas City Workers’ World of June 20, 1919:

TO THE READERS OF THE WORKERS’ WORLD

WWIR IWW Remember the Boys in Jail, OH Sc p3, Aug 21, 1918

There are now, in three Kansas jails-Topeka, Lawrence and Ottawa-twenty-three members of the Oil Workers’ Industrial Union No. 450, I. W. W. who have been held for nineteen months under indictment in U. S. district court, second Kansas division.

Two indictments have already been returned against these men, but both were flimsy, and the defense attorneys were successful in having both of them quashed; the last one on June 7th in Judge John Pollocks court at Wichita, Kansas. But Fred Robertson, U. S. district attorney succeed in having a third one returned, also on June 7th.

The fact that two indictments were quashed plainly shows that these men are innocent of the charges brought against them; yet the prosecution seems determined to “rail-road” them to prison.

Since these men were jailed three of their number have gone insane and one has died; this as the result of the persecution to which they have been subjected.

These men who, as said, are innocent, yet who have been forced to be in jail for nineteen months, are anxious to secure bail and are taking this opportunity to appeal to all lovers of liberty to come forward and give whatever assistance you can.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Kansas City Workers’ World: 23 Members of Oil Worker’s I. U. Languish in Kansas County Jails” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: National Organizer J. H. Walsh Introduces I. W. W. Band

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote JH Walsh Overall Brigade, IUB p1, Oct 24, 1908———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 22, 1909
Northwestern Montana – The I. W. W. Band from Eureka, to Kalispell, to Somers

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of June 17, 1909:

JH Walsh and IWW Band, IW p3, June 17, 1909

The thousands of readers of the Industrial Worker will probably be interested in a few paragraphs relative to I. W. W. brass band that is now on the road doing propaganda work. It was last year that we organized in Portland what was know as the “Overall Brigade,” composed of 20 people who “hoboed” it from Portland, Ore., to Chicago, holding propaganda meetings in nearly every division point between the above mentioned cities.

The great success of those meetings and the receipts of the same was what led to the organization of a brass band for the propaganda work on the road. It was easy to see that if 20 people with no instruments could make their way across the country as the “Overall Brigade” did, that about a dozen, specially selected people in a brass band and bright uniforms would certainly be a howling success. Such it has been for the first week on the road.

It took nearly three months to get the people, instruments, tents, trunks, etc, together. There is an investment of about $800 in the outfit, all of which is owned by the “bunch.” Our first meeting was Eureka, Mont., in the lumber strike district. The head “sprag” of the thieving lumber corporation was there and he was so opposed to the teachings of the I. W. W. and so enraged by the sight of a working class in red revolutionary uniforms, that he bought a couple cases of eggs and proceeded to get company suckers and kids to throw them at the speakers. However, they were caught in the nick of time. The lumberjacks were across the street, a few big fists were thrust into the air and the corporation tools took a sneak.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: National Organizer J. H. Walsh Introduces I. W. W. Band” →