Hellraisers Journal: Pinkerton Gunthugs Siringo and Meldrum in Boise: “notoriously handy with their revolvers.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday July 7, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Gunthugs Siringo & Meldrum Attend Trial

From the Appeal to Reason of June 29, 1907:

GUN-FIGHTERS IN BOISE.
—–

HMP, Gunthugs Siringo & Meldrum, SLTb, June 18, 1907

—–

HMP, Gunthug Siringo w Walking Stick, Wilshires July 1907

The following Associated Press dispatch, printed in the Kansas City Times, will give our readers a pen picture of the sort of witnesses summoned by the Gooding-McPartland gang to testify against Haywood:

Boise, Ida., June 20.-Charles A. Siringo and “Bob” Meldrum, who are in daily attendance at the Haywood trial, are notoriously handy with their revolvers. Meldrum has “five notches” in his gun; but the number of men who have fallen before Siringo’s unerring aim is not definitely known.

Siringo acts as body guard for the detective, James McPartland. He has served the Pinkerton agency twenty-one years, and one of his first assignments was to “shadow” certain lawyers in connection with the trial of the Chicago anarchists. Siringo has operated extensively against cattle rustlers, and at the time of the Coeur d’Alene strike he was recording secretary of the Gem Miners’ union, of which at the time George A. Pettibone was financial secretary. Siringo’s record became known and he escaped by cutting a hole in a floor and crawling under a wooden sidewalk for 200 yards.

Meldrum is now a deputy sheriff at Telluride. Colo., and is here as a witness. Originally he was a cowboy and was employed by cattle men to fight the rustlers. In several strikes he has served the mine owners in various capacities, and he is reputed to be one of the handiest men in the country with a revolver.

Another dispatch relates how Meldrum and his partner undertook to start a riot. The attempt was such a bunglesome job that the Boise police collared the bad men, and fined them $100 and $50 respectively. The fines were paid by the Pinkerton Agency.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Fired by Haywood as Organizer for Industrial Workers of the World

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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MN16, ON Hilton speech, LW, Dec 23, 1916

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday July 6, 1917
Duluth, Minnesota – Miss Flynn “Expelled” from I. W. W.

From the Pittsburgh Daily Post of July 1, 1917:

Note: the information below comes via the Duluth Police Department, and not directly from Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.

I. W. W. President Expels
Miss Flynn
—–

EGF, Tresca, MN Iron Miners Strike, Ev IN, Aug 17, 1916

DULUTH, Minn., June 30.-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York told Duluth police, before departing for her home, that William Haywood, Chicago, president [General Secretary-Treasurer] of the Industrial Workers of the World, had expelled her from the organization. Miss Flynn, according to the police, said Haywood and his advisors charged she conspired with Carl [Carlo] Tresca, Haywood’s former lieutenant, to “double cross” four industrial workers who received penitentiary sentences recently on a murder charge, in connection with labor troubles.

Miss Flynn exhibited a manuscript which was to have been her speech at Virginia, Minn., last Sunday. In it she made pleas against stories at the mines during the war, and this address, she said, was in conflict with Haywood’s plans. It was Miss Flynn’s story that brought about her release from charges of vagrancy Thursday, the police said today.

———-

[Photograph added]

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Hellraisers Journal: For the Defense: WF Davis, Union Veteran, & Morris Friedman, of “Pinkerton Spy” Fame

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If they hang Moyer and Haywood,
they’ve got to hang me.
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday July 5, 1907
Boise, Idaho – “The defense is putting up a magnificent case.”

From the Montana News of July 4, 1907:

Union Veterans
—–

Reviews History of the Idaho
and Colorado Wars—
Witnesses Tell Experience
of the Bullpen

Boise, June 28.

HMP, WF Davis of WFM, DEN, June 28, 1907

On Wednesday afternoon [June 26th] W. F. Davis took the stand. This is one of the most valiant and dauntless characters in the whole ranks of the Western Federation. He was accused of stealing and running the train in the Coeur d’Alenes at the time the mill was blown up. The mine owners declared he was on the engine and directed the engineer, and he has been pursued relentlessly ever since by the persecutions of the mine owners. He was a member of the strike committee in the Cripple Creek district, and was tried with the other members of the committee on the charge of attempted wrecking of a Florence and Cripple Creek train. Davis was dismissed by the judge without letting the case go to the jury. H e was obliged to leave the district when the union men were run out, and change his name in order to get work.

While he was held in jail, his wife and baby both died. He is a big, noble-hearted fellow who has the confidence and sympathy of the entire Federation. He was moved to tears when the fact of the loss of his family were brought out on the stand. He has jeopardized his freedom by coming here from Goldfield, as the mine owners are looking closely for a chance to arrest him for the Coeur d’Alenes difficulties. Orchard implicated him in the blowing up of the Vindicator mine at Cripple Creek, where the two shift bosses were killed. When he read Orchard’s testimony he immediately telegraphed to the attorneys of the defense that he would come to Boise and deny the cowardly lie.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V Debs & Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Denied Right to Speak in the State of Minnesota

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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EGF Quote, I fell in love with my country, RG 96

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday July 4, 1917
St. Peter & Duluth, Minnesota – Freedom of Speech Denied

From the New Ulm Review of July 4, 1917:

EUGENE DEBS IS BARRED FROM
PUBLIC SPEAKING
—–

Eugene Debs, ISR, Sept 1916

St. Peter’s Chautauqua opened Sunday, July 1, and will continue until next Sunday, July 8. An excellent program has been arranged and is being carried out, with a large attendance. Eugene V. Debs, who had been secured to deliver one of the lectures, has been forbidden by the Minnesota Safety commission to deliver a public lecture in this state. The St. Peter committee was notified to that effect late last week. Mr. Debs was to have delivered the Fourth of July address on the Chautauqua program. St. Peter people, who had anticipated hearing a patriotic address by Mr. Debs feel that the Safety commission has convicted him without a trial.

The commission offered to send C. W. Ames, a member of that body to take the place of Debs on the program, but the offer was declined without even thanks. In fact the offer was considered, according to the St. Peter papers, somewhat presumptuous on the part of the commission.

———-

[Photograph added.]

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and the City of Duluth:

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Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review on Mooney Case: “They Are Building the Gallows”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday July 3, 1917
San Francisco, California – Report on Tom Mooney Frame-Up

From the International Socialist Review:

Building Gallows Mooney by Minor, ISR, July 1917

—–

IT HAS been proven that Tom Mooney was framed up. We who are interesting ourselves in his case were glad, after our long and terrible struggle, when we were able to offer the public the absolute and unquestioned proof that Mooney’s conviction was the result of perjury bought and paid for. We were glad to be able to silence arguments with actual letters in the handwriting of the chief perjury conspirator, which letters tell in black and white that Mooney’s death is sought by false testimony. We have silenced argument.

Franklin A. Griffin, the judge who pronounced the death sentence upon Mooney, has angrily demanded that Mooney be given another trial, free of perjury. The newspapers which formerly demanded his blood have now ceased to call for Mooney’s death, and two of them are demanding that the disgraceful conviction be undone.

All of California and American Labor has ceased to discuss personal differences and has demanded in one tremendous voice that Mooney, Mrs. Mooney, Billings, Weinberg and Nolan be freed. Every national figure in the labor movement of the United States is active now in behalf of the humble labor unionists in the jail of San Francisco.

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WE NEVER FORGET: Alexander Obremski Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Rugby, Colorado on May 18, 1907

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Link up in one socialist company;
Evil must perish!
Only together and united!
Long live the Western Federation of Miners!
-Alex Obremski

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WE NEVER FORGET, Alex Obremski, Rugby CO May 18, 1907

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alexander Obremski
Union Organizer for the Western Federation of Miners

In 1907, Alexander Obremski was a union organizer for the Western Federation of Miners, working in the very dangerous field of the Trinidad area of southern Colorado. The field was considered to be so dangerous that organizers took the precaution of traveling in pairs.

On the evening of May 18, 1907, Brother Obremski was shot down in a saloon in Rugby, Colorado, near Trinidad, by Juan Espinosa, “a Mexican allegedly hired by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) for this purpose.” [See below.]

A large funeral was held in Trinidad on May 22nd to honor the intrepid union organizer. He was survived by two brothers who lived in Starkville, Colorado.

According to M. E. White who had charge of WFM headquarters in Trinidad:

Much credit is due for the three hundred members initiated here in the last five months, and at Pueblo, to the faithful and diligent work of your organizer, Brother James Peretto, and the late Brother Obremsky who took their lives in their hands in the work of educating the slaves of this district.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SOURCE I

Essays in Colorado History, Issues 5-10
Colorado Historical Society, 1987
(Search with “alex obremski” reveals signature: “Alex. Obremski.”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=_ngjAQAAIAAJ

Note: not available online except in snippet view. By using various search-words, I was able to bring up some relevant information. I will be attempting to track down this source in a library.

Page 55-

Alexander Obremski (1876-1907)
Correspondence from Trinidad, Colorado
Published as “Korespondencje. Trinidad, Colo.” in Robotnik Polski

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Hellraisers Journal: The Haywood Family in Boise, Latest Photographs

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday July 1, 1907
Boise, Idaho – New Photograph of Big Bill Haywood’s Family

From Indiana’s Richmond Palladium of June 19, 1907:

Pictured below, from left to right, are: Haywood’s youngest daughter, his mother, his wife’s nurse, the eldest daughter and his wife.

HMP, Haywood Family, Richmond Palladium IN, June 19, 1907

From the New York Binghamton Press of June 21, 1907:

Attending the trial:

HMP, Murphy, Haywood Family, Binghamton Prs NY, June 21, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Clarence Darrow for Haywood Defense: Exposes Conspiracy of Mine Owners’ Association

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 30, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Clarence Darrow Conducts Bold Defense

From The Oregon Daily Journal of June 29, 1907:

HMP, Darrow Addresses the Jury, OR Dly Jr, June 29, 1907

From the Duluth Labor World of June 29, 1907:

HMP, Darrow Declares MOA Conspiracy, LW, June 29, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: W. F. of M. Convention Demands Investigation Into Murder of Organizer Alex Obremski

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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He knew he was taking his life in his hands
in going to Trinidad, but as he was ordered there
he would not shirk his duty.
-Henry Morris of Pueblo on murder of
WFM Organizer Alex Obremski

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 29, 1907
Denver, Colorado – W. F. of M. Convention Wants Investigation

From the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of June 15, 1907:

WILL INVESTIGATE THE SHOOTING
OF A MINER
—–
Murdered Western Federation Organizer
May Have Been Victim of Conspiracy.
—–

LETTER CONTAINS STRONG ALLEGATION
—–

WFM button

Denver, Colo., June 15.-The Western Federation of Miners’ convention today received a communication from a member in Las Animas county, suggesting an investigation of the killing of Alexander Obrenski [Obremski], a Federation organizer, by Juan Eskinas [Espinosa], at Rugby, Colo., about one month ago [May 18th].

The killing was alleged, at the time, to have occurred in a barroom row, but the writer of the communication suggested that it was the result of a conspiracy to injure the Federation.

Strong Statement.

He makes the statement that the row was not participated in by the organizer, but that the belligerents managed to gather around Obrenski, and before he could get away a shot was fired, and he fell to the floor, [..and..?] The fighters melted into obscurity immediately.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Socialist Montana News: Clarence Darrow Opens for the Defense in the Haywood Trial

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Who comes to speak for
the skin and the bone?
-Billy Bragg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 28, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Clarence Darrow Opens for the Defense

From the Montana News of June 27, 1907:

Darrow’s Statement
—–

Address to the Jury Outlining
Plans of Defense
—Orchard Spends Sunday Auto
Riding in Boise

Special to the Montana News—

Boise, June 24.

HMP, Darrow Opens June 24th, LA Herald, June 25, 1907

At the call of the defense attorneys the Federation men who are to appear as witnesses have come pouring into Boise the last few days. It seems good to see them here—all the old stand-bys that have so valiantly fought the struggles of the western labor for the last ten years. D. C Copely, formerly of the executive board, now a mine owner in Nevada; A. H. Floaten, candidate for governor of Colorado on the socialist ticket; Deportee from Telluride, a merchant who has been through the fiercest of the fight for his convictions; J. C. Barnes, who was up in a tree in Telluride, while the militia were hunting him underneath; John M . O’Neill, W. F. Davis, M. E. White, one after another. The very backbone of the Federation, fine, able, brainy men, more than a match for any capitalist prostitute that can be marshalled against them.

And they are here with the goods, the truth, the eternal fight against the injustice of employers, and the reasons for that fight. As one of them said:

We are here to go to the river, our cause is right and we’ll stay with it.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Socialist Montana News: Clarence Darrow Opens for the Defense in the Haywood Trial” →