Hellraisers Journal: Montana News: Pettibone Trial Begins; Adams Trial Ends; The “Big Stick” & the Goldfield Miners

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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, Friday December 6, 1907
Idaho and Nevada – Western Federation of Miners on the Firing Line

Through their ownership of state and federal government power, the Mine Owners carry on their battle against the Western Federation of Miners. The Socialist Montana News of December 5th reports:

PETTIBONE TRIAL BEGINS

George A Pettibone, Darrow Collection

Boise, Idaho, Dec. 1.—Sheriff Shad Hodgins and force of deputies yesterday completed the serving of summons on the talesmen for the special venire of 100, to respond for service when the Pettibone trial is resumed Monday morning at 10 o’clock.

During the day yesterday the eleven talesmen now in the custody of the bailiffs awaiting the opening of court Monday, informally reported at the court house and to the court. They were given magazines, papers and reading matter, all of which had been censored relative to anything concerning the trial, after which they returned to the quarters at 612 Bannock street where they enjoyed a session of news, fiction and romantic. In the afternoon they took a long walk out beyond the Boise barracks returning just before the supper hour.

Attorney W. E. Stone of counsel for the state was appointed by the court to censor the reading matter that is to go to the jury during the trial and Leon Whitsell for the defense.

The defendant’s health is still very poor and he is barely able to climb the two flights of stairs to the court room. He continues to give assurances however, that he will be able to sit through the trial.

The elimination of testimony in regard to the Colorado labor war, which was stricken out by Judge Wood in the Haywood trial, will mean the saving of much time, and it is believed that the taking of testimony will not require over four weeks.

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Montana News: Pettibone Trial Begins; Adams Trial Ends; The “Big Stick” & the Goldfield Miners”

Hellraisers Journals: Goldfield Local of Western Federation of Miners on Strike Against Payment of Wages by Scrip

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If the workers are organized, all they have to do
is to put their hands in their pockets
and they have got the capitalist class whipped.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 29, 1907
Goldfield, Nevada – Miners Strike Against Scrip Peonage

The following reads like a report written by the mine owners themselves, and yet makes clear why the gold miners of Goldfield are now on strike.

From the Reno Evening Gazette of November 27, 1907:

Goldfield Miners Strk Begins, Reno Eve Gz, Nov 27, 1907

Grievance Over Manner of the
Payment of their Wages
—–

Rumor of Open Camp Results
—–

(Special to the Gazette.)

GOLDFIELD, November 27.-Once again the miners of this camp have decided that they would rather be idle than work. This time the grievance is the matter of payment of wages, the miners taking exception to the cashier’s checks that have been given them in return for their toil. The strike was foreshadowed last week, but it was hoped that the working miners would be able to vote the motion down, as it was known that they were opposed to the action of the idle members of the union. The checks that have been given to the men are negotiable at every store in the camp, but this fact has not prevented the men from again tying up the camp.

The leasers are not affected materially as their time limit will be extended, and the operators themselves are not greatly bothered because they are willing to shut down until the smelters accept ore at reasonable prices.

It is whispered on the streets today that one result of this move of the miners will be the importation of Slav miners, such as are now being employed by the Tonopah Mining company. These men belong to the union but they are glad to get the high wages that are paid in the southern camps. Their presence in Tonopah has greatly affected the business men, as they live as cheaply as Chinese and patronize their own countrymen exclusively. Many Tonopah merchants have been practically forced to suspend business because of the encroachments of small Greek stores which get practically all the business of these imported miners. Goldfield business men fear that the operators in this camp will take similar action and that the doom of many business houses will surely follow.

There is also some talk that an open camp will be the result of this strike, because it is known that the operators have previously expressed the determination to run the mines as they pleased if the demands of the union become intolerable. It may be that this trouble will be the one that will precipitate a crisis.

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journals: Goldfield Local of Western Federation of Miners on Strike Against Payment of Wages by Scrip”

Hellraisers Journal: From the Montana News: Report from Ida Crouch-Hazlett on the Adams Trial at Rathdrum, Idaho

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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, Friday November 15, 1907
Rathdrum, Idaho – Clarence Darrow Fights for Life of Steve Adams

Three long articles cover most all of the front page of this weeks edition of the Montana News, the subject of all three being the ongoing trial of Steve Adams. Clarence Darrow is on the scene taking the lead in the fight to save the life of Adams, former member of the Western Federation of Miners

From the Socialist Montana News of November 14, 1907:

HMP, Adams Trial, Montana News, Nov 14, 1907

—–

Of the three front-page articles, we found this description of the the uncle of Steve Adams to be of particular interest. Unfortunately, the name of the uncle needs correcting from Mr. Millard to Mr. Lillard.

LATEST FROM SCENE OF BATTLE

Rathdrum, Nov. 10.

Mr. Millard [James W. Lillard], the uncle of Steve Adams, is an interesting figure at the trial. Steve was arrested on his ranch at Haines, Oregon, a short distance out from Baker City. The kind-hearted old gentleman is a fine specimen of the old soldier, having served through the civil war on the confederate side. He is 71 years of age but straight and vigorous with hair and beard yet dark. His mind has been so agitated by the shocking injustices he has perceived in connection with the arrest of his nephew that he has lost all faith in any justice or rectitude under this government. He has become entirely devoted to the progress of this case, and says he means to see it through no matter what it costs. He says his wife is equally determined to stay with the sad and tragic situation till its final issue.

As an instance of the kind heart of the old gentleman he not only has reared eight children of his own but besides these has provided and cared for ten orphan children till they were grown. He raised Steve and his two brothers, although they were fairly well grown when their mother died.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Montana News: Report from Ida Crouch-Hazlett on the Adams Trial at Rathdrum, Idaho”

Hellraisers Journal: “Red Sweetheart” Taken into Custody While Visiting With FW Andreytchine at Cook County Jail

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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday November 13, 1917
Cook County Jail, Illinois – “Girl in Red” Detained

Miss Genevieve Semashko, dubbed the “Girl in Red” by the Tribune, was detained at the Cook County Jail on Saturday, November 10th, while attempting to communicate with her sweetheart, George Andreytchine. FW Andreytchine is one of the I. W. W. class war prisoners currently held as a guest of that institution. The “Red Sweetheart” was suspected of aiding a plot to “battleship” the jail.

From The Chicago Sunday Tribune of November 11, 1917:

WWIR, IWW, Andreytchine Red Sweetheart, Chg Tb Nov 11, 1917

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Red Sweetheart” Taken into Custody While Visiting With FW Andreytchine at Cook County Jail”

Hellraisers Journal: From Behind the Bars of Cook County Jail, Big Bill Haywood Interviewed by Carl Sandburg

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If one man has a dollar he didn’t work for,
some other man worked for a dollar he didn’t get.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday November 3, 1917
Cook County Jail, Illinois – Big Bill Haywood Speaks

From the International Socialist Review of November 1917:

HAYWOOD LONGS FOR “OTHER BOYS” IN JAIL
—–
Wants All I. W. W. Prisoners Brought Here—
“It Will Be so Homelike”
—–
By Carl Sandburg

Big Bill Haywood, ISR, Nov 1917

Thru a steel cage door of the Cook county jail, Big Bill Haywood today spoke the defiance of the Industrial Workers of the World to its enemies and captors.

Bill didn’t pound on the door, shake the iron clamps nor ask for pity nor make any kind of a play as a hero. He peered thru the square holes of the steel slats and talked in the even voice of a poker player who may or may not hold a winning hand. It was the voice of a man who sleeps well, digests what he eats, and requires neither sedatives to soothe him nor stimulants to stir him up.

 

The man accused of participation in 10,000 separate and distinct crimes lifted a face checkered by the steel lattice work and said with a slow smile:

Hello, I’m glad to see you. Do you know when they’re going to bring the rest of the boys here? We’d like to have them from all over the country together here. It would be homelike for us all to be together. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Behind the Bars of Cook County Jail, Big Bill Haywood Interviewed by Carl Sandburg”

Hellraisers Journal: From Luella Twining: Unions of the East Continue Defense Work on Behalf of George Pettibone

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This is a show of solidarity
that would make our masters tremble
could they but see it.
-Luella Twining

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday October 16, 1907
Eastern Conferences Stand Firm in Support of Pettibone

In case anyone believes that, with the acquittal of Bill Haywood, the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone Conferences have gone slack in their defense work, the following report from Luella Twining should disabuse them of that idea.

From the Appeal to Reason of October 12, 1907:

THE EASTERN CONFERENCES
—–
Progress of the Defence Work
Among Unions in the East.
—–

BY LUELLA TWINING.
Representative Western Federation of Miners.
—–

Luella Twining ab 1907

THE Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone conferences in the east are continuing with the characteristic vigor they evidenced from the start. I attended two meetings of the Philadelphia Conference three weeks ago. The hall was filled. I have been out of the city visiting unions in nearby cities and have not attended the New York Conference for some time. I was surprised and touched to see what a fine meeting they had Sunday night, after these months and months in which they have met regularly each week. The unions of the city were well represented. When I stepped into the room and saw the crowd I thought to myself: “This is a show of solidarity that would make our masters tremble could they but see it.” They are all moved by the spirit expressed by Brother P. Schaefer of the national executive board of the Brewers, who said: “We shall never rest till Pettibone is liberated from that prison cell and the Western Federation of Miners is safe. We will not allow the mine owners to break this fine organization by hanging its officials or destroying it financially.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Luella Twining: Unions of the East Continue Defense Work on Behalf of George Pettibone”

Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Takes on Collier’s Claim That “Best Detectives” Know Orchard Told the Truth

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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 October 6, 1907
The View from Girard, Kansas:
Collier’s Licks the Velvet Hand

From the Appeal to Reason of October 5, 1907:

“Crucify Him!”
—–

HMP, Haywood in Cell, Colliers, June 22, 1907

Collier’s Weekly, in the face of all the antagonistic circumstances under which Haywood was tried and acquitted, says that it is privately informed by the best detectives in the country that Orchard told the truth. Well, the Appeal is informed by the best detectives in the country that Orchard maliciously lied, to save his craven neck, under the paid expert coaching of a man whose antecedent history in the “Mollie Maguire” period, and at Parsons, Kan., where good citizens made affidavits denouncing him, shows him to be a creature whose moral pulse beats lower than a snake’s. All the time Orchard was “telling the truth” he was telling stories of his own despicable treachery and double dealing for pay.

HMP, Orchard on Stand, Colliers, June 22, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Takes on Collier’s Claim That “Best Detectives” Know Orchard Told the Truth”

Hellraisers Journal: J. A. Wayland of Girard, Kansas, Publishes “Darrow’s Speech in the Haywood Case”

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Darrow Peroration Haywood Trial, Waylands Monthly, Oct 1907


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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday October 3, 1907
Girard, Kansas – J. A. Wayland Publishes Darrow’s Greatest Speech

From Girard, Kansas, home of the Appeal to Reason, Socialist weekly, comes the publication of the entire speech made by Clarence Darrow on July 24th and 25th. This speech resulted in the famous “Not Guilty” verdict which was cheered by working men and women the world over.

From Wayland’s Monthly of October 1907:

Darrow Speech Haywood Case, Waylands Monthly, Oct 1907

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: J. A. Wayland of Girard, Kansas, Publishes “Darrow’s Speech in the Haywood Case””

Hellraisers Journal: The International Socialist Review on the September 5th Raids Made Upon the IWW and the SPA

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We ask the membership to redouble their efforts
to build up the organization to the end that
the lot of the workers may be bettered,
and their toil-worn existence brightened.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday October 2, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Raids and More Raids

This month’s edition of the Review describes the raids conducted September 5th by Federa Agents at the behest of the U. S. Department of Justice upon the headquarters and regional offices of the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America:

SP Nat HQ w Germer, ISR Oct 1917

—–

The I. W. W. and the Socialist Party

SIMULTANEOUSLY on September 5th, representatives of the U. S. Government raided the national offices of the Socialist party and of the I. W. W. Chicago, and of some twenty branch offices of the I. W. W. in different states. U. S. marshals armed with search warrants have taken files, records, pamphlets, leaflets and in many places the entire offices were cleaned out.

Such a wholesale and simultaneous invasion upon the offices of a labor and Socialist organization have never taken place before in the history of this country. The charge has been made that the I. W. W. is a seditious organization and that the I. W. W. and the Socialist Party headquarters are guilty of violating the Espionage Act.

From the National Office

SEPTEMBER 5th a force of Federal Agents took possession of the national office. A thoro search of the office was made and later copies of books, leaflets, records and lists were taken.

This material is to be placed before the grand jury. The charge made against the national office is that some of the comrades have violated the Espionage Act.

It may have been the intention to conceal the real purpose of this search, but the inference was left that there was no disposition to interfere with the routine work of the party. If the information given us is correct, we will be permitted to continue our regular activities except so far as we interfere with the war program.

We appeal to the members of the party to lay special stress on organization at this time. Every member should enlist as a recruiting officer in order to build up the party machinery so that we can win a sweeping victory in the congressional elections of 1918.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: The International Socialist Review on the September 5th Raids Made Upon the IWW and the SPA”

Hellraisers Journal: 10,000 Crimes Charged to Captive Fellow Workers of the Industrial Workers of the World

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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday October 1, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – “10,000 individual crimes are alleged.”

From The Chicago Sunday Tribune of September 30, 1917:

IWW, 10000 Crimes, Chg Tb, Sept 30, 1917

—–

IWW Chg HQ w BBH, ISR Oct 1917

—–

More than 10,000 individual crimes are alleged against members of the Industrial Workers of the World in a vast criminal campaign of sedition. This information was authoritatively given out from government sources yesterday.

It is declared that the conspiracy laid to the I. W. W. chiefs contemplated no less a general object than the hampering of eery objective of the government in its war aims. The allegation of 10,000 distinct crimes is said to grow out of discoveries of minor conspiracies within larger ones, like wheels within wheels, whereby each local branch of the I. W. W. would render itself sufficient unto the treasonable objects in its own particular territory.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: 10,000 Crimes Charged to Captive Fellow Workers of the Industrial Workers of the World”