Tag: Biwabik MN

Hellraisers Journal: Honeymoon of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Cut Short by Arrest of Husband on Mesabi Iron Range

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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It’s great to fight for freedom
With a Rebel Girl.
-Joe Hill

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday January 26, 1908
Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota – Jack Jones Arrested

The honeymoon of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was cut short when her husband of less than three weeks, Jack Jones, was arrested on the Mesabi Iron Range. Jones is an iron miner and a union organizer.

From The Minneapolis Tribune of January 24, 1908:

Socialist Held as Suspect
at Biwabik
—–

D. A. Jonas and Two Austrians Are
Arrested by Village Marshal.
—–
Believes Men Know Something About
Dynamiting of Nicholas Home.
—–

EGF, DEN (ca) p 21, crpd, Sept 21, 1907

BIWABIK. Minn., Jan. 24.-(Special.)-D. A. Jonas [J. A. Jones], one of the most noted Socialistic agitators on the range, occupies a cell in the village at Aurora, formally charged with being implicated in the dynamiting of the dwelling of Captain Thomas J. Nicholas early Tuesday morning. John Oflin and Anton Mariovic, two Austrians, are keeping him company.

To add to the already intense interest in the case, Jonas proclaimed publicly yesterday that he is the husband of Elizabeth Garley [Gurley] Flynn, one of the most noted Socialistic lecturers in the country. He avers most solemnly that he was wedded to the young woman some three weeks ago in Duluth [they were married January 7th at Two Harbors], and that she will now come to his assistance.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Honeymoon of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Cut Short by Arrest of Husband on Mesabi Iron Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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MN16, ON Hilton speech, LW, Dec 23, 1916

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 23, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Plea Agreement & Vindication Meeting

Today’s Duluth Labor World discusses the issues of Justice surrounding the plea agreement reached last week which led to the release of I. W. W. organizers Tresca, Scarlett, and Schmidt:

MN16, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Released, LW, Dec 23, 1916

OTHER DEFENDANTS DRAW
INDEFINITE TERMS
———-

Tresca Scarlett Schmidt, ISR, Nov 1916

Tresca, Scarlett and Schmidt are freed. Last Friday they were let out of the dingy, over-crowded St. Louis county jail and given their liberty.

Months ago The Labor World made the prediction that the cases against these men would never come to trial; that as soon as the trouble on the ranges blew over these men would be let go. Our prediction was correct, although we have no inclination to claim the virtues of a prophet.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn” →

Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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I loved the people on the Range…
the blond children of the Finnish workers,
with their rosy cheeks…
the dark-eyed Italian children,
trying to be friends.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 22, 1916
Mesabi Range – Three Strikers to Be Sent to Prison

From the Bemidji Daily Pioneer of December 16, 1916, we learn the sad news that three strikers will be sent to the state penitentiary in Stillwater as a result of plea deal reached in Duluth:

THREE SENT TO “PEN” FOR
KILLING SHERIFF*
—–

[*Note: the so-called “sheriff” in the title of this article was actually a deputized company gunthug who committed an illegal and violent raid upon the Masonovich home.]

Masonovich-P. & M. & Boarders, ISR, Sept 1916

Duluth, Dec. 16.-Three of the eight persons indicted for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Thomas James C. Myron during the strike trouble at Biwabik on July 3 last appeared before Judge Cant in district court here and pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter in the first degree. They were each sentenced to terms of not more than 20 years in the state penitentiary at Stillwater.

The prisoners who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree were:

Philip Masonovich, 35; Joe Cernagorcevich, 37, and Joe Nickich, 22.

The murder charge against two others, one a woman, was dismissed and the defendants were given their freedom.

In the three remaining cases which are those pending against the Industrial Workers of the World organizers Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], and Joe Schmidt, continuances were ordered. These three were given their freedom in the mean time.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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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, Thursday December 14, 1916
The Mesabi Range – Miss Flynn Fired Up; Famous Attorney Arrives

MN Iron Range Strike, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Button, 1916

The Duluth News Tribune, which newspaper seems to approve of the black-hearted Biwabik editor who advocated Everett-style murder against the iron range strikers, nevertheless disapproves when Elizabeth Gurley Flynn wonders aloud why that same editor doesn’t go right on ahead and “start something.”

Meanwhile the famous labor attorney, Judge Orrin N. Hilton has arrived on the Range and is honored to be on the defense team of those charged with murder in connection with a lawless raid on a miner’s home in Biwabik during the miners’ strike last summer. Judge Hilton was the attorney for Joe Hill during the appeal of his murder conviction in the state of Utah. Hilton delivered the Memorial Oration at the Chicago funeral of our Martyred Rebel Songwriter, and that oration so offended the state of Utah that the Judge was formally disbarred in that state on July 1st of this year.

From The Duluth News Tribune of December 11, 1916:

GURLEY FLYNN TAKES “SLAM”
AT PUBLISHER
—–

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Reno Gz-Jr, July 12, 1916

HIBBING, Dec. 10.-Elizabeth [Gurley] Flynn, speaking here this afternoon at Workers’ hall in the interests of the I. W. W. members to be tried at Virginia for alleged murder, asked the editor of the Biwabik Times “why he doesn’t start something.” Miss Flynn directed that question from the platform to the absent editor after she had referred to his recent editorial in which he suggested that the best way to treat the I. W. W. on the range was to take an example from the vigilantes of Everett, Wash., where five members of the organization were killed and 52 wounded.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again

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, Tuesday December 5, 1916
Minnesota Mesabi Iron Range – Bullets for Striking Miners?

The Duluth Labor World recently addressed the grave concern displayed by the Biwabik Times for the poor picked-upon Steel Trust. The Times believes that the Lumber Trust of Washington set a good example on the care and treatment of labor agitators when their deputized company gunthugs committed mass murder on Everett’s Bloody Sunday.

From The Labor World of December 2, 1916:

BIWABIK TIMES ADVOCATES MURDER!

MN Miners Strike, Get Out IWW, Cartoon

The Biwabik Times in its issue of Nov. 24 openly
advocates murder!

Think of it! That staunch defender of the poor unprotected steel trust!

It, advocates and even urges the citizens of Biwabik to take human life!

The Times is really worried over the plight of the poor unprotected steel trust. It isn’t fair to call another strike. So naturally the Times has its first convulsion when it learns that a strike of miners will be called on April 1, 1917.

Here is their recommendation:

“To the Times there is apparently but one way to stop this outrage, and that is to just as did the citizens of Everett, Washington.”

The Everett tragedy, contrary to the statements made by the Biwabik Times, is a sad commentary upon the characters and names of the Everett business men who promoted it.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Greets Carlo Tresca and Other Defendants in Minnesota Courtroom

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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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 September 15, 1916
Duluth, Minnesota – I. W. W. Defendants in Court

From The Duluth News Tribune of September 14, 1916:

EGF, Tresca, MN Iron Miners Strike, Logansport (IN) Daily Tb, July 29, 1916NINE I. W. W.’S AWAIT, DECISION
—–
Attorneys for Prisoners Argue Motion
to Quash Indictments for Murder.
—–
COURT TO DECIDE TODAY
—–
Other Prisoners Indicted for Offenses
on Range Plead Guilty.
—–

Whether or not the nine prisoners indicted for murder in the first degree for the alleged killing of James Myron, deputy sheriff, at Biwabik, will go free or whether they will have to face trial will be known this morning at 9:00 o’clock when Judge Bert Fesler will give his decision in the district court on a motion made by attorneys for the defense to quash indictments on the grounds of illegal search and seizure of certain property of the defendants by Sheriff John Meining.

Arguments lasted all day and were concluded late yesterday afternoon. Assistant County Attorney Boyle of Virginia represented the state while Attorney John A. Keyes of Duluth assisted by Attorneys Arthur Le Seur of Fort Scott, Kansas and L. O. Whitsell of Denver, Colo., appeared for the defendants.

Prisoners Greet Friends.

The prisoners sitting in the front row of chairs just inside the railing waved greetings to scores of friends, who attended the hearing. Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, noted I. W. W. speaker was an interested spectator. Carlo Tresco sat with Sam Scarlet [Scarlett] and Joseph Schmidt, all indicted I. W. W. agitators, listened intently to the proceedings. Tresco has raised a luxuriant goatee since his imprisonment, giving him a rather distinguished look. He appeared to be unable to keep his hands away from it. Mrs. Marsonovitch [Masonovich] sat with her husband and from time to time talked excitedly with much gesticulation.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Greets Carlo Tresca and Other Defendants in Minnesota Courtroom” →

Hellraisers Journal: Miss Flynn & Arturo Giovannitti Speak Out on Behalf of Mesabi Iron Strike Prisoners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners
It’s the wrong way to go.
It’s the wrong way to best the Miners,
As the Steel Trust soon will know.
God help those dirty Mine Guards,
The Miners won’t forget.
It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners,
And the guards will know that yet.
-Written by a Miner in Jail

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 9, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – Appeal for Support

From Michigan’s Escanaba Morning Press of September 7, 1916:

SAYS DEPUTY KILLED MYRON
—–

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

Virginia, Minn., Sept. 6-Deputy Sheriff Edward Shubisky killed Deputy Sheriff Myron during the Biwabik riot July 3 and not Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], Carlo Tresco [Tresca] and others of the I. W. W. indicated for the murder of the officer, according to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who made the sensational charge at Socialist hall here last night before an audience made up, it is said, largely of curiosity seers.

She declared that Deputy Shubisky had fired three shots said that three bullets caused the death of Myron’ that Shubisky admitted firing three times. “Myron was struck in the back and it appears that Shubisky, who declares he does not know where he fired the three bullets, killed him,” she shouted. Nick Dillon, special deputy, was accused of the murder of Tom Ladvala, Biwabik pop-man.

 

Her version of the Biwabik tragedy was that Mr. and Mrs. Masonovich and three boarder were in their home when Deputies Myron, Shubisky, Dillion and Hoffman entered; that Dillion struck Masonovich; that Mrs. Masonovich tried to get her husband’s shoes and that she was knocked down by Dillion and that three boarders jumped to the rescue of Mrs. Masonovich; that Dillion left for help and that in the excitement Shubisky accidentally killed Myron. She claimed that the boarders had no firearms.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Miss Flynn & Arturo Giovannitti Speak Out on Behalf of Mesabi Iron Strike Prisoners” →

Hellraisers Journal: Repression on the Mesabi Range: The Masonovich and Andreytchine Cases

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: Friday September 8, 1916
From the International Socialist Review: Minnesota Justice

The Masonovich Case

INVADING MINERS’ HOMES

By OTTO CHRISTENSEN

p-m-masonovich-boarders-isr-sept-1916

ON the afternoon of July 3rd mine guard Nick Dillon, in company with three guards, invaded the home of Phillip Mesomovich [Masonovich]. Now Dillon, who led the guards, has served as a mine guard for several years both in Minnesota and Colorado. He has also served as a strong arm man identified with the assignation house in the neighborhood of Virginia, Minnesota. The notorious Dillon is known to most of the people on the range, and he was the only mine guard of the four that was known to any of the Mesomovich family.

When the guards entered the house Mrs. Mesomovich offered them chairs to sit down, but Nick Dillon replied that they had not come to sit down, but came to take Phillip Mesomovich and Joe Hercigonovich to jail. Mrs. Mesomovich replied to Dillon, “You fellows will not take my husband to jail before Old Man O’Hara comes from Biwabik.” O’Hara was the village marshal of Biwabik and the Mesomovich family lived at the Chicago location, which is within the village limits of Biwabik. Mrs. Mesomovich’s husband was asleep at the time, but came out of the bedroom shortly after the guards had entered the home. Mesomovich asked for his shoes and Mrs. Mesomovich started toward the bedroom when Dillon assaulted her. Mrs. Mesomovich told her story as follows:

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Repression on the Mesabi Range: The Masonovich and Andreytchine Cases” →

Hellraisers Journal: George P West on Mesabi Iron Range Strike: 1000 Gunthugs Deputized by Sheriff Meining

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: Thursday September 7, 1916
International Socialist Review: George P. West on Minnesota Strike

THE MESABA STRIKE
By GEORGE P. WEST

masonovich-p-m-boarders-isr-sept-1916

The following are extracts from a report on the strike of iron miners now in progress on the Mesaba range in northern Minnesota which has been submitted to the Committee on Industrial Relations by George P. West, author of the report of the United States Commission on Industrial Relations on the Colorado strike. It is based on a field investigation.

The City of Duluth, the County of St. Louis, and the State of Minnesota, as represented by Governor Burnquist and other public officials, have joined hands in a relentless effort to crush out the strike of 15,000 iron miners now in progress on the Mesaba range, 70 miles north of Duluth.

With the support and good will of the United States Steel Corporation and affiliated interests as the stake, Governor Burnquist, Sheriff John R. Meining of Duluth, County Prosecutor Green and the Duluth Chief of Police are playing at ducks and drakes with the most sacred rights of the foreign workmen who mine the ore that goes down to the ships at Duluth for shipment to the Pittsburgh mills.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: George P West on Mesabi Iron Range Strike: 1000 Gunthugs Deputized by Sheriff Meining” →