Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 8, 1914 Denver, Colorado – J. F. Welborn Testifies Before Walsh Commission
J. F. Welborn
The testimony of J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, before the Commission on Industrial Relations, which was begun on Friday afternoon, continued all day Saturday. Welborn was grilled by Chairman Walsh regarding telegrams he had received from John D. Rockefeller, Jr, concerning the conduct of the strike and was requested to bring such telegrams forward.
The telegram from Mr. Rockefeller to Mr. Welborn, released by John R. Lawson to the press on the Friday, was identified by Welborn and entered into the record of the Commission by Chairman Walsh.
Pamphlets issued by the “Committee of Coal Mine Managers,” which contain errors regarding the salaries of U. M. W. of A. officials, including that of Mother Jones, were discussed. Welborn admitted that the pamphlets were prepared for the coal operators by a hired “press agent” whose identity has not, thus far, been revealed.
From The Cincinnati Enquirer of December 6, 1914:
ADVICE ———- On Strike in Colorado ————
Received From Rockefeller in New York, Welborn Testifies. ———- Coal Company Says “Press Agent” From Outside State Prepared Operators’ Pamphlets. ———-
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER.
Frank P. Walsh
Denver, Colo., December 5.-“Is there anyone you communicate with in New York except John D. Rockefeller, Jr.?” Chairman Walsh, of the Federal Industrial Relations Commission, asked J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, who resumed his testimony to-day in the investigation of the Colorado mine strike.
Welborn said he had heard from George J. Gould and others of the seven New York Directors of the company.
“To save time I shall ask you to file with us all the telegrams you have received from Rockefeller, Star J. Murphy and Jerome Green,” said the Chairman.
“I will bring all the telegrams I have,” replied Welborn.
The witness then identified a telegram from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., made public yesterday by John R. Lawson of the United Mine Workers. “But I should not care to have the telegrams given out as this was yesterday,” he said.
[Note: the telegram, from Rockefeller to Welborn, was entered into the record by Chairman Walsh during his grilling of Mr. Welborn.]
Welborn said the company had thirteen Directors, seven living in New York, and six in Denver, that the meetings were held in Denver, and communication held with the Rockefeller interests as represented by Rockefeller, Murphy and Green.
Welborn was questioned regarding pamphlets entitled “The Truth About Colorado,” and “Facts About the Colorado Struggle.” He said he would assume responsibility for the document, the writer of which did not wish his name known.
The company, he said, had spent about $12,000 printing the bulletins, and had distributed about 40,000 copies to educators, legislators, ministers and the general public.
Questioned by Walsh, the witness admitted that some statements in the bulletin might not be strictly accurate.
The writer, Welborn said, was not in Colorado.
“Does he expect compensation for his work?”
“I don’t know,” said Welborn, “when his work is completed, I shall have to audit his bill.”
“Who contracted his employment?”
“There was no contract. There was an oral understanding that he was to be compensated later. He is still making statements for us. His work is not finished. I don’t know whether the company or some one interested in the company is going to pay him.”
Walsh called the attention of the witness to a table appearing in a pamphlet, giving the sums alleged to have been paid to national officers of the United Mine Workers. According to this table sums paid out in nine weeks were as follows:
Frank J. Hayes $4,502, plus $1,667 for expenses. John McLennan $2,683, plus $1,469 for expenses. John R. Lawson, $1,773. Mary Jones, $2,668.
“Do you accept the personal responsibility for this?” asked Walsh.
“For as much of the published statement as has not been denied,” replied Welborn.
“If it is true that McLennan gets $4 a day will you correct it?”
“Just as soon as I believe it is wrong.”
Commissioner O’Connell said that the figures given were from the report of William Green, secretary of the United Mine Workers, and covered total salary and expenses for one year, not nine weeks. The statement in the pamphlet, which alleged that the delegates to the Trinidad convention that called the strike were selected and sent there by the officers of the union, Welborn declared he could not substantiate.
The total loss to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company caused by the strike was $800,000, Welborn said.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 5, 1914 Folsom, California – Fellow Workers Ford and Suhr Arrive at State Penitentiary
In this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review, Grace Ford, wife of Richard Ford, reflects on the loss of her husband. No, her husband is not dead, but he is now buried alive in Folsom prison along with Herman Suhr, both prisoners of the class-war in the hop fields of California.
Before we get to the article written by Mrs. Ford, we present two accounts of that sad day that Fellow Workers Ford and Suhr were taken away to begin serving life sentences at Folsom State Prison. Neither man is guilty of murder, but they stand convicted nevertheless. Their crime was attempting to organize desperate, impoverished hop pickers. The death of the District Attorney resulted from an attack made upon those hop pickers as they were peaceably assembled on their own rented property.
From the Oakland Tribune of November 15, 1914:
BEGINS LIFE TERM WHISTLING GAILY
———-
“Blackie” Ford Departs for State Penitentiary
in a Happy Mood.
———-
AUBURN, Nov. 14.-“Blackie” Ford hummed and whistled to himself in a happy mood, apparently assumed, when Sheriff O. L. Meek of Yuba county arrived here and handcuffed him to Herman D. Suhr and then departed with them for the State penitentiary at Folsom.
Ford and Suhr, I. W. W., were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of district attorney Edmund T. Manwell of Yuba county. The murder occurred during theWheatland riot of August 1913.
Ford’s father-in-law and mother-in-law bade him goodby. Ford kissed them both and said he would not be in Folsom long.
GIVES AWAY SUIT.
He gave to I. E. Lamber, one of the I. W. W. leaders of Sacramento, who was present, a new suit of clothes. He said he would not have much use for them in Folsom.
Lambert said to Sheriff Meek as Meek was leading Ford from Sheriff McAulay’s office to the auto outside, “I hope the whole bunch of you break your necks on the way to Folsom.”
Lambert continued: “Blackie, you know I am your friend, but I hope you get killed before you reach Folsom. It is going to cost the State more to keep you and Suhr in Folsom the rest of your lives than the capitalists who run the State realize. Somebody besides you and Suhr is going to suffer for this.”
Ford kept up his nonchalant demeanor to the last. To a newspaper man Ford asked for a ready made cigarette, saying it might be the last he would ever get a chance to smoke.
Suhr and Ford sat in the back seat of the auto. Both had handcuffs on. Suhr was quiet and inclined to be surly. The only time he smiled was when he and Ford met again after their four months’ separation.
Ford and Suhr made no comment upon arriving at prison. They were given the regulation bath and haircut today and their finger prints and photographs were taken.
—————
—————
