Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: B. T. W. Members on Trial for Their Lives in Louisiana

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Quote BBH re Industrial Freedom BTW LA, ISR p , Aug 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 1, 1912
Lake Charles, Louisiana – Nine Members of B. T. W. on Trial for Murder

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 31, 1912:

WITNESSES ARE BADLY TANGLED
———-

BTW Trial re Grabow, Jury Names, IW p1, Oct 31, 1912

The jury that is to try the nine members of the Brotherhood of Timber Workers who have been singled out by the “Sawdust ring” as those it would most love to adorn with rope cravats, was completed at 3:25 p. m. on October 15th. The jurors were chosen in order named.

Court convened at 9 a. m. on the 16th and a roll call of witnesses showed 82 summoned by the state and 66 by the defense.

[…..]

Brothers in Toil!

Judge Hunter and all our lawyers are putting up a magnificent fight; nothing but a lack of funds can beat us, and we appeal to you to help us, now, today! In labor’s name, we appeal to you!

COMMITTEE OF DEFENSE, B. of T. W.

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Opening Events of B. T. W. Trial
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C. L. Filigno, IWW BTW Organizer, IW p4, Oct 31, 1912

The trial of the members of the Brotherhood of Timber Workers charged with conspiracy to murder A. P. Vincent, whiskey-soaked Lumber Trust gunman, at Grabow, La., opened at lake Charles, La., on October 7.

The first move of the state was absolutely in disregard to all of the capitalist laws governing conspiracy trials but the objection of the defense was overruled by the presiding judge, Winston Overton. The cases of nine of the defendants were brought into court, whereas the entire number of arrested men should be tried at one and the same time.

The nine men are A. L. Emerson, president B. T. W.; Ed Lehman, organizer; Edgar Hollingsworth, secretary Local 223, B. T. W.; J. H. C. Helton, secretary De Ridder Socialist Party local, and the following members of the B. T. W.: Louis Brown, Jack Payne, Ed Ezell, C. Havens, and R. H. Chatman.

The judge ruled that no member of the B. T. W. nor of the Southern Lumber Operators’ Association would be allowed to serve on the jury…..

The star witnesses for the state made a very poor showing on the opening days. By their own testimony it was proven that attempts were made to get the gunmen drunk so that they would provoke disorders. One witness was forced to admit that he did not want to testify but was paid to do so by the Lumber Trust. The testimony of others was very conflicting……

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Women With Them-Would They Riot?

(Special Telegram to the “Worker”)

Lake Charles, La., Oct. 28.-The defense opened today’s testimony with S. O. Cooley, who stated that John Helton took supper with him and afterwards went toward Grabow, where they heard shooting. They then returned home. Helton was unarmed and was never east of Grabow during the battle, as state witnesses had testified. The Ezell family came to his house after the shooting. Two of Ezell’s children were wounded.

J. D. Golden, was then called to the stand. He stated that Emerson talked only on unionism. Helton was never east of Grabow. He saw the first shots which came from the direction of Galloway’s office.

Christine Cooley stated that Helton and Golden came to her father’s home shortly before supper. Helton, Golden and her father had only left the house a little while when the shooting started. She paid attention to the time they were away because she was uneasy about her father when she heard the shooting.

Doris Lebieu stated that she went to all the towns with the unionists and other ladies and children were along. Her wagon stopped in front of the Galloway office. She was certain that the first shot was fired from the office as the bullet brushed her nose.

Minnie Tilly stated that her family tried to leave the house during the battle, but were met by armed negroes and became so frightened that they returned home. They left later, meeting Deputy Gibbs and armed negroes. On Saturday she, and her uncle met M. M. Galloway, who said: “Go back, you S. of a B., or I will blow your brains out.” They went.

Miss Bailey stated the “Leather Breeches” Smith told Denby to take that gun and take Deputy Grantham and Jim Whidden to old man Whidden’s and let no one hurt them.

Claude Payton stated that he saw the first shot fired from Galloway’s office. He left the commissary and went to Ezell’s house. He saw the shooting from Zook Galloway’s house and lumber yard. Ezell’s children and two of his children were wounded.

The prosecution was unable to shake the testimony of any of the witnesses. Labor’s right to organize, not the accused men, is really on trial. All unionists had better get busy.

COVINGTON HALL.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Nine Members of Brotherhood of Timber Workers Now on Trial in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

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Quote BBH re BTW LA White n Black Unity, ISR p106 , Aug 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 26, 1912
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana – Fellow Workers on Trial for Their Lives

From The Wheeling Majority of October 24, 1912:

BTW, Shall Murder be Done, Def Com, Wlg Maj p6, Oct 24, 1912

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The Grabow “Conspiracy”
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Alexandria, La., Oct. 24.-(Special.)-at 11:40 a. m., Monday morning, October 7th, in the District Court of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, Judge Winston Overton presiding, began the trial of President A. L. Emerson, Organizer Ed. Lehman, John Helton, R. H. Chatman, Edgar Hollingsworth, Louis Brown, Jack Payne, Ed Ezell and C. Havens, the nine members of the Brotherhood of Timber Workers the Southern Lumber Association has picked out to victimize in order to crush Unionism throughout the South.

The whole of  the first day was taken up in preparation and in a fight made by Judge E. T. Hunter, leading counsel for the defense, for time, about two weeks, in which to ask the Supreme Court of Louisiana for a writ of mandamus setting aside the District Court’s order severing the cases of the nine men on trial from the balance of their 58 brothers who had been indicted jointly with them for “conspiracy to murder.” The Court admitted Judge Hunter’s contention correct law, but refused to grant the petition, mainly on the round that it would be impossible to try the 58 accused all together, because the law gave them 1044 challenges.

Judge Hunter pointed out to the court that that was not the fault of the accused, that they had not indicted themselves and were not responsible for the blunders of District Attorney Joseph Moore or for those of the prosecuting attorney for the Southern Lumber Operators Association, Congressman A. P. Pujo, but the Court still refused and ordered the nine men to trial for the murder of the lumber trust gunman, A. P. Vincent, who was killed in the battle at Grabow, La., when the mass meeting of the Brotherhood and its farmer allies was fired on from ambush by the private thug army of the Association on the 7th of last July.….

[Emphasis and paragraph breaks added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Nine of Grabow Defendants, Members of Brotherhood of Timber Workers, Will Be Tried Together

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Quote BBH re BTW LA White n Black Unity, ISR p106 , Aug 1912

Hellraisers Journal – Monday October 7, 1912
Lake Charles, Louisiana – Nine of Grabow Defendents Will Be Tried Together

From the New Orleans Times-Democrat of October 6, 1912:

SEVERANCE IS GRANTED
———-
Nine of Grabow Defendants
To Be Heard Together.
———-

[…..]

Special to The Times-Democrat.

BTW Prisoners of Grabow Massacre, NO Tx Dem p17, Oct 6, 1912
Group of Fifty-Eight Prisoners Held at Lake Charles in Connection with
the Grabow Riot. The First Trial is Set for Monday.

Lake Charles, La., Oct. 5-After hearing the motion argued for more than an hour this afeternoon, Judge Overton rendered a deciaion granting the motion for severance in the Grabow riot murder cases, asked for by the district attorney. Accordingly the nine men named in the motion will be placed on trial Monday morning [October 7th]…..

The nine men who will be placed on trial Monday are: A. L. Emerson, president of the Brotherhood of Timber Workers; Jack Payne, alias Charles Gibbon, Louis Brown, Ed Lehman, Edgar Holingsworth, John Hilton, Doc Havens, F. E. Ezell and W. A. Chatman.

It is conceded that these are the men against whom the State has the striongest case…..

[Emphais added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: B. T. W Prisoners Form Union Local at Lake Charles Jail, Louisiana

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Quote BBH re BTW LA White n Black Unity, ISR p106 , Aug 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 14, 1912
Lake Charles Jail of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana – B. of T. W. Prisoners Form Union

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 12, 1912:

BATTLING B. T. W. FORM JAIL UNION

REBELLIOUS PRISONERS FORM UNION IN JAIL
-BLACK HOLE OF CALCASIEU IS LABOR’S RECRUITING GROUND
-NO COLOR LINE DRAWN IN PRISON-REBELS ARE RISING.

 

BTW Prisoners of Grabow Massacre at Lake Charles Jail, af July 7, 1912
B. of T. W. Prisoners, Lake Charles La.

On August 15th a charter was issued by the Brotherhood of Timber Workers to the following white and colored workers:

White: Pat Perkins, R. W. Perry, John Perry, L. Perry, J. M. Richley, Joe Rogers, J. H. Simpson, W. D. Smith, S. B. Slaydon, W. R. Stacey, Ben Sturgia, C. D. Woodard, Leon Zebeau, Chas. Zebeau, C. E. Jones, John Killen, C. Leblue, B. J. Lee, George M. Lacey, Ed. Lehman, J. W. Moor, W. A. Mathis, Frank McBride, R. Parkham, J. Pennington, Chas. Gibbons, Josh Perkins, Walter Delcour, Williams Davis, Andy Denby, A. L. Emerson, Will Estes, Ed. Eyell, Frank Farr, G. H. Gibson, G. M. Grim, J. H. C. Helton, C. Havens, C. C. Holley, Arthur Hammonds, R. V. Hennigan, W. E. Hollingsworth, H. L. McFillen, A. H. Burge, R. D. Burge, J. H. Baily, A. A. Bondreaux, J. W. Bowers, L. H. Brown, Waldon Cooley, W. A. Chatham, A. R. Cryar, A. F. Creed, Jeff Cooper, B. B. Collier, Tom Cooper, J. W. Callie, J. D. Perkins, Herman Slaydon, Charlie Hampton, O. P. Bell, John Hood.

Colored: Peter Blackman, Elisha Fowler, Jason Clark, Garfield Holcomb, Pink Morris, Silas Anderson, H. Green, Jim Cotton, Robert Chopin, Dennis Myles, Robert Johnson, Milton Mitchel, Robert Milton.

These boys compose the roll of honor making up the membership of Local Union, Jail No. 1, B. of T. W., office address, Parish Prison, Lake Charles, La. They also organized a local of the Socialist Party, Jail No. 1, with 54 members and both locals are still growing. Men are coming into the prison every day and joining, or sending in their applications. This is, indeed, the deathless spirit, the spirit that must and will conquer all before it. Dead, the souls of these boys will do a mightier work for the emancipation of their class than ever yet; imprisoned, yet their voices will be heard and, mingling with the cries of Ettor and Giovannitti, all the workers of the world will be awakened, triumphant the hosts of labor will arise and the social revolution be an accomplished fact. Truly did Edward Bellamy speak  when he said: “No masters class has ever learned anything from the experience of its predecessors and the capitalist class will be no exception to the rule.” Down here in the Land of Dixie the slugging committee of the capitalist class is still busy, just as it was in Lawrence, just as it is in Canada and San Diego,-power(?)-crazed, gold-drunk hyenas trying to slug and shoot back the onward upward march of the human race! Fools who base their system on a thug’s heroism and a detectives’s honor, this is what the capitalist class has already degenerated to, and this is the surest sign of a system’s fall. 

All that is now left for the working class to do to end its age-long misery is to unite and rise in ONE BIG UNION. 

RISE

Save Ettor, Giovannitti, Emerson, Lehman, and all the other hero lumberjacks now in the Black Hole of Calcasieu!

RISE!

Clan of Toil, awaken! Rebels of the South, arise! Workers of the World, unite! You have nothing but your chains to lose! You have a World to gain!

RISE!

Organize! Organize!! Organize!!!

COVINGTON HALL.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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