Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1902, Part II: Found in Court in West Virginia, Speaks at Miners’ Convention in Indianapolis

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Quote Mother Jones, Told the Court in WV to Stay, Ipl July 19, 1902, UMWC p86—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 17, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1902, Part II

Found in Court in West Virginia, Speaks at Miners’ Convention in Indianapolis

From the Baltimore Sun of July 12, 1902:

MOTHER JONES ARRAIGNED
—–
She Expects A Jail Sentence
From Judge Jackson.

Mother Jones of UMW, NY Tb p6, Image 20, July 6, 1902

(Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.)

PARKERSBURG, W. Va., July 11.-“Mother” Jones and 11 other strike leaders, who were arrested for alleged violation of an injunction issued by Judge Jackson, appeared in court today. The arguments in the case were begun and will be concluded tomorrow, when a decision is expected. “Mother” Jones expects a jail sentence for herself.

[Photograph added.]

From the Appeal to Reason of July 12, 1902:

In Darkest America.

Comrade McGeorge, of Clarksburg, W. Va., sends the following clipping from th Daily News of that place, regarding the arrest [June 20] and trial [June 24-27] of “Mother”‘ Jones for organizing the miners, who are more brutally treated and less paid than probably in any other section of the nation. The miners have been enjoined from talking to the non-union miners, from holding meetings in the vicinity, and from circulating literature! Great is the constitution-but not when federal judges don’t want it. The Dred Scot decisions are numerous nowadays. But the item will interest thousands of friends of that grand old woman-Mother Jones:

“You are not a citizen of West Virginia. Why do you not stay where you belong, instead of coming to our state to stir up trouble among the miners? What business have you the here? thundered Judge Jackson from bench.”

“Judge,” softly replied Mother Jones and every lawyer and each member of the crowd that thronged the court room, hung upon her every utterance, “I am a citizen of the United States, and as such I think I have the right to come to West Virginia or where ever my duty may call me.”

All day Thursday [June 26] “Mother” Jones was on the stand at United States court, and she was subjected to one of the most rigid examinations that has ever been heard here. But never for an instant did she lose her quiet and dignified demeanor, nor did the questions of the district attorney confuse her in the least. On the other hand, she was one of the shrewdest witnesses that ever took the stand at United States court and from the time she was called in the morning until late in the evening it was a veritable battle of brains, and “Mother” Jones was not always worsted. The court room was crowded and the old silver haired woman won many friends by her sweet, dignified manner and shrewdness with which she met every question of the attorneys. When the day was over she was visibly worn out and it was with a sigh of deep relief that she left the witness stand.

The examination of “Mother” Jones was in many ways a treat that those who heard it will not soon forget. Her story was straight forward but in many places her love for the miners brought out the pathetic side of the trouble, while again, on several occasions the court room was in a roar of laughter at some witty repartee between the witness and Judge Blizzard [District Attorney Reese Blizzard], or at some element of humor injected into the proceedings by Judge Jackson.

When asked if she had not said that the operators were the same sort of people that had crucified Christ, the witness replied that she had made such a remark.

“Well,” questioned Judge Blizzard, “do you not think the crucifixion of Christ was the worst crime ever committed?”

“No,” answered the witness in loud tones, “it was not nearly so bad as the crucifixion of little boys in the coal mines who are daily being robbed of their manhood and their intellect by what they are through necessity compelled to undergo. Christ could have saved himself, the boys cannot.”

“Mother” Jones, when first put on the stand, stated that she was sixty years old, having been born in Ireland, coming to this country at the age of six years. She had been, she said, working among the miners for the past thirty years.

She, in answer to questions, denied that she had ever counselled the violation of the law in any respect, but had always asked the miners, to stay sober, to obey the law, and to fight their battles by peaceable methods. She stated that she had no intention of violating the injunction when the meeting was held at Clarksburg on Friday, as the property on which the meeting was held was leased by the miners, and was thought to be far enough away from the property of the mine operators and the homes of the miners. She had come to this state on the invitation and was here to organize the miners. She denied the statement that more trouble occurs where strikers are organized than where they are not.

She stated that she had been at Paterson, N. J., on several occasions, and had lately had an invitation to go there, but denied that she knew that city was a hotbed of anarchists, or that she had ever met or worked with any of the anarchists.

Judge Jackson asked her if she had ever met Emma Goldman, she replied in negative.

To the Judge’s facetious question if she knew Carrie Nation she laughingly returned a similar answer.

The witness denied many of the statements that had been made with regard to her attempts to stir up trouble, or intentionally violating the injunctions, and she stated that she had the highest respect for the courts and sought always to obey the laws of hr country.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1902, Part II: Found in Court in West Virginia, Speaks at Miners’ Convention in Indianapolis”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part II: Mother Jones Arrested with Organizers of UMWA at Clarksburg, West Virginia

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Quote Mother Jones, Injunction Shroud, Bff Exp p7, Apr 24, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 10, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up of June 1902, Part II
Arrested at Clarksburg, West Virginia; Taken to Parkersburg

From West Virginia’s Clarksburg Telegram of June 13, 1902:

Organizers & Agitators Enjoined
———-

Judge Mason Issues State Court Injunctions
and Judge Jackson Federal Injunctions.
Some Organizers Arrested.

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

Last Saturday [June 7] was the time fixed for a general strike among the miners in this state. In the Clarksburg and Fairmont regions but little attention has been paid to it. The day found nearly all the men at work as usual and the mines were in operation, as if there had been no order issued for a strike.

A small crowd of people composed of miners who have been idle for months, other miners, farmers, women and children, about 150 all told was addressed at Mines’ ford, by Mary Jones, known as “Mother Jones,” Saturday morning. The meeting did not result in any definite action or change the situation.

The first of the week the miners from Flemington, who obeyed the strike order, went over to Monongah and formed a marching party. For two or three days they continued to march to and fro between Monongah and Enterprise and some disorder resulted. The Fairmont Coal Company secured an injunction Tuesday [June 10] from Judge Mason at Fairmont against several of the organizers and agitators, restraining them from entering upon the company’s property or interfering with the company’s employes. Some of the organizers were arrested upon this injunction and taken to Fairmont, among whom was Thomas Hagerty and Bernard Rice, “Mother Jones” succeeded in evading arrest.

This was followed by a federal injunction Wednesday afternoon [June 11] issued by Judge John J. Jackson, at Parkersburg, restraining them from marching around or about the company’s grounds and on the roads leading to the mines. U. S. Marshall C. D. Elliott, of Parkersburg, went down the river Wednesday night with a number of deputies to serve the injunctions.

[Marshall Elliott] had summons for Thomas Hagerty, Edward McKay, Thomas Burk, Mary Jones, alias “Mother” Jones, William Morgan, Bernard Rice, J. D. Springer, John Noon, L. D. Murphy, Clyde Hawkins, Sam’l Rogers, James Lake, Charles Ashcraft, John W. Nester, Charles Henderson, Martin Henderson, Webb Poling, Jno. Marci, Edward House, Joe Bell, Orem Brown, John Edwards, Joe Paggoni, David Grace, and Gordon Rush

[Photograph added.]

From the Danville Kentucky Advocate of June 16, 1902:

WEST VIRGINIA STRIKE.
———-
Effort Made to Enlist the Co-Operation
of the Railroad Men.
———-

Clarksburg, W. Va., June 16.-An effort is being made to induce the railroad men to refuse to handle coal mined in this district. Success in this would mean a complete suspension of mining. There is some little uneasiness among the operators. Organizers left this field Monday on the West Virginia Central to induce a strike among the miners of the Davis Elkins syndicate. Mother Jones and others addressed 300 hundred men Sunday at Willow Tree school house, near Monongahela [Monongah]. The crowd was largely composed of women, children and farmers. 

From the Parkersburg Daily Morning News of June 21, 1902:

[Mother Jones Arrested While Speaking
to Strikers at Clarksburg]

[Clarksburg, June 20]-Mother Jones’ address this afternoon was more than ordinarily bitter. She has good command of language and a powerful voice, which combined with her grey hair and commanding bearing and pleasant face give her undoubtedly much influence. She understands her power and how to use it, and while in private conversation shows a surprisingly cultivated manner and correct speech. Her language, when addressing a crowd of miners, is much after their common style and is thickly interspersed with slang and homely wit. In her speech today she denounced the mine operators as robbers, and defied Judge Jackson, placing him in the same class, and asserting that he, as well as the newspapers, and even the preachers, are in league with the interests of the mine owners against the mine workers. She was vigorously cheered at different times during her address, and especially at the close while the marshal and his deputies were making their arrests. She closed her address by urging the miners not to work, not to drink, to avoid all lawlessness and to stick together and continue to “agitate.”

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part I: Strike Is On in West Virginia Coalfields; U. S. Judge Jackson Issues Injunction

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Quote Mother Jones, Injunction Shroud, Bff Exp p7, Apr 24, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 9, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up of June 1902, Part I

Found Speaking to Striking Miners in West Virginia

From Virginia’s Richmond Dispatch of June 1, 1902:

THE MINING SITUATION.

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

From all that can be learned, nearly all of the miners in this field will strike on June 7th, in obedience to the order recently issued. The mine workers’ organization is making a big fight to get the men in this field to obey the order. Agitators are here in large numbers and strike talk is the principal topic of conversation.

“Mother” Jones, a strike agitator, has been in this region since Thursday and is making an appeal to the miners to quit good jobs and join the strike. Yesterday she addressed a large crowd of miners on the mountain side near Coaldale [West Virginia]. To-morrow night she will make another address to the miners at Keystone. Although there is only a small percentage of the miners in this field that belong to the union it is believed that nearly every one will come out. The miners in this field number nearly 200,000. including the Thacker field, and much trouble is feared, in case the strike order is obeyed.

[Photograph added.]

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 4, 1902

SAYS SHE EXPECTS TO BE KILLED
———-
Mother Jones Makes Sensational Address
Before West Virginia Striking Miners.
———-

Huntington, W. Va., June 4.-“Mother” Mary Jones addressed 1,000 miners near Keystone in the Norfolk and Western coal fields last night. Her utterances were extremely sensational. She said her life had been threatened, and that she expected to be killed before she got away from the coal fields. She added:

But for every strike sympathizer that is killed, it will take the life of two operators to appease the crime.

Mother Jones is having tremendous meetings at every point in that region. It is believed the strike order will be generally obeyed on Saturday.

From Virginia’s Tazewell Republican of June 5, 1902:

“Mother” Mary Jones, the noted labor agitator, spoke to a crowd of about one thousand persons at Pocahontas last Saturday. She spoke from the porch of the residence of Col. J. S. Browning. She spoke Sunday night at Keystone, and her address was of a very incendiary character. She is urging the miners to go out on a strike.

From The Dayton Evening Herald of June 6, 1902

INDICATIONS OF A BIG STRIKE
———-
United Mine Workers in the Virginias
Go Out Tomorrow.
———-

Bluefield, W. Va., June 6-Tomorrow is the day that the United Mine Workers of Virginia and West Virginia are to strike. The indications are that a large percentage will come out. Swarms of organizers are in the field, and there is nothing but strike talk. “Mother” Jones has canvassed this field and left for Fairmount. All the companies have notices posted warning all trespassers to keep off their land, and persons trespassing upon the property or attempting by any means to induce the employes to quit work, will be prosecuted. The strike fever is high here.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1902, Part I: Strike Is On in West Virginia Coalfields; U. S. Judge Jackson Issues Injunction”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for August 1900, Part I: Found Visiting Jailed Strikers of Georges Creek Coal District

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Quote Mother Jones, Shoulder to Shoulder, Blt Sun p10, July 26, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 9, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1900, Part I
Found Visiting Jailed Strikers of Georges Creek Coal District

From The Philadelphia Inquirer of August 5, 1900:

STRIKE LEADER GOES TO PRISON
FOR SIX MONTHS
——-
Woman Sympathizer Creates a Sensation
in a Maryland Jail

Special to The Inquirer.

Mother Jones, Kenosha Ns WI p7, June 26, 1900

CUMBERLAND, Md., Aug. 4.-William Warner, the strike leader, was sentenced this afternoon to six months in the House of Correction, having been convicted of unlawful assembly during trouble which arose at an anti-strike meeting. Seventeen miners were also sentenced. They were visited at the jail this afternoon by Mother Jones, the woman labor organizer, who created a sensation by proposing three cheers in the jail for the strikers and three hisses “for the blacklegs.” She led the cheering, as well as the hissing. Warner, who is from Pittsburg, took an appeal.

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for 1899, Part II: Found Standing with Striking Coal Miners of Arnot, Pennsylvania

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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege ed, Ab Chp III———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday January 23, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for the Year 1899
-Part II: Found with Striking Coal Miners of Arnot, Pennsylvania

From the Philadelphia Times of October 9, 1899:

Mother Jones, Arnot Strike, Elmira NY Dly Gz p5, Oct 7, 1899
Elmira Gazette of October 7, 1899


MINERS EVICTED
FROM THEIR HOMES
—–
Blossburg Miners Are Facing
Starvation by Reason
of Their Strike.
—–


WILL NOT YIELD A POINT
—–

Special Telegram to The Times.

Arnot, October 8.

The strike situation hereabouts is becoming serious, and the sufferings of the miners will be severe if an agreement is not soon reached with the Blossburg Coal Company. During the past week the company has discharged its superintendent, ordered the mules sold and made preparations to close down the mines permanently.

Although the strikers have been out sixteen weeks, and are facing certain starvation, they are as determined as ever not to “cave in” to the company, as they term it. The action of the miners in deciding to return to work, and then changing their minds after hearing the harangues of Mrs. Mary Jones, a woman labor agitator of Pittsburg, has apparently aroused the ire or the officials of the company.

Evicted Their Tenants.

As soon as the intention of the miners to remain out became known the company took steps to evict the men who occupied houses belonging to the company for non-payment Thus far thirty-six families have been forced from the houses which they have occupied for years. The evictions were effected by Sheriff Johnston and a force of deputies from Wellsboro. There was no show of force. Those who had no place to go were taken in by neighbors who own their own houses, and are therefore out of reach of the company’s eviction process.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for 1899, Part II: Found Standing with Striking Coal Miners of Arnot, Pennsylvania”