Tag: Everett Free Speech Fight of 1916

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks at Yakima, Washington: “Is not this a country of free speech?”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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This is one of the great battles
for the members of the working class
and we must stand by our boys.
They fought for us.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday March 2, 1917
From the Industrial Worker: Miss Flynn Speaks for Everett Prisoners

EGF, Everett Northwest Worker, Jan 18, 1917

The Everett Defense News Letter of February 17th reported that Elizabeth Gurley Flynn had recently returned from a speaking tour on behalf of the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee:

MISS FLYNN HAS
SUCCESSFUL TOUR.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has just returned from a speaking trip through Washington, Oregon, Idaho and part of Montana in the interests of the Defense of the 74 victims of Bloody Sunday. Every where the workers have heard eagerly the facts of the tragic and brutal massacre of November 5th and have given willingly of their time, energy and money to help set free our imprisoned fellow workers. Miss Flynn will now be engaged until the trial in the State of Washington and, more especially, in King County.

The Industrial Worker of February 17th offers a report on the speech given by Miss Flynn in Yakima, Washington, during that tour:

IN COLD FOR TWO HOURS.
—–

Sabotage by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Once in a while a reporter tells the truth and the editor, being sleepy or tired, lets it go over. In what other way can we account for the extremely fair statement of the Gurley Flynn meeting given by the Yakima Republican:

Two hours is a long time to listen to any one speaker. It is a long time when one sits on the comfortable, fatly-cushioned seats of a theatre. It is still longer when one sits on the hard, wooden benches of the I. W. W. hall. And when one stands, without overcoat, on the streets to hear the stray phrases and sentences which come thru a crowded, narrow doorway, the time is long, indeed.

Yet 650 persons last night sat for two hours, on hard wooden benches, and sat tense and still, to hear Elizabeth Gurley Flynn’s defense of the I. W. W. movement. A hundred or more others, unable to wedge themselves into the hall or doorway, shivered on the street as they stood to hear the lecture. Miss Flynn’s voice carried well and they heard most of the address. They heard enough to make them stay to the end of the two-hour appeal.

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Hellraisers Journal: Everett Defense News Letter No. 12: Caroline A. Lowe Comes to Aid of Class-War Prisoners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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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, Tuesday February 20, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Caroline A. Lowe Joins Defense Team

From Charles Ashleigh for Defense News of February 17th:

Everett Massacre, Def News Letter 12, Feb 17, 1917

Seattle, Wash., Feb. 17th.

Caroline A. Lowe, Progressive Woman, Sept 1913

The panel of jurors, from which will be drawn the twelve to serve in the cases of the 74 men charged with murder, has been already published. There are 175 jurors on the list, of whom 71 are women.

MISS FLYNN HAS
SUCCESSFUL TOUR.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has just returned from a speaking trip through Washington, Oregon, Idaho and part of Montana in the interests of the Defense of the 74 victims of Bloody Sunday. Every where the workers have heard eagerly the facts of the tragic and brutal massacre of November 5th and have given willingly of their time, energy and money to help set free our imprisoned fellow workers. Miss Flynn will now be engaged until the trial in the State of Washington and, more especially, in King County.

WELL KNOWN WOMAN VOLUNTEERS FOR DEFENSE.

The Defense has secured most valuable aid in the services of Miss Caroline A. Lowe, a woman of national prominence, who has entered into the campaign for the release of the 74 working men who are threatened with life-long imprisonment for their belief in Free Speech. Miss Lowe is an attorney-at law, practicing in Kansas and California and was formerly vice-president of the Kansas City Teachers’ Association. She was also National Lecturer for the Socialist Party. Miss Lowe addressed the U. S. Senate Committee on National Suffrage, during the Suffrage hearing in 1911. She was prominent in the fight for Free Speech in Kansas City, Mo., in the winter of 1913-14 when the workers won a clear-cut victory, securing the right to use the streets as a public forum.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Everett Defense News Letter No. 12: Caroline A. Lowe Comes to Aid of Class-War Prisoners” →

Hellraisers Journal: Part II-Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare by E. P. Marsh, President Washington State F. of L.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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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, Friday February 16, 1917
From Everett Labor Journal: Report on Industrial Warfare, Part II

Over a period of three weeks, from January 26th to February 9th, The Labor Journal of Everett, Washington, published the “Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare,” by E. P. Marsh, President of the Washington State Federation of Labor, which report he had delivered on the first day of that bodies annual convention, Monday January 22, 1917. Hellraisers Journal republished Part I of that report yesterday; we offer Part II today, and we will concluded the series with Part III of the report tomorrow.

EVERETT’S INDUSTRIAL WARFARE, PART II

Everett Labor Journal, Feb 2, 1917

EVERETT’S INDUSTRIAL WARFARE;
REPORT OF PRESIDENT E. P. MARSH

E. P. Marsh, Pres WA FoL, Everett Labor Journal, July 23, 1915, small

Activity of the Everett Commercial Club.

I wish it were possible with a short homily to end the story here, for the sorriest part of it now begins. It is to be expected that when two men are in a fist fight, the bystander will at least keep his hands off, or, when one has been terribly beaten, insist that the fight end and the men patch up their differences. The business interests of the city were the bystanders in this struggle, but by no means “innocent.” They had every right to say to the contending parties: “You fellows have fought long enough; why don’t you quit, find out what it is all about, and see if you can’t be good friends again?”

The business interests were suffering keenly because of this struggle. The strikers [striking Shingle Weavers of Everett] were living on short rations, little money to spend for groceries, meat and shoes. The strikebreakers were being housed on mill property, fed from a commissary, spending none of their money with Everett merchants. If the Commercial Club members had a right to take a hand in the proceedings, and naturally they felt they had, for they were being hurt, it was their bounden duty to honestly investigate the truth of the statements of the contending parties, approach the whole problem in a spirit of community good, offer conciliation and mediation to both contending parties. Now notice how they went about it.

Some months previously the Commercial Club had been reorganized on the bureau plan, the various activities of the business life of the city being chartered out and turned over to various bureaus. There was an advertising bureau, a transportation bureau, etc. It became a stock concern, stock memberships being issued in blocks to employers and business houses and some distributed among employers and their employes. What a field for an industrial bureau that would have kept in touch with the human side of the city’s industries, striven for industrial peace by studying the vexatious labor problem with an eye to helping along friendly relations between employers and their men. But there was no such bureau, at least not equipped to function in the social relationship of industry. Mistake No. 1 of the Commercial Club.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Part II-Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare by E. P. Marsh, President Washington State F. of L.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks on Behalf of Everett Prisoners; Defense Wins Change of Venue

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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It is no wonder the Statue of Liberty
has her back to the United States.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday February 12, 1917
Everett, Washington – Prisoners Championed by Miss Flynn

Jail at Everett, WCS

While the Everett Class-War Prisoners remain locked behind the bars of the Snohomish County Jail under conditions described as “barbarous,” they nevertheless can take comfort in knowing that they have, as their champion, Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the “Rebel Girl” of Joe Hill’s famous song, fighting on their behalf.

From the Portland Morning Oregonian of February 5, 1917:

I. W. W. COLLECT FUND
—–

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN TALKS IN
EVERETT PRISONERS’ BEHALF.
—–
“No Wonder Statue of Liberty Has Back
Turned to United States,”
Speaker Declares
—–

EGF, Ad mtg on 4th, Morning Oregonian, Feb 3, 1917, p11

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, speaking in behalf of the defense of the I. W. W.’s to be tried as participants in the Everett affair of November 5, addressed a capacity audience at the Eleventh-street playhouse yesterday afternoon.

While there were many interruptions of applause during the speaker’s address, the meeting was orderly. A collection, taken up by the girl ushers amounted to $175. Miss Flynn announced that it was not enough, and she called for another passing of the basket to make up the sum of $200. This will be added to the sum needed to defend the men who are charged with murder and complicity in the demonstration on the steamer Verona in Everett, Wash.

Miss Flynn attacked the “lumber trust and other forces of oppression.” She declared that the I. W. W.’s of Everett had been beaten with rubber hose and tortured. She said that the trouble started when the men were told to get off a certain street corner in the heart of the town, on the main street of Everett. “Why, if you got two blocks off the main street of Everett you’d be in the woods,” declared Miss Flynn.

What she termed as the lack of freedom of speech made Miss Flynn say: “It is no wonder the Statue of Liberty has her back to the United States.” She said that while the Salvation army wants “pie in the sky when you die,” the Industrial Workers want “pie here and now.”

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Hellraisers Journal: “Everett, November Fifth,” a Poem by Charles Ashleigh

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Fierce and long the battle rages,
But we will not fear.
Help will come whene’er it’s needed,
Cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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

Hellraisers Journal: Sunday February 4, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Remember Everett!

Everett Massacre, Nov Fifth, Charles Ashleigh, ISR Feb

Walker C. Smith on the young martyr, Hugo Gerlot:

As the Verona cleaved the placid, sunlit waters of the Bay and swung up to the City Dock at Everett, shortly before two o’clock, the men were merrily singing the English Transport Workers’ strike song, “Hold the Fort.”

From a hillside overlooking the scene thousands upon thousands of Everett citizens sent forth cheer after cheer as a hearty welcome to the “invading army.” High up on the flag-pole of the Verona clambered Hugo Gerlot, a youthful free speech enthusiast, to wave a greeting to the throng that lined the shore…

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Hellraisers Journal: From Everett Defense: Date Set for Trial; Gurley Flynn Speaks before State Federations of Labor

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote, Charles Ashleigh, EDNL9, Jan 27, 1917

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday January 29, 1917
From Seattle, Washington: Everett Defense News Letter No. 9

Everett Massacre, Def News Letter 9, Jan 27, 1917

Everett, Wash, Jan. 27th.

The date of the first trial has been set! The first man to be tried is Fellow Worker Thomas H. Tracy and his case comes up on March 5th. This was decided yesterday in Everett when the 74 boys pleaded “Not Guilty!” The presiding judge was J. T. Ronald, of King County, who has been appointed by Governor Lister to hear the case, as prejudice was charged by our attorneys against the Two Superior Court judges of Snohomish county.

APPLICATION MADE FOR CHANGE OF VENUE.

Our attorneys gave notice of an application for a change of venue. They will now prepare affidavits proving that there is too much prejudice in Snohomish county to warrant the boys a fair and impartial trial. The affidavits will be submitted on Feb. 2nd and the motion for change of venus will be decided upon by judge on Feb. 9th.

OUR MEN IN GOOD SPIRITS.

The 74 boys made a fine showing in the court-room on Friday. They marched in heavily guarded by a swarm of deputies, but were entirely unabashed. They answered to their names and rose, one after the other, giving, in ringing tones, their plea-it sounded more like a statement than a plea-of “Not Guilty!” There was much favorable comment in the court on the clear-cut and self-possessed appearance of the prisoners.

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn for Everett Defense: “Now is the time to defend yourselves in the persons of those 74.”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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The heritage we leave to
the next generation
will be in the conditions
that we make now.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday January 23, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Miss Flynn Speaks at Dreamland Park

From The Seattle Star of January 22, 1917:

MORE THAN 5000 HEAR
ELIZABETH GURLEY FLYNN
—–

EGF, Everett Northwest Worker, Jan 18, 1917

Before a record-breaking crowd at the Dreamland rink, Sunday afternoon, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, noted woman labor speaker, and H. Scott Bennett, former labor member of the Australian parliament, spoke under the auspices of the Everett Defense league, in behalf of the 74 I. W. W. held for murder.

Charles Ashleight [Ashleigh] presided.

Forceful, vigorous, speaking with intense feeling, Miss Flynn fired volley after volley against the capitalistic system, which, according to her, permitted the murder of five I. W. W. at Everett.

Bennett also carried tremendous force in his remarks as he reviewed the labor struggle.

Resolutions asking a federal investigation of the affair at Everett were passed, and a collection netted $331.52 for the defense fund. More than 5,000 attended the meeting.

A dance in the evening netted $200.

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn for Everett Defense: “Now is the time to defend yourselves in the persons of those 74.”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn in Seattle to Aid Everett Prisoners’ Defense; Speaks at Dreamland Today

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, Sunday January 21, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Arrives

EGF, Everett Northwest Worker, Jan 18, 1917

The best woman labor speaker in America is in Seattle. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, “the Joan of Arc of the Labor Movement,” will devote the next few weeks of her time to the defense of the 74 men in jail in Everett charged with murder.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has been an agitator since her fifteenth year. She has been brought up in the atmosphere of the working class movement and it has entered right into her soul. Her vivid and appealing oratory can sway thousands of workers because it proceeds out of an intense sincerity.

She has been in nearly every great fight the Industrial Workers of the World have engaged in for the last seven years. In Spokane, Wash., during the Free Speech Fight in 1909, she was arrested. Since then her arrests have been many; Philadelphia, Paterson, New York, Missoula and other towns have known her in the clutches of the law for her upholding of the rights of Free Speech and labor organization.

The great strike of 20,000 iron ore miners in the Mesaba Range in Minnesota was the last scene of Miss Flynn’s activities. There she was a power in the building up of the miners’ solidarity. She is known from coast to coast and every place that she visits there is a revival of enthusiasm among the workers for the cause of labor.

Miss Flynn will be the principal speaker at a great demonstration to be held at the Dreamland Rink on Sunday, Jan. 21st, at 2 p. m. This meeting is called in the interests of the Defense of the 74 men in jail in Everett for their active advocacy of free speech for labor.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn in Seattle to Aid Everett Prisoners’ Defense; Speaks at Dreamland Today” →

Hellraisers Journal: “The Day of Blood” by the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee. The True Story of November 5th.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Everett Massacre, Quote, Pamph Bloody Sunday, Def Com, Nov 1916

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday January 19, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Pamphlet Tells of “Everett’s Bloody Sunday”

On Wednesday we presented one of two pamphlets, published by the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee, which told the actually story of events leading up to the Everett Massacre. Yesterday we featured part one of the second pamphlet which reveals the horrific vigilante terror at Beverly Park just a few days before the Massacre. Today we present part two of the second pamphlet which documents that terrible day in Everett, now known far and wide as “Bloody Sunday.”

EVERETT’S BLOODY SUNDAY
———-

THE TRAGEDY THAT HORRIFIED THE WORLD!
———-

A STORY OF OUTRAGED TOILERS
[Part Two.]

The Day of Blood.

Everett Massacre, Verona Returns to Seattle, ISR Dec 1916

It was decided to hold a meeting in Everett on Sunday, November 5th, at 2 p. m. A big attendance of friendly citizens was promised by local sympathizers. A handbill was widely distributed in both Everett and Seattle which read as follows:

CITIZENS OF EVERETT!
Attention!

A meeting will be held at the corner of Hewitt and Wetmore Aves., on Sunday, Nov. 5th, 2 p. m. Come and help maintain your and our constitutional rights.

-Committee.

The above was given out some days before the event. It certainly does not appear as though desperadoes, plotting a dark deed of murder, would advertise the fact by means of handbills! Yet, the bosses would characterize this simple announcement of a peaceful meeting as “inciting to riot” and “intent to resist lawful authority!”

The steamer “Verona” left the Seattle docks with some 250 men on board. About forty left later on the S. S. “Calista,” but never reached their destination.

The men aboard the “Verona” had all paid their passages in the regular manner, entitling them to a landing in Everett. They were cheerful on the boat, and full of enthusiasm. The conquest of free speech seemed assured. They never for a moment considered that the Everett mob,-at whose hands they had previously suffered such grievous outrage,-would dare to continue their criminal tactics in the light of day and before a host of conscientious citizens.

Therefore, they sang, that day on the boat, and made merry. They were class-conscious men, enlightened workingmen who believed in the glorious future of their class and who were willing to give their all in the great fight of the workers for bread, happiness and liberty. Little did they think, that bright morning, that the hour was so near in which some of them would be called upon for the supremest of all sacrifices,-life itself.

There were men of many trades and callings on the boat: laborers, loggers, railroad clerks, seamen, farm-hands; members of the Longshoremen’s Union, the I. W. W. the Truckmen, the Seamen’s Union and others. But they were all united in the one common desire: the desire to see established free expression of the voice of labor.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “The Day of Blood” by the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee. The True Story of November 5th.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Gruesome Story of Vigilante Terror at Beverly Park Told by Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee

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 January 18, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Pamphlet Tells “Story of Outraged Toilers”

Yesterday we presented one of two pamphlets, published by the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee, which told the actually story of events leading up to the Everett Massacre. Today we feature part one of the second pamphlet which tells of the horrific vigilante terror at Beverly Park which preceded that terrible day in Everett, now known far and wide as “Bloody Sunday.”

EVERETT’S BLOODY SUNDAY
———-

THE TRAGEDY THAT HORRIFIED THE WORLD!
———-

A STORY OF OUTRAGED TOILERS
[Part One.]
———-

Everett Massacre, Beverly Park Cattleguard, WCS 1918

Five workingmen killed and thirty wounded! Two deputies dead and sixteen wounded! Such is the tale of disaster that follows in the wake of capitalist administration of “law-and-order.”

And this list of casualties is by no means complete. In the waters of Puget Sound, it is asserted, are many bodies of other working men who perished on that fateful day. Perhaps it will never be known how many gave up their lives for their beliefs on that day of red madness.

And now nearly three hundred workers lie in jail awaiting trial. One hundred and twelve of them have already been selected by the prosecution to face charges of murder. Attempts will doubtless be made to railroad the rest to long terms in the penitentiary.

What was, then, the fearful crime committed by these men? Of what dark deed were they guilty, that they should be thus shot down and hounded to the death-in-life of the jails?

Their crime? Their crime was that of being true to their class. Their crime was that of believing that in America there was still a measure of freedom. Their crime was that of struggling to obtain the right of free speech, that right which is supposedly guaranteed to every one of us under the American Constitution.

It is the duty of every workingman and woman, of every believer in freedom, to look into this matter,-to carefully consider the facts.

What was it, then, that happened in Everett?

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Gruesome Story of Vigilante Terror at Beverly Park Told by Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee” →