Hellraisers Journal: Nurse Helen Schloss and Union Leaders Jailed at Trinidad CO; Martial Law Enforced at Butte MT

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Quote Mother Jones re Miners Org Real Power of Labor Mv, Speech UMW D14 Conv, Apr 30, 1914, Ptt KS, Steel Speeches p134—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 5, 1914
News from Miners’ Strikes at Trinidad, Colorado, and Butte, Montana

From the Salem, Oregon, Capital Journal of September 2, 1914:

Mother Jones Says Government Will
Take Over the Colorado Mines

Mother Jones Coming to Seattle crpd, Stt Str p2, May 29, 1914

“Mother” Mary Jones, the militant woman strike leader, claims to have some “inside” information to the effect that President Wilson will soon take vigorous action in the Colorado mine strike situation. “Mother” Jones declared that within the next two or three days the United States Government will take over and administer the strike-bound Colorado mines.

[Photograph added.]

From Lawrence [Kansas] Daily Journal-World of September 2, 1914:

BUTTE UNDER MARTIAL LAW
———-

All Saloons Ordered Closed-No Public Gatherings
———-
Newspapers Under Strict Censorship.
-Women Not Allowed on the Streets

Butte, Mont., Sept. 2.-Butte is under martial law by a proclamation issued by Governor Stewart. On the order of Major Dan J. Donahue, commanding the militia, all the saloons were closed and public gatherings of any character were forbidden without permission of the commanding officer. Women will not be permitted on the streets after 8 o’clock in the evening nor before 6 in the morning. No disturbance thus far has occurred since the troops have arrived. Major Donahue has formally notified the newspaper offices of the city that they were under censorship.[Emphasis added.]

From Lawrence Daily Journal-World of September 3, 1914:

NO DISTURBANCES AT BUTTE
———-

Militia Arrest Leaders of Mine Workers’ Union

Butte, Mont., Sept. 3.-Butte’s fist day of Martial law was without disturbance. The Montana National guard occupied the court house and city hall. Headquarters of the state militia were established in the court house with Jess B. Roote as chief of staff and judge advocate. At the city hall Provost Marshal Frank Conley took charge.Orders were given soon after the militia moved into the business district to arrest leaders of the Butte Mine Workers’ union, the organization formed to oppose the Western Federation of Miners. Four arrests were made late in the afternoon, one of the men being James Chapman, chairman of the jurisdiction committee.

Provost Marshal Conley searched the city for President McDonald of the union, but he could not be found. He is wanted on charges of inciting riots. The list of men who are wanted was said by Major Roote to be a long one.

For the first time in three  days the jurisdiction committee of the new union did not appear at the mines to prohibit non-members from working. Outside of the court house, Gatling guns were placed in the streets and two machine guns were placed on the roof of the court house. Martial law orders prohibit all public meetings without special permits.

[Emphasis added.]

From the New York Times of September 3, 1914:

ARRESTS IN MINE WAR.

Trinidad Jail Is Filled – Union Leaders Reported Indicted.
Special to the New York Times

DENVER. Sept. 2. – Twenty prisoners, including union officials, strikers, and sympathizers, alleged to be concerned in the disorders arising out of the Colorado mine war are in jail at Trinidad, and many warrants are still to be served. The warrants, charging murder, arson, and other crimes, which followed the several pitched battles between strikers and mine guards this spring, are based on indictments which were returned by the Grand Jury last Saturday. It is believed that some of the prominent officers of the United Mine Workers have been indicted. Their names will not be revealed until the arrests are mad.The Trinidad Jail is filled tonight. Among the prisoners are William Diamond, National organizer of the United Mine Workers; James Davis, Marshal at Aguilar; Frank Miner, President of the Trinidad Trades Council, and Robert Uhlich, former President of the Trinidad Miners’ Union.

Helen Schloss of Denver, who is in charge of the strikers’ hospital at Ludlow, was arrested today by Federal troops charged with picketing. Her arrest has caused great concern among the strikers.

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Gertrude Lee, Chairman of Democratic State Committee of Colorado, Will Not Help Free Mother Jones from Military Confinement

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Quote Mother Jones, Chase No Own State, RMN p3, Jan 12, 1914—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 30, 1914
Sterling, Colorado – Mrs. Lee Refuses to Help Free Mother Jones

From The Cincinnati Post of January 28, 1914:

Mrs Gertrude Lee, Chair of CO Dem State Com, Will Not Help Mother Jones, Cnc Pst p3, Jan 28, 1914

(Will woman suffrage make good in Colorado?

That is the question all the United States is asking today. That question was put up to Mrs. Gertrude A. Lee, Chairman of the Democratic State committee in Colorado. The Governor and his militia Generals, who placed 82-year-old Mother Jones in solitary confinement in a military prison, are members of her party. The following is from the Denver correspondent of the Post, who went to Sterling to see Mrs. Lee.-Editor’s Note.)

STERLING, COLO., Jan. 28.-(Spl.)-Mrs. Gertrude A. Lee, head of the Democratic State central committee, doesn’t know officially that Mother Jones has been illegally imprisoned or that the Colorado state troops rode down and beat women and children paraders with swords in Trinidad.

So she won’t protest

“I want to do what is right for the party and the women,” said Mrs. Lee, who has been recuperating from a nervous attack on a farm near here.

“I don’t know that there is anything wrong in the coal strike fields. I want time.”

“Do you believe any citizen-man or woman-should be deprived of his constitutional right of personal liberty and free speech without due process of law?” she was asked.

Mrs. Lee evaded the question five times and finally said, “No.”

Mrs. Lee will not ask the State [Democratic Party] committee to do anything about the coal strike that will embarrass Governor Ammons.

[Emphasis added.

Note: Mrs. Gertrude A. Lee is married to Colonel George M. Lee who is next in authority to General Chase in the state militia now occupying southern Colorado and enforcing its military despotism upon the striking miners, their wives and their children.

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Colorado Federation of Labor Committee Begins Investigation of Military Outrages in Coalfield Strike Zone

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Lt Linderfelt Jesus Christ, Dec 30 1913, Report CO BoL p185, 1914—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 3, 1914
Trinidad, Colorado – State Federation of Labor Committee Begins Investigation

From the Denver United Labor Bulletin of December 27, 1913:

HdLn CO FoL Investigating Com in Strike Zone, ULB p1, Dec 27, 1913

—————

Wednesday December 24, 1913
Trinidad, Colorado – C. F. of L. Investigating Committee Begins Hearings

The Committee established by the recent Convention of the  Colorado Federation of Labor to investigate alleged abuse by the military met in Trinidad yesterday to begin hearings on the matter. Now, Professor Brewster was asked to sit on the committee despite his views on the United Mine Workers which are less than favorable. Yet, the Professor is trusted as an honorable and fair man, willing to listen objectively to the evidence.

General Chase has refused to meet with the committee in spite of the letter from Governor Ammons requiring him to do so. He indicates that, perhaps, he will find the time at a later date to meet with the C. F. of L. Investigating Committee.

The committee heard testimony from Mrs. Maggie Dominske of Ludlow. She described how she was on her way to the Ludlow post office with a group of women when they were stopped by militiamen:

They put up their guns and said, “God damn you, don’t you go another step. If you do,we’ll shoot you. We’re getting tired of these sons-of-bitches coming up here and we’re going to put a stop to it.”

The Professor asked if the women had been on a public road, and Mrs. Dominske replied that, yes indeed, they had been using a public road.  The Professor declared:

I am surprised. Surprised. I wouldn’t have believed it if I had not heard it straight from these women. It is plain they are telling the truth.

We imagine that the good Professor will encounter many more such surprises before the investigation is completed.

—————

Wednesday December 31, 1913
Ludlow, Colorado – Lt Linderfelt declares himself “Jesus Christ”

Yesterday evening, a cavalryman was injured when his horse tripped on a piece of barbed wire. The injured man was brought to the Ludlow depot. A few minutes later Lieutenant Linderfelt appeared and went into a rage. Louie Tikas happened to be at the depot waiting for a train, also at the station was a boy of about fifteen years. Linderfelt focused on that boy, accusing him of setting the wire, and, when the boy denied the charge, began to beat him. Linderfelt next began to berate Louie:

There you are, you round-face son-of-a-bitch. You’re responsible for that wire.

Louie remained calm, but Linderfelt continued to rage. He gave an order to his men:

You Tollerburg fellows beat it over to the colony and cut every God damned wire around the place. The first man that interferes with you-shoot his head off.

Linderfelt then punched Louie in the face as he yelled:

I am Jesus Christ, and my men on horses are Jesus Christs, and we must be obeyed.

Witnesses report that Louie Tikas maintained his usual calm as Linderfelt struck him several more times. The lieutenant than ordered his men to take Louie to the military camp.

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: 1500 Labor Delegates Meet with Colorado Governor in Senate Chamber; Policy of Action Adopted

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Quote John Lawson 1913, after October 17th Death Special attack on Forbes Tent Colony, Beshoar p74—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 22, 1913
Denver, Colorado – State Federation of Labor Adopts Policy of Action

From the Denver United Labor Bulletin of December 20, 1913:

1500 CO FoL Conv Dlg Meet w Gov, ULB p1, Dec 20, 1913———-
1500 CO FoL Conv Dlg Meet w Gov, Policy Action Adopted, ULB p1, Dec 20, 1913

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