Tag: Haywood-Moyer-Pettibone Case

Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood Sends Daily Letter from Ada County Jail in Idaho to His Invalid Wife in Denver

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday January 9, 1907
From Ada County Jail, Idaho – Big Bill Haywood Writes to Family

Kidnappers Special Detail by BBH, AtR, May 19, 1906

From his cell in the Ada County Jail, beneath the Courthouse where he will be put on trial for his life, William D. Haywood, Secretary-Treasure of the Western Federation of Miners, sends out a daily letter to his invalid wife in Denver. His wife, Nevada Jane Minor Haywood and his two daughters, Vernie and Henrietta, remain in that city and hope for the return of the husband and father who was kidnapped by the authorities of Colorado and Idaho and spirited away to Boise aboard the “Kidnappers’ Special” on February 18th of this past year.

From The Leavenworth Times of Kansas, January 5, 1907:

Accused Miner Sends Daily Letter To Wife

BBH, Nevada Jane, Leavenworth KS Tx, Jan 5, 1907

Denver, Colo., Jan. 4.-There is a chapter in the life of Wm. D. Haywood, leader of the Western Federation of Miners and accused accomplice in the assassination of former Gov. Steunenberg, of Idaho, now in jail at Boise, Idaho, awaiting trial, not generally known. The story this chapter tells places this one accused and censured as an anarchist in the true light of faithful and home-loving father and husband.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood Sends Daily Letter from Ada County Jail in Idaho to His Invalid Wife in Denver” →

Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason: Eugene Debs Calls for “Kidnaping Anniversary Edition;” Wayland Agrees!

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

More than anything we attorneys can do,
is what the Appeal to Reason,
through its readers can do.
-Clarence Darrow

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday January 8, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Debs Issues Calls for Action

From the Appeal of January 5, 1907:

HMP, EVD, Show Your Hand, AtR, Jan 5, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason: Eugene Debs Calls for “Kidnaping Anniversary Edition;” Wayland Agrees!” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn for The Masses: “The Minnesota Trials”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

It is a privilege and a duty even by sacrifice
to advance our priceless cause.
-John R Lawson

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday January 5, 1917
From The Masses: FW Flynn on Behalf of Minnesota Defendants

EGF, MN Iron Miners Strike, Ev IN, Aug 17, 1916

The following article was obviously written for The Masses by Fellow Worker Flynn, I. W. W. organizer, before the plea agreement was reached in the cases of the strikers and organizers charged with first degree murder in connection with the strike of iron miners up on the Mesabi Range of northern Minnesota. The article is nevertheless valuable for the information given regarding the defenses campaign along with a short history regarding “criminal conspiracy” as related to labor struggles, past and present. Tomorrow’s Hellraisers will present an article from this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review, written by Harrison George, which claims the plea agreement as a victory for the strikers and for the cause of labor in general.

From The Masses of January 1917:

The Minnesota Trials

Masonovich-P. & M. & Boarders, ISR, Sept 1916

Many of our friends fail to appreciate the magnitude of the Minnesota strike, involving 15,000 miners and the United States Steel Corporation, and are beguiling themselves into belief that the murder cases pending are not serious.

Mrs. Masonovitch [Masonovich], the woman prisoner, wife of one of the strikers, is a particularly pathetic and appealing figure, a young and beautiful Montenegrin woman, mother of five children, one a nursing baby. She speaks little English, does not understand the proceedings, looks frightened and bewildered and clings frantically to her children. If the parents should be convicted these little ones would be practically orphans. The older ones, twelve and eight, bright, nice boys, tell very clearly what happened on July 3, the night of the tragedy, how the deputies came to arrest their father, how one struck their mother and threw her to the floor, how the fight then started in which Mr. Myron was killed, and how Nick Dillon, the notorious gunman, shot and killed Thos. Ladvalla [Tomi Ladvalla-WE NEVER FORGET], a bystander. If the episode was not connected with a strike, it would be comparatively easy to clear these poor people.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn for The Masses: “The Minnesota Trials”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Little Henrietta Haywood asks, “Will They Hang My Papa?”-by Luella Twining

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 20, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: The Cry of Big Bill’s Little Daughter

HMP, Henrietta by Twining, AtR, Dec 15, 1906

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Little Henrietta Haywood asks, “Will They Hang My Papa?”-by Luella Twining” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: U. S. Supreme Court Declares Kidnapping Legal (If Perpetrated by the State)

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

If they hang Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone,
they’ve got to hang me.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 9, 1906
U. S. A. – Governors Are Now Empowered to Kidnap Citizens

From the Appeal to Reason of December 8, 1906:

KIDNAPING DECLARED LEGAL
—–

U. S. Supreme Court’s Decision Upholds
“Peabody Civilization.”
—–

HMP, McDonald Gooding, Kidnappers of Feb 18, 1906

Chief Justice Harlan, in behalf of the United States supreme court, Monday, December 3, handed down a decision in the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone appeal case, in which the court declined to release the officers of the Western Federation of Miners from the custody of the Idaho authorities, in whose keeping they have been since February of the present year. The prisoners asked for a release on the ground that they were illegally arrested in Colorado, kidnaped and carried into Idaho and there detained without due process of law. At the time of their arrest Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were charged with the assassination of ex-Governor Frank Steunenberg, who was killed on the night of December 30, 1905.

The appeal, taken from the Idaho courts, was argued by Attorneys Darrow and Richardson before the United States supreme court October 9 last. So important were the issues involved that the Washington tribunal sidetracked all other measures and applied itself to an immediate consideration of this Federation appeal.

While the decision, as announced, was not unexpected, the full measure of its meaning does not dawn on the inner consciousness until it is given mature and deliberate thought. Then it is seen that this decision is the culmination of as gigantic a conspiracy against the liberties of the working class as was ever concocted in the annals of time. It is the loud-sounding voice of challenge from the hired mouthpiece of united capitalism, determined to stifle the voice of those who would dare represent those who toil. It is the concrete command of the plutocracy to the radicals of the nation-“Thus far shalt thou go.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: U. S. Supreme Court Declares Kidnapping Legal (If Perpetrated by the State)” →

Hellraisers Journal: U. S. Supreme Court Rules Against Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone in Habeas Corpus Cases

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 8, 1906
U. S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of State-Sponsored Kidnapping

Kidnappers Special by BBH, detail, AtR, May 19, 1906

The U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that kidnapping is legal as long as it is accomplished by the Governor of a state, or, as in the case of the kidnapping of Haywood, Moyer and Pettibone, done through a conspiracy between the Governors of two states: Colorado and Idaho. The lone voice for actual “law and order” upon the Court was that of Justice McKenna whose dissenting opinion states in part:

Kidnapping is a crime, pure and simple. It is difficult to accomplish; hazardous at every step. All the officers of the law are supposed to be on guard against it. All of the officers of the law may be invoked against it. But how is it when the law becomes the kidnapper?

When the officers of the law, using its forms and exerting its power, become abductors? This is not a distinction without a difference—another form of the crime of kidnapping distinguished only from that committed by an individual by circumstances. If a state may say to one within her borders and upon whom her process is served, I will not inquire how you came here; I must execute my laws and remit you to proceedings against those who have wronged you, may she so plead against her own offenses? May she claim that by mere physical presence within her borders an accused person is within her jurisdiction denuded of his constitutional rights, though he has been brought there by her violence?

[…..]

No individual could have accomplished what the power of the two states accomplished. No individual or individuals could have commanded the means and success could have made two arrests of prominent citizens by invading their homes; could have commanded the resources of jails, armed guards and special trains; could have successfully timed all acts to prevent inquiry and judicial interference. The accused, as soon as he could have done so, submitted his rights to the consideration of the courts. He could not have done so in Colorado. He could not have done so on the way from Colorado. At the first instant that the state of Idaho relaxed its restraining power he invoked the aid of habeas corpus successively of the Supreme Court of the state and of the Circuit Court of the United States. He should not have been dismissed from court, and the action of the Circuit Court in so doing should be reversed.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: U. S. Supreme Court Rules Against Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone in Habeas Corpus Cases” →

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Wins Thousands of Votes for Governor of Colorado While Facing the Gallows in Idaho

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Have courage and energy;
they may put us in jail,
but imprisonment is not defeat.
Yours for economic freedom,
Ada County Jail, Boise, Idaho.
-WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD.

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday November 25, 1906
Colorado Socialists and Unionists Cast Their Votes for Haywood

Colorado Election Results from the Montana News of November 22nd:

COLORADO

Haywood for CO Governor, AtR, Aug 25, 1906

Returns very incomplete. Enough to show more than 20,000 for Haywood and the Socialist ticket. Grand Junction goes 500 for Haywood, Telluride over 450 for Haywood. Great frauds every where, especially in Denver, where Socialist watchers were thrown out. In some places Socialists were prevented from voting.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Wins Thousands of Votes for Governor of Colorado While Facing the Gallows in Idaho” →

Hellraisers Journal: Jack London: “Something Rotten in Idaho; Governor Gooding Re-Elected, Colorado Mine Owners Rejoice

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday November 18, 1906
State of Idaho – Governor Gooding, Mine Owners’ Hero, Re-Elected

The Mine Owners’ Associations of Colorado and Idaho are rejoicing as their champion, Governor Gooding, wins re-election in the state of Idaho, and they now can easily imagine the leaders of the Western Federation of Miners swinging from the gallows. Jack London recently offered an alternative point of view, writing in the Chicago Daily Socialist that “Something Is Rotten in Idaho” (see below.)

From The Idaho Daily Statesman of November 13, 1906:

Elections, ID Gov Gooding Re-elected, Spk Prs, Nov 14, 1906

Colorado, Sends Greeting to Idaho
and Governor Gooding.

(Denver Republican.)

Colorado, in the midst of rejoicing over its victory for orderly government, sends greeting to Idaho and Governor Gooding over the splendid victory achieved in the interest of good government and for the good name of the whole state, which like Colorado has suffered in the past from the rule of anarchy. From the Coeur d’Alenes to Cripple Creek is a near and fateful cry.

Because of the determined stand taken by Governor Gooding to clear the state’s escutcheon of the blot casts upon it in the foul murder of former Governor Steunenberg, he was made the center of attack in the recent campaign. His enemies sought his defeat that the assassins might go free. If not admitted, it was tacitly understood that his defeat meant the opening of the prison gates to the suspects. The Denver News no later than yesterday insisted that because the district court trial judge [Judge Frank J. Smith] in that state who had bound over Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone, had been defeated on the face of the available returns, the prisoners would be released; and, as the Patterson organs are the mouthpieces of the defense, the animus of the whole campaign is made clear. If Governor Gooding had been beaten through the debauchery of certain districts with Western Federation of Miners’ money, there would have been rejoicing in other places than Welton street…

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Jack London: “Something Rotten in Idaho; Governor Gooding Re-Elected, Colorado Mine Owners Rejoice” →

Hellraisers Journal: Messages from Comrade Haywood, Socialist Candidate for Governor of Colorado

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Have courage and energy;
they may put us in jail,
but imprisonment is not defeat.
Yours for economic freedom,
Ada County Jail, Boise, Idaho.
-WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD.

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday November 4, 1906
From Ada County Jail, Idaho – Big Bill Campaigns for Governor

Debs in Denver Nov 5, AtR, Nov 3, 1906

In the latest issue of the Appeal to Reason we find messages from William D. Haywood to the people of Colorado. These messages were sent out to the Appeal by Big Bill from behind the bars of the Ada County Jail where the Socialist candidate for Governor resides awaiting trial in an attempted frame-up on a charge of having murdered the ex-Governor of Idaho. Also found was a notice announcing a meeting with Eugene Debs in Denver on Monday, November 5th, the day before the election.

Haywood Denounces Democrats

Haywood Denounces Plot of Democrats
———–

“No Compromise in Colorado!” is Still the Slogan Which the Socialist Candidate for Governor of Colorado Sends from His Prison Cell in Idaho to the Loyal Comrades of the Centennial State.

———-

Haywood to voters of CO, AtR, Nov 3, 1906Appeal to Reason, Girard, Kansas.

I have just received information to the effect that Alva Adams, democratic candidate for governor of Colorado, in his canvass is reading telegrams purporting to be from my representatives. I desire to say to the working class of Colorado that no telegram or message of any description to Alva Adams or any one of his class has been authorized by me. Moreover, no one but the state committee of the Socialist party is empowered to speak for me politically. In every conversation I have had on the subject, in everything I have written, I made it distinctly understood that there shall be NO COMPROMISE IN COLORADO. I accepted the nomination in good faith. There has been a magnificent campaign made. I stand or fall by the decision of my class-the wage-earners. Union men and women, fellow-workers, Socialists, I have never betrayed you-and, by the Almighty, I never shall. I am with you in this fight to abolish special privileges, to establish equal opportunities, to insure justice, life and liberty.

Ada County Jail, Boise, Idaho, Oct. 20.

Yours to a finish,
WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Messages from Comrade Haywood, Socialist Candidate for Governor of Colorado” →

Hellraisers Journal: President Roosevelt, Secretary Taft, and the Western Federation of Miners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 2, 1906
Boise, Idaho – Secretary Taft to Speak for Governor Gooding

From this week’s Montana News:

ROOSEVELT AGAINST THE
MINERS’ UNIONS.

William Howard Taft, Secretary of War, ab 1905
William Howard Taft, Secretary of War

Boise, Ida., Oct 24.-A special to the Statesman, from Washington. D. C., says:

That President Roosevelt thoroughly approves the course taken by Governor Gooding in prosecuting the men charged with the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg can no longer be questioned. It was officially announced today that Secretary Taft, the strong arm of the administration, at the special request of the president will make two speeches in Idaho in order that the people of that state may know that the sympathies of the national administration are with Governor Gooding and those who stand by him for law and order. Secretary Taft will speak at Pocatello Friday, November 2, and at Boise the next day.

President Roosevelt has been deeply interested in the Idaho campaign since its inception, because he has been anxious that the people shall give their hearty support to the ticket that stands for law and order. He deeply regretted the attempt made in some quarters to becloud the issue when it was so apparent to him this is the only issue involved.

The president is so intensely in earnest that his instructions to Secretary Taft would leave no option, if he had any inclination to choose other topics, but Secretary Taft is as much concerned as the president. One of his friends said when his trip was announced: “You can bet your last dollar that Taft will give those dynamiters hell.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: President Roosevelt, Secretary Taft, and the Western Federation of Miners” →