Tag: Haywood Trial of 1907

Hellraisers Journal: Harper’s Magazine on the Moyer-Haywood Case: “The Murder Charge at a Labor Union’s Door”

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 May 30, 1907
Boise, Idaho – William D. Haywood on Trial for Murder

From Harper’s Weekly of May 25, 1907:


THE MURDER CHARGE AT A
LABOR UNION’S DOOR


BY THE CONFESSION OF ONE OF ITS MEMBERS, THE WESTERN
FEDERATION OF MINERS IS CHARGED WITH HAVING INSTIGATED
TWENTY-SEVEN MURDERS, INCLUDING THE ASSASSINATION, IN 1905,
OF FORMER GOVERNOR STEUNENBERG, OF IDAHO. FOR COMPLICITY
IN THIS CRIME, W. D. HAYWOOD, OF THE FEDERATION’S
“INNER CIRCLE,” IS ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE

HMP, Pettibone Moyer Haywood, AtR, Feb 16, 1907

AN attempt to learn the truth about the most serious charge that ever has been laid at the doors of organized labor is now being made at Boise City, Idaho. William D. Haywood, secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners, is on trial in the District Court, charged with the murder of Frank Steunenberg, former Governor of Idaho. Two other officers of the Federation are jointly accused, but they will be tried separately. One remarkable fact which provokes arguments for and against the organization is that the evidence upon which Haywood and his associates have been indicted is based upon the confession of a member of the Federation who is reported since to have lost his reason.

The three men charged with conspiracy and murder are Haywood, Charles H. Moyer, President of the Western Federation of Miners, and G. A. Pettibone, formerly a member of the supreme governing body of the organization. These three are men of unusual intelligence and high executive ability.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Harper’s Magazine on the Moyer-Haywood Case: “The Murder Charge at a Labor Union’s Door”” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: A Song for Haywood’s Little Daughter by Owen Spendthrift

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, Sunday May 26, 1907
New York Songwriter Pens Lyrics for “Undesirable Citizen” Meeting

“WILL THEY HANG PAPA?”
LABOR’S LATEST DITTY
—–
Little Daughter of W. D. Haywood Asks
Pathetic Question of Reporter.
—–
Query Becomes Inspiration for Song
and Lyric Tunes It Into Music.
—–

HMP, Henrietta Haywood, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907

“Are they going to hang father?” thus a reporter for an eastern paper was questioned when visiting the home of W. D. Haywood for the purpose of making a study of the domestic life of the imprisoned official of the Western Federation of Miners. The question was asked by the little daughter of Mr. Haywood, and the cheeks of the poor girl were wetted by tears as she pathetically looked into the eyes of her visitor.

The great papers which give much space to the prosecution’s side of the greatest conspiracy of modern times, have not much to spare to inform the public of the touching appeals of Haywood’s children, so firmly convinced of their father’s innocence.

When Owen Spendthrift, the New York song writer, read the story of the reporter’s visit to the Haywood home, he was impressed with the query of the little girl, and he tuned his lyric for a big “Undesirable Citizen” meeting to be held in New York on the following Sunday. This is his song:

HMP, Hang Papa? Spendthrift, Labor World, May 18, 1907

[Photograph of Henrietta Haywood added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: A Song for Haywood’s Little Daughter by Owen Spendthrift” →

Hellraisers Journal: Governor & Warden Invite Kept Press to “Grand Reception” with the Pious Assassin, Harry Orchard

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, Saturday May 25, 1907
From Boise, Idaho – Montana News Reports on Haywood Trial:

A Grand Reception
—–

Held in Idaho Penitentiary for the Purpose
of Creating a Sentiment in Favor of
a Self Confessed Murder

 

Boise, May 18.

HMP, Justice Boise, Spokane Press, May 9, 1907

When court closed at three o’clock this afternoon the state had used seven of its peremptory challenges and the defense six. The work of completing the jury still promises to be a long and tedious one. Today completed the sixth day of the trial. The weather is very warm. Not much interest in the case is manifested in Boise, only small crowds being in attendance.

It is evident even to a casual observer that a battle royal is on. Each side is contesting every step of the way. But the tilts between the attorneys have so far been conducted with uniform courtesy and good nature. It is interesting to watch the class feature figure in the selection of the jury. A man appearing right down common and plainly honest with no pretensions to belong to the confident side of society is unvaribly peremptorily rejected by the prosecution. While a self confident man owning considerable property and feeling a certain superiority and conscious respectability is promptly dismissed by the defense.

The reason for this unconscious action on the part of the contending forces at bar can be furnished only by the socialist philosophy.

The property possessing class and those that have means to live in a somewhat comfortable style find all their interests in conformity with maintaining the established order of things. The wage workers and those whose occupation has brought them no sense of security and established position in society feel no sympathy in maintaining the farce of established procedure. So the choosing of the jury proceeds as carefully as the chess player moves his pawns. Only in final resort the judge and the sheriff hold the deciding moves. Over half of the new panel of hundred men has been exhausted.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Governor & Warden Invite Kept Press to “Grand Reception” with the Pious Assassin, Harry Orchard” →

Hellraisers Journal: Secretary Haywood Takes Active Part in Defense While on Trial for Murder in Idaho

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, Friday May 24, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Big Bill Haywood Active in His Defense

From The Spokane Press of May 21, 1907:

HMP, Haywood Alert in Court, Landon, Spk Prs, May 21, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Secretary Haywood Takes Active Part in Defense While on Trial for Murder in Idaho” →

Hellraisers Journal: Luella Twining for the Appeal to Reason on Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration in Boston

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If I hang on the scaffold myself
I will do all in my power to defend
Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.
-Luella Twining

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday May 22, 1907
Boston, Massachusetts – Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration

HMP, Undesirable Citizen, Walker 3, AtR, Apr 20, 1907

Massive demonstrations to protest the frame-up of the officials of the Western Federation Miners have been held this month in cities and towns across the nation. Most recently, on Sunday May 19th, the workers of Chicago came out en masse onto the streets, many wearing buttons declaring, “I Am an Undesirable Citizen.” This same button had been worn by the marchers in New York City on May 4th. That parade was one of the largest ever held in the city and concluded with a rally at the Grand Central Palace.

In the May 18th edition of the Appeal to Reason, Luella Twining describes the monster demonstration held in Boston on Sunday May 5th:

ON THE BOSTON COMMON
—–

A Hundred Thousand Workingmen
Call The President’s Bluff
-Massachusetts Full of “Undesirable Citizens.”

BY LUELLA TWINING.
Special Correspondent Appeal to Reason

HMP, Boston Demo of May 5, Luella Twining, AtR, May 18, 1907

Luella Twining

WHEN I saw the boys at Fitchburg marching down the street, 2,000 strong, with their banners flying, flags and torches headed by the band playing the Marseillaise, I wept. I could not restrain my tears in Lynn, when I saw the boys there marching 2,500 strong. These were mighty armies parading to show Standard Oil and President Roosevelt that they will not tolerate the railroading of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone to the gallows. I was elated over the mass meeting in the morning at Lynn, in the ball park, where five thousand citizens assembled to protest against injustice and show their colors. But the demonstration May the 5th, in Boston, was so stupendous I could not comprehend it, and I am sure I never shall be able to. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Luella Twining for the Appeal to Reason on Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration in Boston” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 20, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Mrs. Haywood in Court Each Day

From the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of May 17, 1907:

HMP, Nevada Jane Haywood in WC, Albq Eve Ctz, May 17, 1907

MRS. HAYWOOD IS IN CONSTANT ATTENDANCE
—–

By Jacob Waldeck.

Boise, Idaho, May 17.-A hush more impressive than any words of sympathy could be falls upon the court room crowd every morning when the big green cloth-covered doors swing open and Mrs. Haywood, wife of the man on trial here for the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg, in an invalid chair, is wheeled to a space near the table provided for the lawyers for the defense.

As soon as court is called to order the prisoner is brought in.

Then the family circle is complete, but under the most pathetic conditions imaginable.

Haywood is six feet tall, broad-shouldered, his face furrowed with lines as the result of imprisonment and anxiety concerning his family. Beside him is his youngest daughter, Vernon [Henrietta], who, before his coming, has scrambled into the chair next to the one she knows he will occupy, that she may get the first caress.

Next to her is Mrs. Haywood and their eldest daughter [Vernie], the prisoner when he takes his seat, strokes Vernon’s [Henrietta’s] head, and with a smile speaks some term of endearment to the pet of the family.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Debs Questions President Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s Labor Letters
—–

Eugene V. Debs
—–

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

The letter of President Roosevelt to the Moyer and Haywood conference of New York is in strange contrast with the one previously addressed by him to the Chicago conference on the same subject. The two letters are so entirely dissimilar in spirit and temper that they seem to have been written by different persons. In the first the President bristles with defiance, in the last he is the pink of politeness. The first letter utterly failed of its purpose. Organized labor did not lie down and be still at the command of the President. On the contrary, it growled more fiercely than before in fact, showed its teeth to the President, who has become so used to exhibiting his own. And lo-what a change! The President receives a labor committee, talks over matters for an hour and then addresses a letter to the conference through the chairman, beginning “My Dear Mr. Henry,” explaining that he is ready to perform his duty if only the conference will point it out to him, and putting the whole blame on “Debs and the Socialists,” whom he charges with using “treasonable and murderous language,” but not a word of explanation does he vouchsafe in regard to his denunciation of Moyer and Haywood, the real, and in fact the only, point at issue.

Again has the President vindicated his reputation as one of the smoothest of politicians and one of the most artful and designing of demagogues.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett

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, Friday May 17, 1907
For The Montana News: Ida Crouch-Hazlett Reports from Boise

Reporting from Boise, Idaho, on the trial William D. Haywood, Ida Crouch-Hazlett, editor of the Socialist weekly, The Montana News, describes the Haywood family as they appeared in court on May 9th, the first day of the great trial:

Haywood’s Family Present.

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907, Crpd

Mrs. Haywood had been carried up the stairs and into the court room in her invalid chair. She was dressed in black with a white collar at her throat and wore a black hat with a white flower. She was accompanied by her two daughters and nurse. The daughters sat in the same line with Haywood behind the attorneys; first the wife, then Verna, then the nurse with Henrietta on her lap, and then the man on trial for his life.

Haywood was clean shaved, well dressed and looked in the best of condition. His face held an expression of confidence that showed that his mind was not greatly disturbed.

As he sat down by the side of his daughter, Haywood placed his hand fondly upon her head and the two exchanged quick, loving smiles. Then he glanced over toward his wife and the two exchanged similar smiles. A moment later Haywood leaned over and began talking earnestly with Attorney Richardson. He was apparently asking some important questions and his attorney nodded vigorously at intervals. Then Haywood said some thing that caused them both to laugh heartily.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett” →

Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con

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 May 16, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Haywood Showing Signs of Strain?

From The Spokane Press of May 14, 1907:

HAYWOOD SHOWS SIGNS OF BREAKING DOWN
—–

HMP, Haywood by Landon, Stt Str, May 14, 1907

(Scripps News Association.)

BOISE, May 14.-Haywood is beginning to show the effects of long confinement and worry. Lines about his mouth and eyes are becoming more clearly defined daily.

He is still pursuing the study of law, and, according to his attorneys, is making excellent progress. His youngest daughter is his constant companion and his wife is by his side the entire session.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Since the earth belongs to the capitalist class,
why should a grand jury concern itself
in such a small matter as
helping itself to the state of Idaho?
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 14, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Eugene V. Debs Responds to The Statesman

On April 20th (see below), The Idaho Daily Statesman published an editorial in which it referred to the Appeal as the “Appeal to Treason” and insisted that the Socialists of the Appeal were actually “anarchists…wolves of society.” In the the May 11th edition of the Appeal, Comrade Debs asks, “Who Are the Wolves?” We will publish the entire response in two parts, beginning today with Part I:

WHO ARE THE WOLVES?
—–
An Inquiry Into Some of the Charges Made Against
the Appeal to Reason by the
Criminal Idaho Statesman.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
—–

HMP, Death to WFM, Ryan Walker, AtR May 11, 1907

UT few people are so blind or indifferent as to be oblivious of the mighty struggle now in progress in the existing social and economic order. It is true that only the few who have studied historic and social evolution have any proper understanding of the forces underlying society, or any clear perception of the trend of its development, but the fact that we are living in an era of industrial transformation and that economic conditions are rapidly changing is pretty generally understood by the whole people.

Now the system under which we live, like the one preceding it, and from which it sprang, has its historic limitations and when its mission is accomplished it will be relegated to the past, but this will happen only after the system that is to succeed it has evolved and taken its place in the orderly march of events and the unceasing progress of civilization.

Capitalist society, corner-stoned in wage slavery, will no more last forever than did the feudal system based upon serf-labor. It will serve its historic time and purpose and that will be the end of it. Another and better system will take its place, out of which will rise a higher civilization.

But the dominant class in every system want that system to last forever. They are on top and want to remain there. That is natural enough. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I” →