Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 20, 1911 News from California – “Solidarity Wins in Fresno” by Press Committee
From the International Socialist Review of April 1911:
BECAUSE we tried to organize the workers in Fresno, the authorities denied us the streets for agitation meetings. After persecuting our members for their activity; after throwing them into jail and subjecting them to the greatest brutality and passing a city ordinance denying the rights of free speech, the authorities have turned around and granted us all these things for which we have been fighting. Hereafter we shall be permitted to speak on the streets unmolested and unrestricted.
Spokane Industrial Worker of March 9, 1911
How was this victory accomplished? The answer is simple. Two hundred workingmen, roused by acts of violence against the organization of which they were members, moved on to Fresno from various points on the Pacific Coast to fight the Capitalist enemies. They realized that if our organizers were not to be permitted to speak and agitate, they would be seriously hampered in the work of organization for the great approaching conflict. From first to last both sides of the struggle clearly recognized Class Lines and freely admitted them. One of the most intelligent members of the opposition stated in an early stage of the struggle that this was a skirmish in a great war.
Antiquated methods were generally abandoned. It was decided that no money should be wasted on lawyers to expound the meaning of the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. However, the court was used effectively for propaganda. Trial after trial was held and each time our position was presented to a crowded court room, by some member of the group on trial. Incidentally about 500 residents of Fresno, chiefly business men, were summoned to serve on juries. Not one of these was so disloyal to his class as to “hang a jury.” Workingmen were promptly challenged by the prosecuting attorney. They might not have been so pliable.
The antagonism with the local press with its malicious misrepresentation, perfectly reflected the attitude of the employing class in Fresno. But our appeals for aid, made only to the working class, found a ready response. Perfect discipline was maintained inside the jail. Things were kept in a sanitary condition. Educational work was carried on systematically. The fight was directed throughout by the men in jail. The outside work was executed by an outside committee, also directed by the imprisoned men. Funds contributed were spent economically and to the best advantage.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 18, 1921 Olympia, Washington – State Supreme Court Rules Against Centralia Defendants
From Oregon’s La Grande Evening Observer of April 14, 1921:
I. W. W. MUST SERVE TERM ———-
OLYMPIA, Wash., Apr. 14.-The state supreme court today upheld the conviction of seven of the alleged I. W. W. members convicted of second degree murder in connection with the Centralia armistice day killings.The court refused to grant a new trial. the men will be transferred from the Montesano county jail to the state prison to begin serving their sentence of from twenty-five to forty years.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday April 13, 1921 Washington, District of Columbia – U. S. Supreme Court Rules Against Haywood
From The Leavenworth Post of April 11, 1921:
DECISION IS AGAINST WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD ———- Supreme Court Refuses to Review Conviction of Industrial Leader. ———-
79 OTHERS TO COME BACK. ———-
(By the Associated Press.)
Washington Apr. 11.-The supreme court today refused to review the conviction of William D. Haywood and seventy-nine more members of the I. W. W. on charge of having conspired to obstruct war activities of the government.
Then refusal of the supreme court to interfere closed the long fight to save Haywood and his associates from prison only a presidential pardon can now prevent their sentences from being imposed.
Evidence Was Questioned
The petition for the review was based on the contention that the federal agents conducting the raids on houses and offices of the official of the I. W. W. on September 5, 1917 acted without search warrants and evidence obtained was illegal under the recent ruling of the supreme court.
The cases were tried before federal Judge Landis and the sentence ranging from one to twenty hears were imposed.
Most of the men were given their liberty on bail bonds aggregating $500,000 pending the outcome of the appeals.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 18, 1911 Fresno, California – Gag Law Against I. W. W. Laid to Rest
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of March 16, 1911:
THE CLOSING SOUNDS OF THE FRESNO FIGHT
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HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON-
FRESNO FIGHT IS NOW HISTORY. SOLIDARITY WINS IN FRESNO. —–
Fresno, Cal., March 5, 1911.
After denying the I. W. W. the streets for agitation meetings (because of our attempt to organize the workers of Fresno), after persecuting our members for their activity; after throwing them into jail and subjecting them to the greatest brutality; after passing a city ordinance denying the right of free speech, the authorities of Fresno now allow us to speak on the streets unmolested and unrestricted.
How was this accomplished? Less than 200 working men, roused by the acts of violence against the fighting organization to which they belonged, moved, from various parts on the pacific coast, on the Fresno representatives of their enemies (the capitalist class). They recognized that a defeat at this point would retard the important work of organizing the workers for the near approaching great conflict. From first to last, the fight here was carried on upon the strictest class lines, both sides recognizing and freely admitting fact…..
On February 22, 1911, the leading citizens of Fresno assembled to seriously consider the situation. After full discussion of ways and means of ending the struggle a committee of five was appointed with power to investigate the whole situation, ascertain our terms of settlement and report back to them.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 13, 1921 Leavenworth Federal Prison – Letter from Fellow Worker John L. Murphy
From the Appeal to Reason of March 12, 1921:
The White Terror at Work
Recently I [Upton Sinclair] published a novel [100%-A Story of a Patriot] dealing with the activities of spies and secret agents of big business. Our gracious Postoffice Department does not permit me to mention the name of this novel, otherwise this contribution will be considered as an advertisement. But here is a letter which has just come to me, and which you might take to be a chapter out of the aforesaid unnameable novel. Read it, and see how very proud of your country it makes you. I do not know the writer of this letter, but the accent of truth is in every word of his story, and it what I have learned of hundreds of other cases, makes me quite ready to believe what he tells. If you know any 100 per cent American patriots in your neighborhood, take them this letter and try to get them to read it.
[Letter from John L. Murphy, No. 13586]
Leavenworth, Kans., Feb. 13, 1921.
Mr. Upton Sinclair, Pasadena, Cal. Dear Comrade:
Below I am sending you the facts of my case.
I was born in Boston the boasted, cradle of Liberty. I am a working man, not a leech. In 1918 while working at Olympia, Wash., I wrote a letter to Chris Luber at Sacramento, Cal. He was an I. W. W. He was in jail at the time of my writing. This I did not know at the time. In fact he had been in jail almost two months before I wrote my first letter. My letter was the ordinary kind exchanged among workers—working conditions, etc. This letter was not delivered to Luber. The Department of Justice got it. They answered it and forged Luber’s name to it. This letter was indeed very bitter against the government. I thought my friend Luber had gone “bugs.” How was I to know that the Department of Justice agent was writing to me? They had his name forged to the letter, and I did not know he was in jail at the time. They wound up by asking me to “Pull off” something violent, just anything would do.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 12, 1911 Fresno, California – I. W. W. Wins Complete Victory in Free Speech Fight
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of March 9, 1911:
JUST BEFORE THE VICTORY ———-
SHERIFF REFUSES MORE PRISONERS. THE RESPECTABLE CITIZENS TALK OF LYNCHING I. W. MEMBERS. ———-
Fresno, Feb. 27, 1911.
The sheriff refuses to accept any more prisoners charged with violating a city ordinance, on the ground that the jail is overcrowded.
To prevent us from speaking on the streets, the police do not arrest us, but resort to clubbing and turning us over to the pinks, pimps and toughs.
Two men were beat up by the hoodlums today for speaking on the street. One of them was dragged half a block. The police pay no attention to the protests of the onlooking citizens against these fiendish practices.
One man openly informed us that we were going to be lynched tonight. The chief of police, who was standing near, studied the effect this remark had on us. He was rewarded with a “horse laugh.”
The people are inclining more and more in our favor. A large number of our papers were sold. On the 25th of this month the Citizens’ League sent a committee to the bull pen to ascertain our terms, which we stated to them. The committee pronounced these terms just a wise and promised to present them before the next meeting of the citizens. We haven’t heard from them since. If the present tactics are aimed to frighten us off the streets, then a mistake has again been made. This fight for free speech in Fresno will continue until we have free speech and are protected in the exercise thereof.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 6, 1911 I. W. W. Army Hikes Over Siskiyou Pass on Way to Fresno
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of March 2, 1911:
Hornbrook, Cal., February 19.
Fellow Worker [Thomas] Whitehead:
I guess by this time that our “doings” have been given publication to some extent in the capitalist press. We were 150 strong when we left Portland. Now the capitalist papers say that we held up a train, WHICH IS A D–N LIE. All we did was to get into an empty box-car, just as any ordinary stiff, but it was so well managed that no railroad bull or police knew we were in the yards at Portland, until we were well away.
We were met by the police at Albany, Ore., whom we talked to. Told them where we were going, and what we were going to do. One big fellow, mayor, or something, sent the first news to the press of the armed-mob, etc., WHICH WAS ALSO A LIE, as we are all searched every day by our own police. When we got to Junction City (put it on the map) we were met by a mob of respectable citizens, who were armed with guns, pitchforks, cleavers, etc. They boarded the train, and told us not to get off the train, and with the guns pointed in our faces, we just laughed at them. Told them what we were and what we were going to do, using the top of a box-car for a soap box, which made them look very small indeed.
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