WE NEVER FORGET: The IWW Martyrs of the Sacramento County Jail Who Died Awaiting Trial, October-November, 1918

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Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
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WNF, IWW Martyrs, Sacramento County Jail, Oct Nov 1918

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The IWW Martyrs of the Sacramento County Jail

Between October 22nd and November 2nd, 1918, five Fellow Workers, members of the Industrial Workers of the World, died of influenza while awaiting trial on Federal Espionage charges.

FW Ed Burns-died October 22nd
FW James Nolan-died October 28th
FW R. J. Blaine-died October 28th
FW H. C. Evans-died October 31st
FW Frank Travis-November 2nd

“The Silent Defense,” IWW Pamphlet, describes jail condition:

WWIR, In Here For You, Ralph Chaplin, Sol Aug 4, Sept 1, 1917

Fifty-three were arrested in and around the Sacramento hall [December 1917]. These men were thrown into a [county] jail cell, 21×21 feet. All of them could not lie down at once. It was winter. One cotton blanket was given each. Their food was about two ounces of mush in the morning, less than two ounces of bread. and at night three fetid little smelts and less than two ounces of potatoes, with “coffee” twice a day. In the cold they shivered. Day by day they starved. By relays they slept at night; the bedlam of a city drunk tank soothed their slumbers wooed in frost and starvation. Everyone of these men had money when arrested. They sent out and bought food for themselves. This is a general privilege in the Sacramento jails. This food was placed before their cells just outside the prisoner’s reach. It rotted there. They slaved and starved. Once or twice some of the “harness bulls” of Sacramento slipped their lunches to the ravenous wretches.

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Hellraisers Journal: Five IWWs Under Federal Indictment in Sacramento County Jail Have Died from Spanish Influenza

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Quote BBH Sacramento IWW Martyrs, With Drops of Blood, Oct 1919~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 3, 1918
Sacramento, California – Five Fellow Workers Dead of Influenza

IWW Label Emblem, BBH Drops of Blood, Oct 1919

Fellow Worker Frank Travis died yesterday of influenza while awaiting trial on federal charges in the Sacramento County Jail. Travis is the fifth indicted I. W. W. member to die of influenza. Edward Burns was the first to die on October 22nd. James Nolan and Robert Blaine died October 28th, and Henry Evans died on October 31st.

From The Sacramento Bee of November 2, 1918:

Two Prisoners Die-Two more County Jail inmates died to-day of the influenza. Frank Travis died in the County Jail, while Peter Ramiez died after he was removed to the County Hospital. Travis is the second county prisoner to die in the jail, while Ramiez is the fourth county prisoner to die at the hospital.

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Hellraisers Journal: Influenza Claims Life of Miss Sadie Gompers, Daughter of A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers

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Pray for the dead
and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 26, 1918
Washington, District of Columbia – Miss Sadie Gompers Passes Away

From the Duluth Labor World of October 26, 1918:

MISS GOMPERS PASSES AWAY
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Only Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gompers
Dies After Two Days’ Illness.
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Sadie Gompers, LOC, d. age 33 per WDC Eve Str p17, Oct 14, 1918

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-Miss Sadie Gompers, only daughter of President Gompers and Mrs. Gompers, died in this city [October 14th] after a two days’ illness with influenza. Interment was private. President Gompers [of the American Federation of Labor] was in Italy with the American labor mission at the time of the tragic occurrence.

Miss Gompers was an accomplished singer, and she was well known to trade unionists because of the many conventions and public meetings she had attended with her father. The high esteem in which she was held was indicated by the telegrams and floral offerings received at the family residence from trade unionists and other friends in every section of the country.

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[Photograph added.]

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