WE NEVER FORGET: Lon Amos Millsap Who Lost His Life in Freedom’s Cause, Kansas City General Strike of 1918

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

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

WNF, Kansas City, MO, Lon Amos Millsap, March 29, 1918
———-

Lon Amos Millsap, Labor Martyr
Kansas City General Strike, March 29, 1918

On March 29, 1918, Lon Amos Millsap, striking laundry truck driver, gave up his life in Kansas City Research Hospital. He died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The kept press claims that the strikers had been rioting (throwing rocks) when fired upon by armed company guards at the Globe Laundry two days earlier, March 27th, the first day of the Kansas City General Strike.

Lon Amos Millsap was born October 28, 1885, in Platte County, Missouri. At the time of his death he was 32 years old, single and a striking laundry driver. He is buried at Mount Washington Cemetery at Independence, Missouri.

M. L. Millsap, address: 2728 Brooklyn, provided the personal information for the death certificate, and was most likely a relative.

Buried in the same cemetery is the mother of Lon Millsap, Nancy Belle Heller Millsap, who died on July 27, 1927, at age 76. His father was John S. Millsap, date of death not known.

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Hellraisers Journal: Kansas City Striker, Lon Amos Millsap, Dies in Hospital from Gunshot Wound to Abdomen

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday April 2, 1918
Kansas City, Missouri – Lon Amos Millsap, Labor Martyr

Rose for Labor Martyrs, Sc Victory Choir Red Flag

Lon Amos Millsap, striking laundry truck driver, gave up his life in Kansas City Research Hospital on Friday March 29th. He died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The kept press claims that the strikers were rioting when they were fired upon by armed guards at the Globe Laundry. Two other strikers were injured but are expected to live.

The following articles tell of the shooting and of the death of Brother Millsap.

From The Fort Scott Tribune of March 28, 1918
-Inset added is from The Leavenworth Post of March 31, 1918:

TROOPS TO CURB STRIKE.
—–

RIOTING IN KANSAS CITY STRIKE,
WHICH IS SPREADING SLOWLY.
—–

THREE WOUNDED YESTERDAY
—–
Strikers Wrecked Laundries and Restaurants,
and Stoned Street Cars;
Not So Many Disorders Today.
—–

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Hellraisers Journal: General Strike In Kansas City Now Underway in Sympathy with Striking Laundry Workers

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Solidarity Forever
For the Union makes us strong.
-Ralph Chaplin

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday March 28, 1918
Kansas City, Missouri – General Strike Is Spreading

Workers of Kansas City, both union and non-union, are rallying to the aid of laundry drivers and laundry workers who have been on strike now for about five weeks.The employers have repeatedly refused to bargain with their employees, and have even refused to meet with the federal conciliators sent by the U. S. Department of Labor.

From The Leavenworth Post of March 27, 1918:

GREAT STRIKE AT KANSAS CITY
NOW WELL UNDER WAY
—–
Walkout Began at Eight o’Clock This Morning
With Barbers, Bartenders and Brewers
in the Forefront of the Fray.
—–

TROUBLE REPORTED THIS AFTERNOON
—–
Sympathetic Strike, Called to Aid Laundry Drivers,
Brought Out 700 Card Men
From Other Unions in First Call.
—–

Kansas City GS, Chg Tb, Mar 27, 1918

Kansas City, March 27.-Kansas City today was in the midst of a general strike, the exact extent of which was unknown this afternoon. The strike began at 8 o’clock this morning and although labor leaders declared it would result in a virtual tie-up of all industry by tomorrow night, best reports indicated that so far only 700 union men, including brewers, bartenders, barbers and members of certain building trades unions had quit work. Men from other crafts were walking out this afternoon, however, it was said. No disorders had been reported to the police. The strike was called to support the walkout of laundry workers and drivers.

Street cars were still operating this afternoon and reports were current that members of the Street Railway Employes’ union had voted not to strike.

Late News Tells of Violence.

The first violence in connection with the strike occurred at 2 o’clock this afternoon when a crowd estimated at one thousand persons rushed a crowd of police reserves who had arrested three men in connection with the overturning of a laundry wagon. The officers used their clubs freely and the crowd responded with stones and fists. A number of persons were injured, none severely it was reported. The prisoners escaped during the tussle and only one of them was recaptured it was said.

Reports late this afternoon indicated that the strike was spreading slowly.

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[Inset is from Chicago Daily Tribune of March 27th.]

 

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