Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 3, 1919
Leavenworth Penitentiary – Ben Fletcher Imprisoned for Principle
From The Messenger of August 1919:
Ben Fletcher
Fellow Worker Ben Fletcher
Negro newspapers seldom publish anything about men who are useful to the race. Some parasite, ecclesiastical poltroon, sacerdotal tax gatherer, political faker or business exploiter will have his name in the papers, weekly or daily. But when it comes to one of those who fights for the great masses to lessen their hours of work, to increase their wages, to decrease their high cost of living, to make life more livable for the toiling black workers-that man is not respectable for the average Negro sheet.
Such a man is Ben Fletcher. He is one of the leading organizers of the Industrial Workers of the World, commonly known as I. W. W. He is in the Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas, where he was sent for trying to secure better working conditions of colored men and women in the United States. He has a vision far beyond that of almost any Negro leader whom we know. He threw in his lot with his fellow white workers, who work side by side with black men and black women to raise their standard of living. It is not uncommon to see Negro papers have headlines concerning a Negro who had committed murder, cut some woman’s throat, stolen a chicken or a loaf of bread, but those same papers never record happenings concerning the few Negro manly men who go to prison for principle. Ben Fletcher is in Leavenworth for a principle-a principle which when adopted, will put all the Negro leaders out of their parasitical jobs that principle is that to the workers belongs the world, but useful work is not done by negro leaders.
We want to advocate and urge that Negro societies, lodges, churches, N. A. A. C. P. branches and, of course, their labor organizations begin to protest against the imprisonment of Ben Fletcher and to demand his release. He has been of more service to the masses of the plain Negro people than all the wind jamming Negro leaders in the United States.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday August 1, 1919
Leavenworth Penitentiary – Ralph Chaplin Released on Bond
From the Madison Capital Times of July 31, 1919:
I.W.W. Leader to Gain Release From Prison
Fellow Worker Ralph Chaplin, Prisoner #13104
CHICAGO – Bonds for the release of Ralph H. Chaplin, one of the ninety-three I. W. W.’s sentenced to the Leavenworth penitentiary last August were approved in federal court here on Tuesday. William Bross Lloyd, Chicago’s millionaire socialist; Harry Morris, an accountant, and Jacob Bruning, a farmer of Dekalb county, were on the sureties.
[Photograph and emphasis added.]
From The Topeka Daily Capital of July 31, 1919:
ANOTHER I. W. W. RELEASED.
Leavenworth, July 30.–Ralph Chaplin, sent to the federal prison here in 1918, upon conviction with ninety-two other I. W. W.’s of violating the espionage act, was released today on $10,000 bond, pending an appeal and has left for Chicago.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 31, 1919
Leavenworth, Kansas – Haywood and Miller Released on Bond
From The Leavenworth Times of July 29, 1919:
HAYWOOD WILL GO ON SPEAKING
TOUR OF THE U. S.
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Says That I. W. W.’s Want Him to
Address Them in Many Places.
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NEVER WAS DISLOYAL, HE SAYS.
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Is Opposed to War, but Wanted America to Win
-Has No Personal Complaint to Make
About Prison Treatment.
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William D. Haywood, I. W. W. leader, was released from the Federal penitentiary shortly after 10 o’clock yesterday morning. He did not get out Sunday as expected, because the letter containing his approved bond did not reach the prison until yesterday morning. Haywood was already for departure and he went out within half an hour after the bond was received.
The bond for $15,000 for the release of Haywood was signed by Otto C. Cristienson [Christensen], William Bross Lloyd and Mary C. Marcy. They are all said to live in Chicago, although the palace of residence of the signers was not given. There has been considerable trouble about getting a bond for Haywood that Judge Landis of the Federal court in Chicago would approve, and it can be taken for granted that this is a guilt edge one.
A bond came in on the same mail for the release of Francis C. Miller, another I. W. W. leader serving a ten year term. It was for $10,000 and was signed by Otto C. Christienson, Margaret Schipman, Albert De Silvers and John Metzen. The bond for the release of Ralph Chaplin did not come in and he was unable to go out with Haywood and Miller.
The Portland Fellow Workers send $285.75 to be equally divided among the boys in the Leavenworth Penitentiary, but the rebels confined therein decided unanimously to send same to the general office as the organization is in need of ready cash at present.
This is the spirit of the men who fought for us, and for whom we are now fighting, and their message is organize, organize some more.
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[Emphasis added.]
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Disciplinary Reports from Leavenworth Penitentiary
J. A. MacDonald, No. 13133
January 24, 1919
Became sarcastic and ridiculed the laws and system of Government of the United States. Isolation on restricted diet and removed as school teacher.
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