Tag: Leavenworth KS

Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW’s Enter Leavenworth Pen; Fellow Workers Remain Serene as They March Thru the Yard

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

The bandage will remain on
the eyes of Justice
as long as the Capitalist
has the cut, shuffle, and deal.
-Big Bill Haywood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 12, 1918
Leavenworth, Kansas – Fellow Workers Lectured by Warden

From The Leavenworth Times of September 8, 1918:

I.W.W.’S ENTER FEDERAL PEN
WITH AIR OF UNCONCERN
[Part II]
—–

ADVICE FROM THE WARDEN.

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

From the train the prisoners were marched to the chapel to listen to a short talk by Warden Morgan. As is customary when a group of men enter the institution, he explained to them what they should do and advised each one to obey without question every rule. “The prominence of your trial will cause prejudice neither for nor against you” the warden stated. “As with every other man you will be classed as a first grade prisoner on your entrance; how long you hold that classification depends on each one individually. Though you were tried and convicted jointly you will be dealt with individually while here.

“Be exceedingly slow to take advice if it necessitates any deviation from the prison rules. There are ‘old timers’ here who will probably try to get you into trouble that they themselves would avoid. Your treatment here depends largely on yourselves; play fair with us and you will receive leniency in return.”

Next the men were told to take everything from their pockets and put it in their hats. They were warned not to hold back a single bit of personal property. Knives, money, pencils, booklets, glasses and everything they possessed was turned over into the care of prison officials. After undergoing a search they were given something to eat, taken to a group of empty cells and locked up for the night.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW’s Enter Leavenworth Pen; Fellow Workers Remain Serene as They March Thru the Yard” →

Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW’s Enter Leavenworth Pen; Fellow Workers Maintain Belief in Industrial Unionism

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

My views have not changed in the least
since our conviction.
-Big Bill Haywood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 11, 1918
Leavenworth, Kansas – Haywood and 92 Fellow Workers Enter Prison

From The Leavenworth Times of September 8, 1918:

I.W.W.’S ENTER FEDERAL PEN
WITH AIR OF UNCONCERN
[Part I]
—–

CREW OF NINETY-THREE ARRIVED FROM CHICAGO
LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
—–

STILL HOLD SAME VIEWS
—–

Big Bill Haywood, National Secretary-Treasurer, Tells Newspaper
Reporters That No One There Ever Hindered Government War Program-
Will Not Be Dressed in Until Monday Morning-Other Prisoners
Greet Them With Sneers and Cold Stares.
—–

BBH, Leaving Chicago Court, Reno Gz Jr p5, Sept 10, 1918
Big Bill Haywood

Displaying a spirit of bravado and wearing the air of martyred heroes, William D. “Big Bill” Haywood and the ninety-two Industrial Workers of the World, entered the Federal penitentiary here yesterday [September 7th] to begin sentences for attempting to overturn America’s war program. They arrived in special cars from Chicago at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and at 4:30 everyone was inside the prison walls.

“My views have not changed in the least since our conviction” stated Big Bill Haywood, secretary-treasurer of the National I. W. W., who was given twenty years.

I am still thoroughly convince that not one of the men here has ever hindered the government’s war preparations in the least; on the contrary the I. W. W. has materially assisted in carrying out war activities. Not a munition ship leaves the city of Philadelphia that is not loaded by members of the organization and only two docks on the water front employ other laborers.

WANTS U. S. TO WIN.

Gentle men, understand this, that though I am emphatically opposed to war, my sympathies are with the United Staters in the present conflict, I now see where it could not have been avoided and must be pushed to a successful conclusion. No man has ever been more emphatic in condemning Germany than myself; the Kaiser and the Prussian junkers must be crushed and war, though wrong, seems to be the only method it is possible to use.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW’s Enter Leavenworth Pen; Fellow Workers Maintain Belief in Industrial Unionism” →

Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Workers at Chicago IWW Trial Draw Big Fines and Long Prison Sentences from Landis

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Why should the temporary withdrawal
of a hundred members seriously affect
the welfare of a group composed
of nearly 100,000 laborers in
the United States alone?
-Big Bill Haywood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday September 1, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Judge Landis Imposes Severe Sentences

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of August 31, 1918:

HAYWOOD GIVEN 20 YEAR TERM;
93 SENTENCED
—–
Big Fines and Prison Sentences
for the I. W. W.
—–

BBH Sentenced, Bst Glb p1, Aug 31, 1918

William D Haywood, “uncrowned king” of the Industrial Workers of the World, and ninety-two other principal officers and organizers, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the American war program, were sentenced to terms ranging from one to twenty years in the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kas., and given heavy fines by Federal Judge K. M. Landis yesterday.

With Haywood fourteen of his principal aids must spend twenty years in prison; thirty-three others of the organization leaders must spend a maximum of ten years in prison; thirty-three others a maximum of five years, and twelve others one year and one day. Two of the defendants escaped with ten day sentences in the county jail, while the case against two others was continued.

The combined prison sentences of the defendants aggregates 807 years and 20 days.

Added to this prison penalty is a total of $2,300,000 in fines assessed against the ninety-three prisoners. Individual fines ranged from $20,000, the minimum, up to $30,000.

In Jail Here Till Friday.

The defendants were permitted to remain in the county jail until next Friday before they will be removed to the federal prison. In the meantime, George F. Vandeveer, chief counsel for the “Wobbles,” announced a writ of supersedeas will be asked of the Court of Appeals and petition will be made for enlargement upon bail. Ninety days’ time was granted in which to file bills of exception on behalf of the convicted men.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Workers at Chicago IWW Trial Draw Big Fines and Long Prison Sentences from Landis” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1907, Found Lauded in the Appeal to Reason

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

EVD Quote re Mother Jones, AtR, Nov 23, 1907


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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 14, 1907
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November:
-Found Covered with Fond Tributes in the Appeal to Reason

From the Appeal to Reason of November 2, 1907

Texas SP Sec Bell, AtR, Nov 2, 1907

The Typewriter Fund.

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

As correspondents will have noticed, the state office is now in possessions of a typewriter as a result of the movement in that direction started by Mother Jones.

The entire fund for that purpose, however, has never been raise.

Seeing the great need for a typewriter, Comrade N. B. Hunt, unsolicited, tendered a loan of $20 for the purpose of getting the much-needed machine without delay.

A machine was purchased from Comrade C. L. Vincent for $35; $2 of the fund has been contributed by Comrade Vincent…

Amount to be raised to cancel loan…$16.25.

Let us have your contribution to this fund and wipe out the debt.

—–

[Photograph & emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1907, Found Lauded in the Appeal to Reason” →