—————
Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 7, 1903
Polly Pry Pays Her Respects to Mother Jones, “The Hideous Hag”
From Goodwin’s Weekly of December 5, 1903:
From the Duluth Labor World of December 5, 1903
-Mother Jones, Lioness, Miner’s Angel and Patron Saint:
[Photo from Denver Post of November 22, 1903]
—————-
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 8, 1901
Chicago, Illinois – Lucy Parsons on Attempted Assassination of Mckinley
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 7, 1901:
CHICAGO ANARCHISTS’ REGRET.
———-
Receive the News of Attempted Assassination
with Statements of Fear That
Cause Will Be Injured.
———-
Anarchists in Chicago received the news of the President’s attempted assassination with regret, and disclaimed all knowledge of or acquaintance with the assailant. They described his action as foolish, wanton, and calculated to work great injury to the cause of anarchism.
“What is the latest news of the President?” was the first question asked by Mrs. Lucy Parsons, when visited last night at her home, 1777 North Troy street.
[She further stated:]
They say he may recover? I am glad to hear that. I hope he will recover. He is a good President, just as good as any capitalistic President could be, and it would be unfortunate if he should die of his wounds.
I have been afraid for two or three years that something of this kind would happen. I have feared that some radical, mistaken person would attempt to kill the ruler of either America or Great Britain. Nothing could be worse for the cause of anarchism. What is the use to strike individuals. That is not true anarchy. Another ruler rises to take his place and no good is accomplished.
The assailant is a man I never heard of before, and I do not believe he was in a conspiracy with anyone else in planning his deed. No man who has the true principles of anarchy in his heart would do such a thing. The President is chosen by the people, and comes as near representing them as a man could under the present system.
McKinley is a good President. He listens to the voice of the people and tries to heed its behest. I admire him for his conduct in regard to the Spanish-American war. If ever a man was pushed and kicked into a war against his will President McKinley was in that war. He is a civic President, always interested in the peaceful welfare of the country. If he should not recover we will have Roosevelt, a military man, young and full of aggressiveness. That would be unfortunate for the nation.
Oscar W. Neebe, one of the Anarchists who was indicted charged with participation in the haymarket riot, but acquitted, also said he never had heard of the assailant, and thought the assassination was the work of a crank or insane man.
“What was his motive? What did he expect to accomplish?” said Neebe, when told that the man claimed to be an Anarchist.
You might kill a thousand Presidents, but the next would represent the same class as those that went before, because we are ruled by capital in this country, and we are likely to be for a long time to come. So they call the fellow an Anarchist? Of course, every man who dues a crazy or foolish deed is an Anarchist in the eyes of the public. As a matter of fact there are no real Anarchists in this country. There are plenty of Socialists, of varying shades of belief, some revolutionary, perhaps, but no Anarchists. I myself am no Anarchist, and I doubt if you could find one in Chicago.
—————
[Photograph and emphasis added.]
—————
Hellraisers Journal Thursday May 2, 1901
Fifteen Years Since May Day 1886, Nation’s Workers Strike for Eight-Hour Day
Albert and Lucy Parsons, Leaders in Chicago during
1886 Nationwide May Day Strike for Eight-Hour Day:
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of May 2, 1901:
WORKERS STRIKE IN MANY CITIES.
———-
May Day Marked by Walkout of
Union Men of Varied Crafts.
—–EIGHT-HOUR DAY ASKED.
———-
Building Trades Most Affected, the Employes
Demanding Increases in Pay.
—–BIG PLAN OF MACHINISTS.
—–May day strikes of union workers in all parts of the country were numerous, yesterday, although there was no general walkout in any line of skilled labor. In nearly all cases the points at issue were local differences respecting hours or wages. The eight-hour and Saturday half holiday movements showed gains in strength, many unions insisting that the shorter day be granted at once. The one strike most menacing is that of the machinists at Buffalo, N. Y., where a 9-hour day with no decrease in pay was demanded. It is claimed that this fight will be taken up by the local organizations throughout the United States, Canada. and Mexico, and that a general walkout is likely on May 20.
———-
Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 18, 1910
Lucy Parsons Recalls Terrible Day in 1887 When Chicago Martyrs Were Murdered
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 17, 1910:
A LOYAL WIFE AND LOVING MOTHER
——-(Extract from “Liberator.”)
So the fatal day at last arrived. It was a sad, quiet, chilly November morning. I had not seen my husband for three days. We had two children then. I felt that I must take them to see their father, to look into his noble face once more, and to receive his blessing. I took them by the hands and led them to the jail. When I arrived there I found the accursed place where the slaughter of the innocent was to take place. all roped in for one whole block around, and police with rifles marching up and down all around. I entreated them to let me see him just once more! I was gruffly ordered away. I then begged them, the brutes , to take the innocent children to see their father; certainly they had done no wrong to deserve punishment; but the reply was a patrol wagon was called and I and the children were tumbled in and carried off to the station house and locked in a cell while the murder was being committed.
About noon the matron came to my cell and said in a cold-hearted manner: “Mrs. Parsons, it is all over; your husband has been hanged.” I remembered nothing more until I realized that my little girl was patting me on the cheek and saying. “Mamma, are you asleep?”
———-
Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 11, 1910
Martyrs of Chicago’s Great Eight-Hour Movement Remembered
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 9, 1910:
———-
[Detail:]
———-
Twenty-three years have elapsed since the execution of the four men in the county jail at Chicago. Twenty-three years, ample time for the world to correct its errors of misinformation. And yet, only a comparatively small portion of the people as a whole; yes, it may be safely said that only a minority of the so-called “revolutionists” are possessed of the true status of the affair. It is for the purpose of briefly outlining the facts of the Haymarket “riot” and the resulting murder of four innocent men, and to commemorate their death that this Anniversary Number is issued. The facts are as follows: Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “The Haymarket and the Eight Hour Movement of 1886””
Nature has been lavish to her children.
She has placed in this earth all the material of wealth
that is necessary to make men and women happy…
There is just one thing we lack, and we have only ourselves
to blame if we do not become free. We simply lack
the intelligence to take possession
of that which we have produced.
-Lucy Parsons
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday April 10, 1898
Fort Scott, Kansas – Socialist Education Society Acts
From the Appeal to Reason of April 9, 1898:
OBJECT TO BEING BONDED.
At a regular meeting of the socialist educational society of Fort Scott, Kan., by unanimous vote, the following resolutions were adopted and ordered signed by the President and Secretary in behalf of the society.
RESOLVED, That inasmuch as there is now a scheme on foot to bond ourselves and children to a private corporation for a large sum to pipe natural gas to Ft. Scott, that it is the pledge of this society that we will work to defeat these bonds, and in case these schemers succeed in hoodwinking the people, we pledge ourselves to devise a means to repudiate these bonds; and if we fail we will teach our children the infamy of such schemes that they may repudiate all such bonds.
RESOLVED, That these schemes, after they have been consummated have been laid at the door of the wage worker as “his folly.” We denounce any such accusations as false and defy the capitalistic class to point to a single scheme gotten up by the laboring class to vote any such private bonds.
RESOLVED, That we fully realize that all wealth is created by the laborer, and that all bonds are paid from this creation. Hence, the wealth producer ultimately pays both principal and interest, and the only reward is a false accusation and a little sop called “wage” while they are producing the wealth and giving it to the capitalist.
C. LIPSCOMB, Pres.
M. M. JONES
Secretary.
You, you miserable policemen!
What business have you here?
Your presence is and insult to
the honest workingmen
who are attending this meeting.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Saturday February 15, 1908
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1908:
-Found Speaking with Lucy Parsons in Chicago
On the evening of January 17th, at a meeting for the Unemployed at Brand’s Hall in Chicago, Mother Jones and Lucy Parsons were both found making passionate speeches which were most unfavorably reported by the kept press.
From Indiana’s Fort Wayne News of January 18, 1908:
THE ANARCHISTS WERE RESTRAINED
—–LUCY PARSONS THE LEADING FIGURE IN LAST
EVENING’S DEMONSTRATION IN CHICAGO.
—–
CHICAGO, Jan. 18.-The presence of a score of policemen and an equal number of plain clothes men prevented anarchy from ruling the meeting of the “unemployed” and others at Brand’s hall last night, but there was enough of it to make the occasion lively and cause J. H. Drake, who acted as chairman, to give up in disgust and leave the hall.
Not over 800 persons in all answered the call for the turnout, but it was decided to mass the unemployed next Thursday and march on the city hall to demand work. It was suggested, if no other means presented themselves, to tear down the city hall to furnish the desired work.
Mrs. Lucy Parsons, widow of the noted anarchist, Ben L. Reitman, who makes a comfortable living out of the Brotherhood Welfare association, and “Mother” Jones all took the opportunity to air their opinion of President Roosevelt and capitalists.
The time will come when our silence
will be more powerful
than the voices you strangle today.
-August Spies
Hellraisers Journal: Saturday February 5, 1898
Eugene V. Debs Remembers the Chicago Martyrs of 1887
From The New Time Magazine of February 1898:
THE MARTYRED APOSTLES OF LABOR.
By EUGENE V. DEBS.
The century now closing is luminous with great achievements. In every department of human endeavor marvelous progress has been made. By the magic of the machine which sprang from the inventive genius of man, wealth has been created in fabulous abundance. But, alas, this wealth, instead of blessing the race, has been the means of enslaving it. The few have come in possession of all, and the many have been reduced to the extremity of living by permission. A few have had the courage to protest. To silence these so that the dead-level of slavery could be maintained has been the demand and command of capital-blown power. Press and pulpit responded with alacrity. All the forces of society were directed against these pioneers of industrial liberty, these brave defenders of oppressed humanity—and against them the crime of the century has been committed.
Albert R. Parsons, August Spies, George Engel, Adolph Fischer, Louis Lingg, Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab and Oscar Neebe paid the cruel penalty in prison cell and on the gallows.
They were the first martyrs in the cause of industrial freedom, and one of the supreme duties of our civilization, if indeed we may boast of having been redeemed from savagery, is to rescue their names from calumny and do justice to their memory.
Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little
Hellraisers Journal: Sunday December 16, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Defendants Appear Before Judge Landis
From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of December 15, 1917:
I.W.W. DEFENDANTS FILLED
A COURT ROOM
—
BEFORE JUDGE LANDIS AT CHICAGO,
ACCUSED AGITATORS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
—–
“American Bolsheviki Without Whiskers,”
as U. S. Lawyer Described Them,
Appeared to Answer Conspiracy Charge.
—–
Chicago, Dec. 15.-One hundred and three alleged members of the Industrial Workers of the World, probably the largest number ever assembled in one court room to answer the charges of conspiracy against the federal government, pleaded “not guilty” when arraigned before Judge Landis in the United States district court today.
In general appearance the defendants resembled a typical jury panel. There were exceptions, however, for among the I. W. W. there are not a few who pretend to literary merit. There are some who confess themselves poets, and a few are orators. These might be distinguished by the flowing Windsor tie and the soft collar of the artist or musician, by the stiff rearward brush of the hair, or, in one or two instances, by a neatly trimmed Van Dyke beard. One of the government lawyers referred to them as “the American Bolsheviki, without the whiskers.”
I studied carefully the New York East Side,
the slums, the dives, and the sweatshops
and the terrible conditions of the people there
drove me into socialism.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 18, 1907
Chicago, Illinois – Girl Socialist Is I. W. W. Delegate
Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, age 17, of New York City, is a delegate to the Convention of Industrial Workers of the World which opened its first session on Monday morning, September 16th.
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 17, 1907:
…Industrial Workers of the World Open
Annual Convention…..
With a gavel valued at $100 in the chairman’s hands, the annual convention of the Industrial Workers of the World opened in the morning at Brand’s hall. The gavel was presented by the unions of Alaska. It is made of walrus tusks. It is expected a tangle over the credentials will be straightened out today, and the unionists will take up business matters…
———-
[Photograph added.]
Miss Flynn, “Platform Wonder”
MISS GLYNN IN SOAPBOX TALKS.
—–
“Platform Wonder” Tells Her Hearers
the General Strike Is to Be the
Watchword of Future.
—–
Standing on a soapbox at Halsted and O’Brien streets last night, Miss Elizabeth Gurley Glynn [Flynn], the 17 year old union “platform wonder,” addressed a crowd of 200 workingmen and exhorted them to prepare for the “general strike” in Chicago in the near future. Other unions “revival” meetings were held at Clark and Erie streets and elsewhere about the city. The soapbox campaign will be conducted while the convention of the Industrial Workers of the World is in session this week at Brand’s hall.
[Declared Miss Flynn:]
Not until every workingman quits his labor and refuses to go back until he is given a fair share of the profits will the labor question be settled. The general strike is the watchword of the future. It is certain to come soon.
Meetings will be held tonight in the Milwaukee avenue district and at several places on the west side.
———-
[Photograph added.]
