Tag: May 1907

WE NEVER FORGET: Alexander Obremski Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Rugby, Colorado on May 18, 1907

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Link up in one socialist company;
Evil must perish!
Only together and united!
Long live the Western Federation of Miners!
-Alex Obremski

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WE NEVER FORGET, Alex Obremski, Rugby CO May 18, 1907

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Alexander Obremski
Union Organizer for the Western Federation of Miners

In 1907, Alexander Obremski was a union organizer for the Western Federation of Miners, working in the very dangerous field of the Trinidad area of southern Colorado. The field was considered to be so dangerous that organizers took the precaution of traveling in pairs.

On the evening of May 18, 1907, Brother Obremski was shot down in a saloon in Rugby, Colorado, near Trinidad, by Juan Espinosa, “a Mexican allegedly hired by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) for this purpose.” [See below.]

A large funeral was held in Trinidad on May 22nd to honor the intrepid union organizer. He was survived by two brothers who lived in Starkville, Colorado.

According to M. E. White who had charge of WFM headquarters in Trinidad:

Much credit is due for the three hundred members initiated here in the last five months, and at Pueblo, to the faithful and diligent work of your organizer, Brother James Peretto, and the late Brother Obremsky who took their lives in their hands in the work of educating the slaves of this district.

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SOURCE I

Essays in Colorado History, Issues 5-10
Colorado Historical Society, 1987
(Search with “alex obremski” reveals signature: “Alex. Obremski.”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=_ngjAQAAIAAJ

Note: not available online except in snippet view. By using various search-words, I was able to bring up some relevant information. I will be attempting to track down this source in a library.

Page 55-

Alexander Obremski (1876-1907)
Correspondence from Trinidad, Colorado
Published as “Korespondencje. Trinidad, Colo.” in Robotnik Polski

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Alexander Obremski Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Rugby, Colorado on May 18, 1907” →

Hellraisers Journal: The Boise Trial of Big Bill Haywood Illustrated by C. N. Landon

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 16, 1907
Boise, Idaho – The Great Trial from the Pen of C. N. Landon

C. N. Landon is our favorite illustrator, by far, on the scene, in Boise, at the trial of Big Bill Haywood. Today we offer several of his artistic representations which we were pleased to find in the Spokane Press, the Seattle Star and the Albuquerque Evening Citizen during the month of May.

May 13, 1907 – Miners Gather in Boise:

HMP, Miners in Boise, Spk Prs, May 13, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: The Boise Trial of Big Bill Haywood Illustrated by C. N. Landon” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1907: Found in Texas and Arizona

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Martin Irons sleeps and in
God’s good time his name will be revived,
the contumely will be effaced
and his memory will shine resplendent
in the galaxy of agitators, pioneers and warriors
who died to make man free.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday June 13, 1907
Mother Jones News for May: Visits Grave of Martin Irons

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

During the month of May 1907, Mother Jones was found active as a speaker for the Socialist Party in Texas, and, in Arizona, she was found in Bisbee, assisting the Western Federations of Miners. While in Texas, Mother paid a visit to the grave of Martin Irons. An account of that visit can be found below, along with a tribute to the Pioneer Labor Hero, Martin Irons.

From The Dallas Morning News of May 1, 1907:

“MOTHER” JONES WILL SPEAK.
—–
Chicago Woman, Speaker on Socialistic
Topics, Is Here.

“Mother” Jones of Chicago, a lecturer whose advocacy of Socialism has made her well known throughout the United States, will speak tonight at 8 o’clock in the Woodman Hall at the corner of Corinth and Wall Streets, near the cotton mills. Tomorrow night she will speak in the City Hall auditorium, and both addresses will constitute part of the campaign for municipal positions of the local Socialist candidates.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1907: Found in Texas and Arizona” →

Hellraisers Journal: “An Irish Manifesto,” Irish Socialist Federation Replies to Insult of Rev. Dr. Brann

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Irish Socialist Federation, James Connolly, NYC 1908

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 31, 1907
From the Montana News: Manifesto of Irish Socialist Federation

An Irish Manifesto
—–

Irish Socialist Federation Reply to
Insult of Dr. Brann
—Old Fenian Spirit to the Front

HMP, SLP May Day Cooper Union, Connolly, Dly Ppl p4, May 1, 1907

At a recent meeting of the Irish Socialist Federation of New York (a body composed exclusively of Socialists of Irish birth and parentage) the late uncalled for attack by Dr. Brann upon the demonstration in favor of a fair trial for the imprisoned leaders of the Western Federation of Miners was taken up for discussion. As this statement of this reverend gentleman that there were but few Irishmen in the parade was regarded by the members present as a reflection upon the public spirit of our countrymen, placing them before the American public as being indifferent or hostile to a demand for injustice, the following statement was prepared for publication, in criticism of his position and in vindication of the character of those Irish who marched in the “horde”, as Dr. Brann elegantly terms the flower of the organized workers of New York.

We, members of the Irish Socialist Federation, speaking on behalf of those working class Irish who in every movement for freedom have ever taken a foremost place, who have ever been as pioneers ready to point the way in every movement for progress, or as fighters to lay down their lives for its realization, desire to remind the Rev. Dr. Brann that we as Irish have a history behind us— a history that speaks eloquently against the interposition of clergymen in temporal affairs, a history that warns us of the folly of expecting from clergymen, either wisdom, political prudence, or controversial decency, once they step into the political arena. How often in Ireland have we seen these same individuals when criticised by some opponent, denounce such criticism as an attack upon the church?

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “An Irish Manifesto,” Irish Socialist Federation Replies to Insult of Rev. Dr. Brann” →

Hellraisers Journal: Harper’s Magazine on the Moyer-Haywood Case: “The Murder Charge at a Labor Union’s Door”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 30, 1907
Boise, Idaho – William D. Haywood on Trial for Murder

From Harper’s Weekly of May 25, 1907:


THE MURDER CHARGE AT A
LABOR UNION’S DOOR


BY THE CONFESSION OF ONE OF ITS MEMBERS, THE WESTERN
FEDERATION OF MINERS IS CHARGED WITH HAVING INSTIGATED
TWENTY-SEVEN MURDERS, INCLUDING THE ASSASSINATION, IN 1905,
OF FORMER GOVERNOR STEUNENBERG, OF IDAHO. FOR COMPLICITY
IN THIS CRIME, W. D. HAYWOOD, OF THE FEDERATION’S
“INNER CIRCLE,” IS ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE

HMP, Pettibone Moyer Haywood, AtR, Feb 16, 1907

AN attempt to learn the truth about the most serious charge that ever has been laid at the doors of organized labor is now being made at Boise City, Idaho. William D. Haywood, secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners, is on trial in the District Court, charged with the murder of Frank Steunenberg, former Governor of Idaho. Two other officers of the Federation are jointly accused, but they will be tried separately. One remarkable fact which provokes arguments for and against the organization is that the evidence upon which Haywood and his associates have been indicted is based upon the confession of a member of the Federation who is reported since to have lost his reason.

The three men charged with conspiracy and murder are Haywood, Charles H. Moyer, President of the Western Federation of Miners, and G. A. Pettibone, formerly a member of the supreme governing body of the organization. These three are men of unusual intelligence and high executive ability.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Harper’s Magazine on the Moyer-Haywood Case: “The Murder Charge at a Labor Union’s Door”” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: A Song for Haywood’s Little Daughter by Owen Spendthrift

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 26, 1907
New York Songwriter Pens Lyrics for “Undesirable Citizen” Meeting

“WILL THEY HANG PAPA?”
LABOR’S LATEST DITTY
—–
Little Daughter of W. D. Haywood Asks
Pathetic Question of Reporter.
—–
Query Becomes Inspiration for Song
and Lyric Tunes It Into Music.
—–

HMP, Henrietta Haywood, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907

“Are they going to hang father?” thus a reporter for an eastern paper was questioned when visiting the home of W. D. Haywood for the purpose of making a study of the domestic life of the imprisoned official of the Western Federation of Miners. The question was asked by the little daughter of Mr. Haywood, and the cheeks of the poor girl were wetted by tears as she pathetically looked into the eyes of her visitor.

The great papers which give much space to the prosecution’s side of the greatest conspiracy of modern times, have not much to spare to inform the public of the touching appeals of Haywood’s children, so firmly convinced of their father’s innocence.

When Owen Spendthrift, the New York song writer, read the story of the reporter’s visit to the Haywood home, he was impressed with the query of the little girl, and he tuned his lyric for a big “Undesirable Citizen” meeting to be held in New York on the following Sunday. This is his song:

HMP, Hang Papa? Spendthrift, Labor World, May 18, 1907

[Photograph of Henrietta Haywood added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: A Song for Haywood’s Little Daughter by Owen Spendthrift” →

Hellraisers Journal: Governor & Warden Invite Kept Press to “Grand Reception” with the Pious Assassin, Harry Orchard

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday May 25, 1907
From Boise, Idaho – Montana News Reports on Haywood Trial:

A Grand Reception
—–

Held in Idaho Penitentiary for the Purpose
of Creating a Sentiment in Favor of
a Self Confessed Murder

 

Boise, May 18.

HMP, Justice Boise, Spokane Press, May 9, 1907

When court closed at three o’clock this afternoon the state had used seven of its peremptory challenges and the defense six. The work of completing the jury still promises to be a long and tedious one. Today completed the sixth day of the trial. The weather is very warm. Not much interest in the case is manifested in Boise, only small crowds being in attendance.

It is evident even to a casual observer that a battle royal is on. Each side is contesting every step of the way. But the tilts between the attorneys have so far been conducted with uniform courtesy and good nature. It is interesting to watch the class feature figure in the selection of the jury. A man appearing right down common and plainly honest with no pretensions to belong to the confident side of society is unvaribly peremptorily rejected by the prosecution. While a self confident man owning considerable property and feeling a certain superiority and conscious respectability is promptly dismissed by the defense.

The reason for this unconscious action on the part of the contending forces at bar can be furnished only by the socialist philosophy.

The property possessing class and those that have means to live in a somewhat comfortable style find all their interests in conformity with maintaining the established order of things. The wage workers and those whose occupation has brought them no sense of security and established position in society feel no sympathy in maintaining the farce of established procedure. So the choosing of the jury proceeds as carefully as the chess player moves his pawns. Only in final resort the judge and the sheriff hold the deciding moves. Over half of the new panel of hundred men has been exhausted.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Governor & Warden Invite Kept Press to “Grand Reception” with the Pious Assassin, Harry Orchard” →

Hellraisers Journal: Secretary Haywood Takes Active Part in Defense While on Trial for Murder in Idaho

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 24, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Big Bill Haywood Active in His Defense

From The Spokane Press of May 21, 1907:

HMP, Haywood Alert in Court, Landon, Spk Prs, May 21, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Secretary Haywood Takes Active Part in Defense While on Trial for Murder in Idaho” →

Hellraisers Journal: Luella Twining for the Appeal to Reason on Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration in Boston

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If I hang on the scaffold myself
I will do all in my power to defend
Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.
-Luella Twining

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday May 22, 1907
Boston, Massachusetts – Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration

HMP, Undesirable Citizen, Walker 3, AtR, Apr 20, 1907

Massive demonstrations to protest the frame-up of the officials of the Western Federation Miners have been held this month in cities and towns across the nation. Most recently, on Sunday May 19th, the workers of Chicago came out en masse onto the streets, many wearing buttons declaring, “I Am an Undesirable Citizen.” This same button had been worn by the marchers in New York City on May 4th. That parade was one of the largest ever held in the city and concluded with a rally at the Grand Central Palace.

In the May 18th edition of the Appeal to Reason, Luella Twining describes the monster demonstration held in Boston on Sunday May 5th:

ON THE BOSTON COMMON
—–

A Hundred Thousand Workingmen
Call The President’s Bluff
-Massachusetts Full of “Undesirable Citizens.”

BY LUELLA TWINING.
Special Correspondent Appeal to Reason

HMP, Boston Demo of May 5, Luella Twining, AtR, May 18, 1907

Luella Twining

WHEN I saw the boys at Fitchburg marching down the street, 2,000 strong, with their banners flying, flags and torches headed by the band playing the Marseillaise, I wept. I could not restrain my tears in Lynn, when I saw the boys there marching 2,500 strong. These were mighty armies parading to show Standard Oil and President Roosevelt that they will not tolerate the railroading of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone to the gallows. I was elated over the mass meeting in the morning at Lynn, in the ball park, where five thousand citizens assembled to protest against injustice and show their colors. But the demonstration May the 5th, in Boston, was so stupendous I could not comprehend it, and I am sure I never shall be able to. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Luella Twining for the Appeal to Reason on Monster Moyer-Haywood Demonstration in Boston” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 20, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Mrs. Haywood in Court Each Day

From the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of May 17, 1907:

HMP, Nevada Jane Haywood in WC, Albq Eve Ctz, May 17, 1907

MRS. HAYWOOD IS IN CONSTANT ATTENDANCE
—–

By Jacob Waldeck.

Boise, Idaho, May 17.-A hush more impressive than any words of sympathy could be falls upon the court room crowd every morning when the big green cloth-covered doors swing open and Mrs. Haywood, wife of the man on trial here for the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg, in an invalid chair, is wheeled to a space near the table provided for the lawyers for the defense.

As soon as court is called to order the prisoner is brought in.

Then the family circle is complete, but under the most pathetic conditions imaginable.

Haywood is six feet tall, broad-shouldered, his face furrowed with lines as the result of imprisonment and anxiety concerning his family. Beside him is his youngest daughter, Vernon [Henrietta], who, before his coming, has scrambled into the chair next to the one she knows he will occupy, that she may get the first caress.

Next to her is Mrs. Haywood and their eldest daughter [Vernie], the prisoner when he takes his seat, strokes Vernon’s [Henrietta’s] head, and with a smile speaks some term of endearment to the pet of the family.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mrs. Haywood Carried into Court Each Day in Her Invalid Chair” →