Tag: Minnesota Iron Miners Strike of 1916

Hellraisers Journal: Carlo Tresca Welcomed Home to New York City with Mass Meeting and Kisses to Both Cheeks

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday December 26, 1916
New York City – Carlo Tresca Welcomed Home at Mass Meeting

From the New York Sun of December 25, 1916:

TRESCA WELCOMED BCK.
—–
I. W. W. Leader Kissed on Both
Cheeks at Public Meeting.

MN16, Parade for Tresca etc, NYC, Dec 2, 1916

Nearly a thousand anarchists and Industrial Workers of the World expressed in a variety of ways yesterday their happiness at the return to New York of their fiery leader, Carlo Tresca, who has been on trial* in Minnesota as a result of his activities in the Mesaba iron range strike.

A meeting of welcome was held in Manhattan Lyceum, 66 East Fourth street. In his exuberance William Shatoff kissed the protesting Carlo first on one cheek and then on the other, while the crowd yelled its appreciation of the scene Shatoff afterward made a speech, but as it was in Russian it will not be reported. Hundreds of his compatriots gathered around Carlo and kept him busy shaking hands for half an hour. Then the meeting began. Tresca said the Minnesota iron miners were ready for another strike “when the gong rings.”

[*Note-Tresca did not stand trial, but was released as part of a plea agreement.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Carlo Tresca Welcomed Home to New York City with Mass Meeting and Kisses to Both Cheeks” →

Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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MN16, ON Hilton speech, LW, Dec 23, 1916

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 23, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Plea Agreement & Vindication Meeting

Today’s Duluth Labor World discusses the issues of Justice surrounding the plea agreement reached last week which led to the release of I. W. W. organizers Tresca, Scarlett, and Schmidt:

MN16, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Released, LW, Dec 23, 1916

OTHER DEFENDANTS DRAW
INDEFINITE TERMS
———-

Tresca Scarlett Schmidt, ISR, Nov 1916

Tresca, Scarlett and Schmidt are freed. Last Friday they were let out of the dingy, over-crowded St. Louis county jail and given their liberty.

Months ago The Labor World made the prediction that the cases against these men would never come to trial; that as soon as the trouble on the ranges blew over these men would be let go. Our prediction was correct, although we have no inclination to claim the virtues of a prophet.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn” →

Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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I loved the people on the Range…
the blond children of the Finnish workers,
with their rosy cheeks…
the dark-eyed Italian children,
trying to be friends.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 22, 1916
Mesabi Range – Three Strikers to Be Sent to Prison

From the Bemidji Daily Pioneer of December 16, 1916, we learn the sad news that three strikers will be sent to the state penitentiary in Stillwater as a result of plea deal reached in Duluth:

THREE SENT TO “PEN” FOR
KILLING SHERIFF*
—–

[*Note: the so-called “sheriff” in the title of this article was actually a deputized company gunthug who committed an illegal and violent raid upon the Masonovich home.]

Masonovich-P. & M. & Boarders, ISR, Sept 1916

Duluth, Dec. 16.-Three of the eight persons indicted for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Thomas James C. Myron during the strike trouble at Biwabik on July 3 last appeared before Judge Cant in district court here and pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter in the first degree. They were each sentenced to terms of not more than 20 years in the state penitentiary at Stillwater.

The prisoners who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree were:

Philip Masonovich, 35; Joe Cernagorcevich, 37, and Joe Nickich, 22.

The murder charge against two others, one a woman, was dismissed and the defendants were given their freedom.

In the three remaining cases which are those pending against the Industrial Workers of the World organizers Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], and Joe Schmidt, continuances were ordered. These three were given their freedom in the mean time.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 14, 1916
The Mesabi Range – Miss Flynn Fired Up; Famous Attorney Arrives

MN Iron Range Strike, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Button, 1916

The Duluth News Tribune, which newspaper seems to approve of the black-hearted Biwabik editor who advocated Everett-style murder against the iron range strikers, nevertheless disapproves when Elizabeth Gurley Flynn wonders aloud why that same editor doesn’t go right on ahead and “start something.”

Meanwhile the famous labor attorney, Judge Orrin N. Hilton has arrived on the Range and is honored to be on the defense team of those charged with murder in connection with a lawless raid on a miner’s home in Biwabik during the miners’ strike last summer. Judge Hilton was the attorney for Joe Hill during the appeal of his murder conviction in the state of Utah. Hilton delivered the Memorial Oration at the Chicago funeral of our Martyred Rebel Songwriter, and that oration so offended the state of Utah that the Judge was formally disbarred in that state on July 1st of this year.

From The Duluth News Tribune of December 11, 1916:

GURLEY FLYNN TAKES “SLAM”
AT PUBLISHER
—–

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Reno Gz-Jr, July 12, 1916

HIBBING, Dec. 10.-Elizabeth [Gurley] Flynn, speaking here this afternoon at Workers’ hall in the interests of the I. W. W. members to be tried at Virginia for alleged murder, asked the editor of the Biwabik Times “why he doesn’t start something.” Miss Flynn directed that question from the platform to the absent editor after she had referred to his recent editorial in which he suggested that the best way to treat the I. W. W. on the range was to take an example from the vigilantes of Everett, Wash., where five members of the organization were killed and 52 wounded.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Donations Pour Into Mesabi Defense Fund; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Joe Ettor Agitate on the Range

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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“We wish to donate for the help of the
Minnesota Iron Range strikers
and wish for their ultimate success.”
-Bindery Women’s Local No. 213
of Norwood, Mass, sending $5.00.

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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 7, 1916
Mesabi Iron Range – Defense of Class War Prisoners Organized

Funds are pouring into the Defense Fund set up on behalf of the strikers and the I. W. W. organizers who now stand accused of first degree murder in connection with the death of the deputized company gunthug who burst into the Masonovich home in Biwabik last summer. Today we catch up on the latest news regarding the Mesabi cases from The Labor World and from the union-hating Duluth News Tribune.

From The Labor World of December 2, 1916:

UNIONISTS DONATE TO I.W.W.
MESABA DEFENSE FUND
—–

Masonovich-P. & M. & Boarders, ISR, Sept 1916

Electrical Workers Local Union 397, Balboa, Canal Zone, Panama, sent from the tropics $20.00 to the Defense Committee, wishing complete success in the undertaking.

The United Neckware Makers Union No. 110116, New York City, send a check to further, they say, the good work that you are so nobly engaged in.

Croatian Mutual Benefit Society at Centerville, Iowa, sends in a money order for $11.65, saying:

“Keep on with the battle you have started against the Steel Trust and if necessary, we will try to collect some more after a while.”

Yours for industrial freedom,
Secretary.

The Bottle Cap, Cork & Stopper Workers’ Union No. 875, Baltimore, writes:

“You will find a money order enclosed and accept same with our best wishes for the success of your strike and defense. We have sent resolution of protest to the Governor of Minnesota, and the Sheriff of St. Louis County. Any other assistance you may desire just let me know and, if possible, same will bd done.

“Again wishing you every success, I remain.

Secretary.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Donations Pour Into Mesabi Defense Fund; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Joe Ettor Agitate on the Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again

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, Tuesday December 5, 1916
Minnesota Mesabi Iron Range – Bullets for Striking Miners?

The Duluth Labor World recently addressed the grave concern displayed by the Biwabik Times for the poor picked-upon Steel Trust. The Times believes that the Lumber Trust of Washington set a good example on the care and treatment of labor agitators when their deputized company gunthugs committed mass murder on Everett’s Bloody Sunday.

From The Labor World of December 2, 1916:

BIWABIK TIMES ADVOCATES MURDER!

MN Miners Strike, Get Out IWW, Cartoon

The Biwabik Times in its issue of Nov. 24 openly
advocates murder!

Think of it! That staunch defender of the poor unprotected steel trust!

It, advocates and even urges the citizens of Biwabik to take human life!

The Times is really worried over the plight of the poor unprotected steel trust. It isn’t fair to call another strike. So naturally the Times has its first convulsion when it learns that a strike of miners will be called on April 1, 1917.

Here is their recommendation:

“To the Times there is apparently but one way to stop this outrage, and that is to just as did the citizens of Everett, Washington.”

The Everett tragedy, contrary to the statements made by the Biwabik Times, is a sad commentary upon the characters and names of the Everett business men who promoted it.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again” →

Hellraisers Journal: Comrade Wins Car from the Review; AWO Raises Funds for IWWs Charged with Murder on Mesabi

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Their only crime consisted of opposing
the U. S. Steel trust on the Mesaba Range
in an effort to better the condition of the toilers.
-Local 65, I. W. W., Bisbee, Ariz.

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 3, 1916
From the International Socialist Review: News and View

From the “News and Views” section of this month’s Review, we found a few interesting stories: A Comrade in Oklahoma wins a new car by selling subscriptions to the Review.  And Fellow Workers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Bisbee, Arizona, support the Mesabi Range miners and I. W. W. organizers who are charged with first degree murder-their only crime being loyalty to the working class.

Comrade Clark Wins a Car, ISR Dec 1916

How I Won the Ford.— The best way to get subscribers is to “get them.” I believe it was about the 15th of September that I mailed in my first remittance to the REVIEW for subscribers with the thought of winning the Ford. The victory is a collective one and the car the collective property of myself and Comrade Dorothy Merts, she having secured something over two hundred subscribers on the car. Comrade W. J. Loe was the next highest among many who assisted us. The most effective way to get the subscribers is to talk REVIEW.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Comrade Wins Car from the Review; AWO Raises Funds for IWWs Charged with Murder on Mesabi” →

Hellraisers Journal: How the Steel Trust Gained Control of the Mesabi Iron Range Without Spending a Single Dollar

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, Wednesday November 29, 1916
Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range – Under the Rule of the Steel Trust

MN Iron Range Strike, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Button, 1916

Harrison George, in an article for the November 25th edition of the Duluth Labor World, describes how the Steel Trust came to rule the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota. This is same Steel Trust which steadfastly refused to bargain with its employees and now seeks to frame-up organizers for the Industrial Workers of the World who have stood with the iron miners and their families in their struggle for justice.

Harrison George says of this plot:

This is the firm that backs with its grimy millions, the persecution of brave men; the firm who desires the conviction on a framed-up murder charge of Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlett and Joe Schmidt-organisers,-who brought their loyalty to labor into the miner’s strike and who are guilty of no other crime.

From The Labor World of November 25, 1916:

STEEL TRUST GRABS RANGE
WITHOUT COST
—–

By HARRISON GEORGE.

Special Investigator for The Labor World.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: How the Steel Trust Gained Control of the Mesabi Iron Range Without Spending a Single Dollar” →

Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review on “Law and Order” and the 262 IWW Miners Jailed in Scranton

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday November 20, 1916
Pennsylvania Justice: Leslie Marcy on “Law and Order”

From the International Socialist Review:

ISR Nov 1916, Scranton Republican Sept 15, 1916, IWW Miners

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review on “Law and Order” and the 262 IWW Miners Jailed in Scranton” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Harrison George Reports on Wages of Mesabi Miners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday November 16, 1916
Mesabi Iron Range – Low Wages, Company Gunthugs, & Frame-Ups

IWW Red Button

Writing for the Duluth Labor World of November 11th, Harrison George describes the conditions under which the Mesabi Iron Miners earn their wretched living, the very conditions which led to the bitter strike of this past summer. George also points out how, in Minnesota as in Colorado, deputized company gunthugs can murder with impunity, and indeed the blame for the acts of these drunken brutes falls not upon the perpetrators, but upon the miners who went out on strike and upon the I. W. W. organizers who came to their aid.

GOT $12.70 WEEK, RANGE MINER
SAYS IN AFFIDAVIT
—–

BY HARRISON GEORGE,
Special Investigator for The Labor World.

IWW Metal Mine Workers IU No. 490, Hibbing MN, June 19, 1916, Crpd

At the invitation of Mr. Downing, the superintendent, the writer recently visited the workings of the Bennett mine on the Mesaba Iron Range of Minnesota.

It was the plain intention of Mr. Downing to absolve himself and his firm, a so-called independent concern, from the general blame and disgrace attached to all Mesaba Range operators as a result of the industrial tyranny brought to light by the recent miners strike.

Giving this concern all due credit for the modern sanitary and safety devices used and the humane spirit Mr. Downing seems to have, together with the rates of wage paid; it was self-evident that this mine was what others in the district could be and were not; that the wage rate was only a reasonable compensation which others would not give and that altogether; the miners recent strike was for demands companies could easily grant and still make a good profit from its toilers.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Harrison George Reports on Wages of Mesabi Miners” →