There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 27, 1908
George Pettibone, Tried and True Friend of Labor
From the Appeal to Reason of August 15, 1908:
George A. Pettibone, Martyr.
—–
Mr. and Mrs. George Pettibone
The death of the tried and true friend of labor occasions deep sadness but no surprise. For some time-indeed, ever since his incarceration at Boise, his health has been gradually failing, and it has long been know to his intimates that death was but a question of time.
There are few, if any, more tragic chapters in labor history than the life and death of George Pettibone. We shall not now attempt a comprehensive sketch of his career, but only state its salient features as a fitting prelude to an estimate of the service he rendered organized labor, and of the tribute he deserves as one of its bravest champions.
Pettibone first became prominently identified with organized labor at the time of the Couer d’Alene strikes, which were broken up by the intervention of federal troops. As one of the leaders he was arrested and sentenced to jail, serving several months. From this time forward he was actively engaged in organizing the Western Federation of Miners, of which he was one of the pioneers and an honored member up to the time of his death.
The kidnaping of Pettibone in February 1906, along with Moyer and Haywood is still fresh in the memory of all. It was this brutal assault upon him and the horrors and sufferings incident to it which shattered his health and left him an easy prey to death. Through it all, Pettibone never once wavered. He bore even this terrible ordeal with the serene philosophy of a stoic. No more infamous outrage was ever perpetrated upon any citizen of this country, and although Pettibone felt it keenly he bore up bravely through it all. When others were downcast he was in good cheer, and when even his closest associates were troubled over the outlook he wore his never-failing smile.
There came to [Boise] an array of
defense witnesses full of health and spirits,
brawny, frank-eyed men and cheerful, resolute women.
-John R. McMahon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 9, 1908
Remembering the Haywood Trial: Witnesses for the Defense
From Wilshire’s Magazine of August 1907:
While reviewing the coverage of the Haywood Trial by Wilshire’s Magazine, we came across a particularly compelling photograph of the many witnesses who came to Boise in order to testify on behalf of Big Bill Haywood.
The photograph was from an article by John R. McMahon entitled “Story of the Famous Trial” wherein he had this to say about the witness:
In refreshing contrast to the State’s array of official scamps, deputy sheriffs, policemen, clerks, et al., there came to town an array of defense witnesses full of health and spirits, brawny, frank-eyed men and cheerful, resolute women. They did not have to be dragooned into comming; they rejoiced that they could be of service to their imprisoned comrades; their faces beamed with the hope and inspiration of a new day for the united workers of the land. They greeted one another affectionately and with crushing hand grips. It seemed that all the known and unknown veterans of the labor war of Colorado were gathered together. Nearly every man had been causelessly persecuted, jailed, bullpenned, deported, shot at or assaulted by mine owners’ thugs; every woman had been insulted, threatened, arrested or starved out for the crime of sheltering the homeless and giving food to the hungry. If this is the stuff that the western working class is made of, we need have never a fear. These people thrive on persecution.
Hellraisers Journal, Saturday February 8, 1908
From Wilshire’s Magazine: Photographs from the Haywood Trial
Following the sad news of the untimely death of Margherita Arlina Hamm, who, with her husband John R. McMahon, covered the trial of William D. Haywood in Boise for Wilshire’s Magazine, we took another look at the fine articles written by this husband-wife team and published in Wilshire’s from June until August of 1907. Those articles were accompanied by several photographs, some not found elsewhere, and those photographs we are happy to republish today.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday January 12, 1908
Los Angeles, California – Pettibone On Labor Spies and Frame-Ups
From the Los Angeles Herald of January 11, 1908:
PETTIBONE TELLS STORY
——
NOW IN CITY AND MAY RESIDE HERE
—–
Man Accused of Complicity in Assassination
of Former Governor Steunenberg Gives
Interesting Opinions
—–
Weak from long confinement in the jail at Boise, Idaho, where he was held a prisoner on a charge of complicity in the assassination oE former Governor Steunenberg, George A. Pettibone has arrived in Los Angeles and is staying at the Touraine apartments, 447 South Hope street.
In company with his wife, Mr. Pettibone contemplates making Los Angeles his permanent home. His trial attracted attention wherever the words “labor union” are known.
He spoke heatedly of the efforts which were made to connect him with the murder of Steunenberg.
[He said:]
False testimony concocted by Pinkerton agents was responsible for the arrest of William D. Haywood, Charles H. Moyer and myself and the sole purpose of their efforts was to give them an opening wedge so that they could retain their official position as agents of the Mine Owners’ association.
To advocate peace with things as they are
is treason to humanity.
This is a class struggle and on class lines
it must be fought out to a finish.
-Ida Crouch-Hazlett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 29, 1907
Boise, Idaho – With George Pettibone in Ada County Jail
From the Socialist Montana New of December 26, 1907:
Editor Ida Crouch-Hazlett describes visit with Mr. and Mrs. George Pettibone-
In Pettibone’s Cell.
Saturday afternoon [December 14th] after the court session was over I went down to see Pettibone to get his picture for several of the papers I was correspondent for. He was lying on a cot, seemingly wearied after the demands of the day. His wife was sitting by him. The watchfulness of the sheriff’s office has been wonderfully relaxed since the Haywood trial. At that time visitors could hardly gain admission to the accused, and when they were allowed in the cell, a guard was in constant attendance at every conversation. Now, upon a simple request you are shown into the main room. There are no guards, the door is unlocked and the iron door not closed at all. Half a dozen of us were in this large room at the same time with no officials present whatever.
Pettibone, although looking ill and worn and wasted is still full of his quips and gibes. It is wonderful the way these men have stood this awful confinement.
Darker and more strenuous days than these though are before the working class before it comes into its own.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday July 21, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Wives of Prisoners at Barred Windows
From The Pittsburg Press, we find this touching photograph of Mrs. Steve Adams and Mrs. George Pettibone speaking to their husbands through the barred windows of the Ada County Jail.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 15, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Haywood Family Attend Murder Trial
In this week’s edition (June 13th) of the Socialist Montana News, Ida Crouch-Hazlett describes the family members of Big Bill Haywood who sit in regular attendance at the trial of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners, charged with conspiring to murder the ex-governor of Idaho. Harry Orchard has been on the stand telling his tale of murder and mayhem and accusing the leaders of the W. F. of M. of directing him in his trail of villainy (see below).
The Haywood Family in Court:
Mrs. Steve Adams and Mrs. Pettibone attend court together-two handsome women, handsomely dressed. Mrs. Moyer’s sister is usually with them, a charming and dainty young girl. Mrs. Moyer has not yet appeared in court. Haywood’s mother, Mrs Caruthers, has arrived from Salt Lake with her daughter, a very pretty young girl of about twenty. The mother is a handsome women who carries herself well, and has a sweet expression on her face. They do not seem unduly agitated over the situation. They are upheld by the idea that it is all simply the part of a play in a great conspiracy.
The Haywood family are in court every day. Mrs. Haywood’s father, Mr. Miner, is here from Nevada, also Mr. McKinon, one of the Federation boys, who married her sister Winnie.
If they hang Moyer and Haywood,
they’ve got to hang me.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 7, 1907 Current Literature on Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone Case, Part I
—–
WHAT Mr. Debs, once a Socialist candidate for President, calls “the greatest legal battle in American history,” is now in progress in Boise City, Idaho. Fifty special correspondents of newspapers and magazines from all parts of the country hastened last month to the little city to report the case, and the telegraph company installed ten additional circuits to handle the press of business. Boise City itself is not excited. It has not furnished any of the defendants, nor any of the lawyers, nor the victim whose murder is the cause of all this excitement. All it furnishes is the jury to try the case. But the country at large is furnishing the excitement. The President of the United States has been involved in a heated controversy over the character of the defendants. The United States Supreme Court has rendered a decision which is likened by Socialist orators to the Dred Scott decision of half a century ago. Thousands of men have been parading the streets of many cities—50,000 in New York alone according to The Herald’s estimate—waving red flags, singing the Marsellaise, denouncing the Supreme Court and assailing the President in terms of bitter reproach. And a collection of $250,000, according to some estimates, has been gathered from the members of labor unions to insure for the defendants in this trial an adequate defense.
