Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1909, Part II: Reports Found of Mysterious Disappearance in San Antonio

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Quote Mother Jones Save Our Mexican Comrades, AtR p3, Feb 20, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 15, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for October 1909, Part II:
-Reports Found of Mother’s Mysterious Disappearance in San Antonio, Texas

From The Buffalo Enquirer of October 18, 1909
-the following story was reported by newspapers from coast to coast:

SECRET SERVICE MEN ARE ACTIVE
—–

SOCIALISTS AND ANARCHISTS APPREHENDED IN
ADVANCE OF PRESIDENT TAFT’S ARRIVAL
-MOTHER JONES GONE.
—–

(By the American News.)

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

San Antonio, Oct. 18.-The failure of a half dozen or more Socialists in this city to show up at their homes and a search instituted by local newspaper men, revealed the fact that the Secret Service authorities had taken into custody quietly a number of Socialists and Anarchists just before the visit of President Taft to this city.

Mother Jones, the friend of the miners, who was in the city Sunday it has been learned to day, also mysteriously disappeared. Friends of Mother Jones assert that she too was taken into custody and her whereabouts kept secret until after the departure of President Taft.

Activity among Anarchists and Socialists in this vicinity is thought to have been the cause for the arrests.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From the Shenandoah (Pennsylvania) Evening Herald of October 21, 1909:

“Mother” Jones Heard From.

Charles Gildea, a national organizer of the United Mine Workers at Hazleton, has received a letter from “Mother” Jones, who took a prominent part in miners’ strikes here, that she intends to be at the meeting between President Taft, of the United States, and President Diaz, of Mexico, near El Paso, Texas. Whether she was among those present or not has not yet been learned, as the letter was posted before the time of the meeting.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1909, Part II: Reports Found of Mysterious Disappearance in San Antonio”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1909, Part I: Found in Girard & Texarkana

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Poem for Mother Jones, SL Hld p4, Apr 25, 1904———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 14, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for October 1909, Part I:
-Found in Girard, Kansas and Texarkana, Texas

From Pittsburg [Kansas] Daily Headlight of October 9, 1909:

Mr. Debs Entertains.

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

Eugene V. Debs entertained a few friends last evening [in Girard] at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred D. Warren, giving some of his fine readings, which were highly appreciated. The following named guests were present, others invited not being able to attend on account of the rain: G. H. Shoaf and daughters, Dr. J. T. Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Richardson, Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Tubbs, Mrs. Josephone Kaneko [Josephine Conger-Kaneko], Miss Pearl Busby, Mrs. Helen Unterman, of Idaho, S. Barrett, J. S. Cassin, Mother Jones, Mrs. Molkey, Mrs. S. P. Nichols and children, Charles and Gladys, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. D. Brewer, J. E. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Fuller and son Floyd, Miss Maud Swan and Miss Margaret Simpson….

[Photograph added.]

From the Appeal to Reason of October 9, 1909:

AtR p3, SW Edition TX, Oct 9, 1909

[…..]

Mother Jones will be filling appointments in Texas before you read this unless she again fails us by being called to some strike center or to the rescue of some imprisoned comrade, and you will then have the opportunity of hearing this great soul. Comrades and locals are asked to write state headquarters and renew their calls for Mother.

———-

From The Shreveport Times of October 13, 1909:

[Mother Jones in Texarkana]

Mother Jones, the most beloved woman in the United States among laboring men, spent yesterday in Texarkana, leaving last night for Dallas and Fort Worth, from where she will go to Del Rio, In connection with the recent arrest and detention there of a number of Mexican political refugees. Mother Jones is not interested in the case of the refugees as it applies to the political matters involved, but is deeply concerned over the labor questions involved and from which it is said the real cause of their arrest sprang.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1909, Part I: Found in Girard & Texarkana”

Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason: “Mexico and Murder” by Mother Jones, Praises Article by John Kenneth Turner

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Quote Mother Jones, Wake fr Slumber, AtR p2, Oct 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 24, 1909
Mother Jones Praises Article by Turner on Brutality of Mexican Government

From the Appeal to Reason of October 23, 1909:

Mexico and Murder
———-

BY MOTHER JONES

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

I RISE to ask the American people, have you read John K. Turner’s article in the American Magazine for October on the frightful brutality of the Mexican government towards its people? If not, read it at once. Then ask your Christian minister why they are silent in the face of this frightful tragedy at our very doors.

Why are they silent? Because they worship at the shrine of Mammon.

If the Revolutionary fathers could come back to earth, the first question they would ask would be what has become of the national pride? Did it die with the immortal Lincoln? Look at the frightful pictures in the American Magazine. Imagine these lashes falling on your flesh. See and feel the blood dripping from your body. Go down to Belem prison see the shocking pictures there. Then, men and women, ask yourselves, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Look at their lacerated bodies, their hopeless lives.

They ask you, does God sleep? No, he does not. He will wipe out injustice with suffering, wrong with blood, and sin with death. The disgraceful phase of it all is that we stand and see the public officials whom we pay, become bloodhounds and man-grabbers in the service of bloody Diaz.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason: “Mexico and Murder” by Mother Jones, Praises Article by John Kenneth Turner”

Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Relinquish Attempt Against Free Speech; IWW Defeats City Council”

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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 22, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Council Defeated by I. W. W Free Speech Fighters

From the Socialist Montana News of October 21, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Victory, EGF Held, MT Ns p1, Oct 21, 1909

EGF, IW p1, Oct 7, 1909

The city council of Missoula has proved another exemplification of the proverb that “discretion is the better part of valor”, and completely retreated from the fight against the I. W. W. speakers, and the constitutional right of Free Speech. In the midst of the clubbing arresting beating and ether police outrages against the union workers the council held a meeting. They found themselves confronted by jury trials by the score, immense sums of court expense, an enraged populace, and fresh speakers coming in on every train as candidates for free berths at the city expense. In fact they saw no end to the “radau” [racket] that the Industrial Workers were precipitating upon their heads, and wisely concluded that they would stop bucking the United States constitution.

The council had previously made a conciliating concession that the workers might speak on a by-street. But the Workers were standing upon their legal rights to speak where they please so long as they were injuring no one, and continued their work with fresh recruits after thirty-five had been arrested in one evening.

When the telegram went into New York telling of the attempt to suppress Free Speech in Missoula a meeting of the Free Speech League was called, sad Leonard D. Abbott and others went to preparing plans to preserve the American right of Free Speech. Abbott said, “Free Speech must be maintained no matter what the cost may be. We are prepared to carry the fight to a finish.”

Principal Derby of the Morris High school, where Miss Flynn attended was also much interested in the progress on the fight.

The latest word is that Miss Flynn is held for trial, the council expecting to make a test case out of her arrest.

[Emphasis added. Photograph added from Spokane Industrial Worker of October 7th.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Relinquish Attempt Against Free Speech; IWW Defeats City Council””

Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Free Speech Is Won in Missoula” by Fellow Workers Flynn & Jones

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Quote JA Jones, Victory Missoula FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 21, 1909
Missoula, Montana – FWs Flynn and Jones on Victory for Free Speech

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 20, 1909:

Banner, IWW Victory Msl FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909

[From page 1:]

FREE SPEECH IS WON IN MISSOULA, MONT.
—–
[-by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.]

IWW, Dont Buy Jobs ed, Industrial Worker p1, Oct 20, 1909

The I. W. W. in Missoula, Mont., has practically won its fight for free speech, as we are now speaking on the streets without being molested. We didn’t appeal to justice, but the taxpayers felt the pressure on their pocket-books and capitulated.

About 40 members have seen the inside of the Missoula jails during the last two weeks, giving this town a forcible example of the motto, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” Eight men served time; two women, Mrs. Frenette and myself, have each inhabited a cell in the county jail over night; the rest of the boys are all “enthusiastic defenders” of the city jail. At first the police were very full of fight, “blue moldin’ for a baitin’,” and every man was arrested and tried who attempted to speak. But when the night and day force had to get cut night after night and the number of arrests increased by leaps and bounds, they began to lose interest in the fun.

The last night there were 30 men in jail and the next night we had a list of 50 volunteers, when the police lay down and let our speakers continue. The 30 arrested demanded a jury trial each, and the judge said to me, “A little town like Missoula can not stand the expense.” The mayor got out of town to let the acting mayor settle the thing for the taxpayers, who have a steel bridge and a new court house a-building, and they began to howl about the expense. One breakfast for the I. W. W. boys alone cost the city $6.

The populace were very much in sympathy with the I. W. W. Our membership is growing steadily in spite of the A. F. of L. carpenters ordering their membership not to attend the I. W. W. meetings. One little newsboy stopped me on the street and gave me half a dozen papers “for the boys.” When we found that eating in restaurants was too expensive for the boys we put up Knust’s tent, appointed a cook and steward, and started co-operative “Mulligan stews. Bread was given freely by some socialist bakers, and even though the city government refused to feed its visitors we could have held out for a year, feeding them ourselves.

The chief of police himself arrested me on the charge of causing trouble, inciting a riot, etc. I was taken to the county jail and given an individual cell, designed for witnesses, I understand. It had a pile of old papers in one corner, an old slop-pail in another, some dirty food left from several days before, and during the time I was there, from 8 o’clock Sunday until 5 o’clock Monday, the jailer kept promising to clean it out, but the cleaning never materialized. The bonds for all the others were placed at $10 each, but bonds for me were placed at $50, so I must be quiet a dangerous criminal.

When Mrs. Frenette was arrested there was an enormous crowd followed her to the jail, and while not riotous, were certainly indignant. She was arrested for speaking. I was arrested for standing on the street corner asking a man to come to the hall meeting of the I. W. W. The arrest of us two women aroused the town all right.

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Free Speech Is Won in Missoula” by Fellow Workers Flynn & Jones”

Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part II

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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 20, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part II

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part II of II.]

Sheriff Assaults Speaker.

Davis Graham, the republican sheriff of Missoula county, proved himself a tyrannical brute of the worst description by violently assaulting Organizer Jones when he was incarcerated within the jail. The assault was uncalled for and cowardly, and a stamped Graham as a man of violent and brutal instincts, only waiting a chance to wreak his vengeance on his political enemies. Jones was not only absolutely helpless but a very much smaller man than his assailant, and it is common rumor that Graham used a large iron key to emphasize his physical powers upon Jones.

Friday night the home wagon was run out and connected. The evening paper had announced that there would be at change of tactics, and this was discovered in the determination to turn the water on every speaker.

A nice, civilized method of enforcing th law! A method worthy of the Middle Ages! The violation of every democratic principle of liberty humanity has achieved. An insult and contempt thrown upon law and order by the people that have been put in office to uphold such things. How long will a deluded people vote for such things?

Such defiance of justice on the part of officials put a large portion of the crowd in a very radical maid toward the police. Upon playing the water pretty close to one corner of the street the crowd would not move. The hose play was a move that caused resentment in hundreds of people who were not of the Industrial Workers, or sympathizers.

The Fight Not Over.

The fight is not over. The union men are undaunted. Volunteers are on the way from various points of the west, to attempt free speech, to fill the jails, to work for political and industrial freedom.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part II”

Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part I

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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 19, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part I

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part I of II.]

The city government of Missoula, the police the authorities, are making first-class fools of themselves in their efforts to violate the United States constitution, turn the American government upside down, become censors of public speech and keep the I. W. W. doctrine’s from being proclaimed.

In other words, the capitalist government of Missoula has plunged into the trap of forcibly controlling the protest and activity of the workers, and of upsetting all the guarantees of democracy to do so.

Campaign for Industrialism.

The Industrial Workers of the World brought their speakers into Missoula and began a campaign for the industrial form of unionism, such a as they hate been pushing with much vigor in various parts of the country. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York, a most devoted promoter of this cause, has been touring the northwest all summer, pushing the I. W. W. doctrines with great vigor. Miss Flynn is an able speaker, has good organising ability and an immense amount of determination. Her husband, J. A. Jones, and other organizers and workers are with her.

The Industrial Workers do not mince words. They say what they have to say, and they say it on the street, and they keep on saying it. They talk the language of revolt against capitalism, they urge consolidation of the workers in order to get hold of all the means of industry, push the drones out of the way and have the product of their toll for themselves.

Free Speech Constitutional.

They know that the American constitution gives them the right to talk on the street. Free speech is one of the rocks on which the American government is founded. People have a right to express what opinions they please. If anyone feels injured by the opinions that another expresses he has the right to appeal to a court of adjudication, but he has no right to take the law into his own hands.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part I”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for September 1909: Found in South Dakota Black Hills

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Quote John ONeill re Mother Jones Resting Place, Miners Mag p6, Sept 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 15, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for September 1909:
-Found Speaking at Labor Day Celebration in Lead, South Dakota

From The Deadwood Daily Pioneer-Times of September 1, 1909:

Ad Mother Jones Labor Day, Dwd SD Dly Pr Tx p5, Sept 1, 1909

From the Appeal to Reason of September 4, 1909:

Mother Jones Doing Good Work.

Mother Jones is speaking in Texas and New Mexico in behalf of the accused [Mexican] revolutionists and is attracting great crowds of workers. Even the papers are compelled by the force of public opinion to speak well of her work. The Houston Chronicle recently devoted a column to her full of praise. It quotes her as saying:

I hope the time will come when the lead which is now used for making bullets will be used for making type to educate the masses.

Everywhere she goes she is greeted with large and enthusiastic audiences.

—–

Note: We last found Mother in Texas, speaking in San Antonio, on August 21st.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for September 1909: Found in South Dakota Black Hills”

Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: “Victory at McKees Rocks” by Louis Duchez, Part II

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Quote EVD to McKees Rocks Strikers, Aug 25, Butler PA Ctzn p1, Aug 26, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 10, 1909
Louis Duchez on Victory of McKees Rocks Strikers, Part II

From the International Socialist Review of October 1909:

IWW McKees Rocks, Victory by L Duchez, ISR p289, Oct 1909

[Part II of II.]

—–

On August 15th, the I. W. W. advertised a mass meeting to be held on Indian Mound. Large posters printed in five different languages were displayed. Eight thousand men attended the meeting—nearly all strikers, and many railroad men and trade unionists and laborers from Pittsburg.

William E. Trautman first addressed the meeting in English and German, after which the men were parcelled off in lots. Nine different nationalities were spoken to—besides these two—and to each man his own tongue.

To Ignatz Klavier, a Polander and member of the Socialist Party who speaks five languages fluently, much credit is due for enlightening the McKees Rocks strikers on the principles of industrial unionism. It was Klavier who, during the second week of the strike, brought out clearly the distinction between the A. F. of L. and the I. W. W. He was ably assisted by Henyey, a Hungarian, and Max Forker, a German.

A wonderful spirit of solidarity was shown by the trainmen of the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne and Chicago and on the Pittsburg and Lake Erie roads—the only railroads running into McKees Rocks, when the trainmen refused to haul scabs to the plant. This is the first time in the history of labor troubles in the United States that this has been done. This was another example of the tactics of industrial unionism directly due to I. W. W. propaganda and education. Not only did the railroad men lend their aid to the strikers but the crews on the two company steamers, “The Queen” and “The Pheil,” refused to haul the scabs. This also is due to the work of the Unknown Committee and the great wonderful spirit of solidarity that is spontaneously stirring the wage slaves of the world. Even the school children of “Hunkeytown” refused to attend school until the strike was settled.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: “Victory at McKees Rocks” by Louis Duchez, Part II”

Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: “Victory at McKees Rocks” by Louis Duchez, Part I

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Quote EVD to McKees Rocks Strikers, Aug 25, Butler PA Ctzn p1, Aug 26, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 9, 1909
Louis Duchez on Victory of McKees Rocks Strikers, Part I

From the International Socialist Review of October 1909:

IWW McKees Rocks, Victory by L Duchez, ISR p289, Oct 1909

[Part I of II.]

—–

Letter I, ISR p289, Oct 1909N this article the writer is not going to give much space to a recitation of the crimes of the capitalist class at McKees Rocks and the other strike points in Pennsylvania. It is unnecessary. The capitalist press has done that more effectively—regardless of the motives that may have prompted them—than he is able to do. The class struggle is a historic fact and the diametrically opposed interests have long ago been proven. Such practices as were exposed during the last few weeks are only the logical result of the capitalist system of society at this stage of working class activity.

Readers of the Review want something more than a mere account of the cruelties of the Pressed Steel Car Company. They want to know something about the spirit and growth of solidarity and industrial organization among the striking wage slaves in Pennsylvania.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: “Victory at McKees Rocks” by Louis Duchez, Part I”