Tag: Sam Scarlett

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

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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: Reporting on IWW Activities in Everett, Minneapolis and the Mesabi Iron Range

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 3, 1916
From Washington to the Mesabi – Fellow Workers Organize and Fight

From The Vancouver World (B. C.) of October 31, 1916:

EVERETT EXPELS I. W. W.’s.

IWW Label, 2nd Conv, Sept 17-Oct 3, 1906

EVERETT, Wn. [Washington]. Oct 31-When word was received last night that 45 men, said to be members of the Industrial Workers of the World, were coming by boat from Seattle last night, 200 citizens gathered under the leadership of deputy sheriffs and stood guard at the wharf. When the steamer docked and the men cam ashore the waiting citizens loaded them into automobiles and drove them through town to a point beyond the south city limits, where they were liberated and warned to return to Seattle.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Reporting on IWW Activities in Everett, Minneapolis and the Mesabi Iron Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Italy To Aid Tresca’s Defense in Minnesota, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Tours Mesabi Range

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

By the Gods, it shall not be!
The bloated, beastly Steel Trust pirates
shall not murder our innocent
comrades and fellow-workers!
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday October 22, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Italy Takes Up Case of Carlo Tresca

From the Appeal to Reason of October 21, 1916:

Italy Takes Hand to Save Tresca
From Steel Trust

EGF, Tresca, MN Iron Miners Strike, Ev IN, Aug 17, 1916

The SteelTrust wants to get rid of several striking workers (including Carlo Tresca and other leaders), because of their activities in the recent strike of the iron workers on the Mesabe Range in Minnesota. Of course, the Steel Trust has plenty of money and employs a sufficient number of thugs to have the work of “disposition” done in an efficient and effective manner. But since the Colorado incident [Ludlow Massacre], it is exceedingly unwise to do too much rough stuff at first hand, so the dirty work is left to the state. In other words, the Steel Trust is using the commonwealth of Minnesota to railroad Carlo Tresca, four strikers, one woman and two union leaders, to the gallows.

The Steel Trust decided to have these defendants charged with first-degree murder, so the legal machinery was set in motion, and the victims were thrown into cells. They will be tried in a section that is highly charged with bitterness against anyone who strives to improve the conditions of the toilers. They are the victims of a great injustice and the institutions of so-called free America are being used to aid in the conspiracy, rather than to protect the liberties of the people.

One would imagine that if this were a free country, Congress would do something to shelter these workers in chains, but, so far as is known, Republican and Democratic Congressmen hardly knew that there was a great strike in Minnesota. It remained for Italy to take a hand-Italy, with its king and its court, interfering with America, the land of the free hot air!

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Italy To Aid Tresca’s Defense in Minnesota, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Tours Mesabi Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mesabi Defendants Must Face Trial; Cronaca Sovversiva Sends Aid

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday October 4, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – I. W. W. Defendants Must Stand Trial

From The Duluth News Tribune of September 19, 1916:

I. W. W.’S DENY MURDER CHARGE
—–
Must Stand Trial in Myron Case, as
Court Overrules Quash Motion.
—–

Funeral of John Alar, IWW Leaders, Virginia MN, by GR Dawson, June 26, 1916

Overruling all motions to quash indictments against Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlett, Philip Masonovich and other I. W. W.’s charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff James Myron at Biwabik, July 2, Judge Bert Fesler in district court yesterday ruled that all defendants would have in face trial. Formal pleas of not guilty were then entered by all.

Attorney John Keyes at the conclusion of the hearing announced that on Wednesday morning before Judge Martin Hughes at Virginia that he would make a motion for continuance, Assistant County Attorney I. L. Boyle then stated that every effort would be made by the state to force trial immediately and that riot cases would be moved for trial next Monday.

In making the argument for the freedom of Tresca, Scarlett and Schmidt, Attorney Keyes pointed out that these men were miles away from the scene of the crime at the time of happening and argued that if they were held it should be on a charge of conspiracy and not of murder.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mesabi Defendants Must Face Trial; Cronaca Sovversiva Sends Aid” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on Tour on Behalf of Mesabi Defendants

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

Your welfare ain’t on that rich man’s mind.
-Hazel Dickens

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday October 3, 1916
Miss Flynn to Hold Meetings in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas

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

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn is currently on tour on behalf of Mesabi I. W. W. defendants who are charged with first degree murder-we refer our readers to the recent article by Eugene Debs in the International Socialist Review.

Before leaving northern Minnesota, Miss Flynn spoke with Joe Ettor at a meeting in Virginia, Minnesota, where she said:

Tresca, Scarlett, Smith and the others are in jail for your sake, remember them.

She also spoke to the Ministerial association at the Duluth Y. M. C. A. where she declared:

A very large majority of the workers on the iron range are foreigners, and they have no friends except among their kinsmen and fellow-workers. If the American-born people would only co-operate, and enlighten the lives of these poor unfortunates, all these disturbances and misfortunes would be done away with.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on Tour on Behalf of Mesabi Defendants” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Protests Frame-Up of Organizers & Strikers on Mesabi Range

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

By the Gods, it shall not be!
The bloated, beastly Steel Trust pirates
shall not murder our innocent
comrades and fellow-workers!
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday October 2, 1916
From the International Socialist Review: Support Mesabi Range Rebels!

From the current edition of the Review, Comrade and Fellow Worker Eugene Debs calls upon unionists and socialists everywhere to support the Minnesota iron ore strikers and I. W. W. organizers who are now under indictment for first-degree murder:

Eugene Victor Debs, ISR, Oct 1916

Murder in the First Degree

By EUGENE V. DEBS

TRUE bills against four strikers and one woman and against Carlo Tresca and two other leaders of the striking iron workers on the Mesabe Range in Minnesota charging them with murder in the first degree, have been returned by a Steel Trust grand jury.

Not one of the accused is guilty. On the contrary, they are all absolutely innocent of the crime charged against them.

It is another case of punishing the workers for the crimes committed against them by their masters. Let us briefly review the facts in this extraordinary strike on the Mesabe Range.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Protests Frame-Up of Organizers & Strikers on Mesabi Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Greets Carlo Tresca and Other Defendants in Minnesota Courtroom

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday September 15, 1916
Duluth, Minnesota – I. W. W. Defendants in Court

From The Duluth News Tribune of September 14, 1916:

EGF, Tresca, MN Iron Miners Strike, Logansport (IN) Daily Tb, July 29, 1916NINE I. W. W.’S AWAIT, DECISION
—–
Attorneys for Prisoners Argue Motion
to Quash Indictments for Murder.
—–
COURT TO DECIDE TODAY
—–
Other Prisoners Indicted for Offenses
on Range Plead Guilty.
—–

Whether or not the nine prisoners indicted for murder in the first degree for the alleged killing of James Myron, deputy sheriff, at Biwabik, will go free or whether they will have to face trial will be known this morning at 9:00 o’clock when Judge Bert Fesler will give his decision in the district court on a motion made by attorneys for the defense to quash indictments on the grounds of illegal search and seizure of certain property of the defendants by Sheriff John Meining.

Arguments lasted all day and were concluded late yesterday afternoon. Assistant County Attorney Boyle of Virginia represented the state while Attorney John A. Keyes of Duluth assisted by Attorneys Arthur Le Seur of Fort Scott, Kansas and L. O. Whitsell of Denver, Colo., appeared for the defendants.

Prisoners Greet Friends.

The prisoners sitting in the front row of chairs just inside the railing waved greetings to scores of friends, who attended the hearing. Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, noted I. W. W. speaker was an interested spectator. Carlo Tresco sat with Sam Scarlet [Scarlett] and Joseph Schmidt, all indicted I. W. W. agitators, listened intently to the proceedings. Tresco has raised a luxuriant goatee since his imprisonment, giving him a rather distinguished look. He appeared to be unable to keep his hands away from it. Mrs. Marsonovitch [Masonovich] sat with her husband and from time to time talked excitedly with much gesticulation.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Greets Carlo Tresca and Other Defendants in Minnesota Courtroom” →

Hellraisers Journal: Italian Government Takes Interest in Case of Carlo Tresca, Imprisoned in Minnesota

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 12, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – Cablegram from Congressman Caroti of Rome

From The Duluth News Tribune of September 10, 1916:

I. W. W. WOULD DRAG IN ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
—–
Cablegram Talked of With Intimation of Interesting
Mother Country of Alleged Murderer.
—–

hilton-defends-mesabi-strikers-lansing-mi-state-jr-sept-11-1916

VIRGINIA, Sept. 9._The following telegram was exhibited today by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, concerning the I. W. W. strike on the range and tending to show that it is having international effect:

Via New York City. Sept 8.

Carlo Tresca, County Jail, Duluth.

Received cablegram from Congressman Caroti at Rome. He is interpelling the Italian government. Agitation started all over Italy. Tom Mann is leading agitation England.

CAMMILLO DEGREGORIUS.

Where the forgoing telegram means that the I. W. W.’s are attempting to interest the Italian government in the case of Tresca is not known, but intimated.

J. J. McCarthy, one of the new leaders, today stated that there were 11,000 miners on the Mesaba range before the strike started, according to figures compiled by the I. W. W.’s. He declares that 2,500 have left the range and that only 2,500 are now working for the mining companies at all range properties. He claims that the strikers’ strength is 10,000 strong.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Italian Government Takes Interest in Case of Carlo Tresca, Imprisoned in Minnesota” →

Hellraisers Journal: Miss Flynn & Arturo Giovannitti Speak Out on Behalf of Mesabi Iron Strike Prisoners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners
It’s the wrong way to go.
It’s the wrong way to best the Miners,
As the Steel Trust soon will know.
God help those dirty Mine Guards,
The Miners won’t forget.
It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners,
And the guards will know that yet.
-Written by a Miner in Jail

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 9, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – Appeal for Support

From Michigan’s Escanaba Morning Press of September 7, 1916:

SAYS DEPUTY KILLED MYRON
—–

EGF, Tresca, MN Iron Miners Strike, Ev IN, Aug 17, 1916

Virginia, Minn., Sept. 6-Deputy Sheriff Edward Shubisky killed Deputy Sheriff Myron during the Biwabik riot July 3 and not Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], Carlo Tresco [Tresca] and others of the I. W. W. indicated for the murder of the officer, according to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who made the sensational charge at Socialist hall here last night before an audience made up, it is said, largely of curiosity seers.

She declared that Deputy Shubisky had fired three shots said that three bullets caused the death of Myron’ that Shubisky admitted firing three times. “Myron was struck in the back and it appears that Shubisky, who declares he does not know where he fired the three bullets, killed him,” she shouted. Nick Dillon, special deputy, was accused of the murder of Tom Ladvala, Biwabik pop-man.

 

Her version of the Biwabik tragedy was that Mr. and Mrs. Masonovich and three boarder were in their home when Deputies Myron, Shubisky, Dillion and Hoffman entered; that Dillion struck Masonovich; that Mrs. Masonovich tried to get her husband’s shoes and that she was knocked down by Dillion and that three boarders jumped to the rescue of Mrs. Masonovich; that Dillion left for help and that in the excitement Shubisky accidentally killed Myron. She claimed that the boarders had no firearms.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Miss Flynn & Arturo Giovannitti Speak Out on Behalf of Mesabi Iron Strike Prisoners” →