Tag: Seattle WA

Hellraisers Journal: IWWs Brought to Chicago from New York City & Seattle; St John Arrested in New Mexico

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote Giovannitti, Prevail

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday November 6, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – More “Agitators” Arrive to Face Charges

From The Chicago Sunday Tribune of November 4, 1917:

I.W.W. AGITATORS TRICKLE IN
FROM ALL OVER THE U.S.
—–

EGF, Tresca, Giovannitti, 1915, 1916, 1913

One by one I.W. W. agitators, have been brought to Chicago from all parts of the United States until more than 100 of the 167 recently indicted by the federal grand jury are locked in Chicago jails. Charles F. Clyne, United States district attorney, said yesterday that he expected to see the case go to trial soon-probably within thirty days.

Three defendants arrived from New York yesterday. They are Elizabeth Gurney [Gurley] Flynn, Carl Tresca, and Arturo Giovannitti and will be given a chance to get bond. A fourth from the east, John Bladazi [Giovanni Baldazzi], an anarchist, is to be denied bond, it is said, as the government considers him too dangerous to be at large.

Seven more have just arrived from Seattle in charge of six officers. They are Harry Lloyd, J A. McDonald [MacDonald], , Walter Smith [Walker C Smith], J. T. Doran, James F. Thompson [James P Thompson], John M. Foss, and George Hardy. Claude R. Porter of Des Moines has arrived in Chicago to take the place of Frank C. Dailey, prosecutor, whose resignation has just been announced.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: The International Socialist Review on the September 5th Raids Made Upon the IWW and the SPA

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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We ask the membership to redouble their efforts
to build up the organization to the end that
the lot of the workers may be bettered,
and their toil-worn existence brightened.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday October 2, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Raids and More Raids

This month’s edition of the Review describes the raids conducted September 5th by Federa Agents at the behest of the U. S. Department of Justice upon the headquarters and regional offices of the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America:

SP Nat HQ w Germer, ISR Oct 1917

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The I. W. W. and the Socialist Party

SIMULTANEOUSLY on September 5th, representatives of the U. S. Government raided the national offices of the Socialist party and of the I. W. W. Chicago, and of some twenty branch offices of the I. W. W. in different states. U. S. marshals armed with search warrants have taken files, records, pamphlets, leaflets and in many places the entire offices were cleaned out.

Such a wholesale and simultaneous invasion upon the offices of a labor and Socialist organization have never taken place before in the history of this country. The charge has been made that the I. W. W. is a seditious organization and that the I. W. W. and the Socialist Party headquarters are guilty of violating the Espionage Act.

From the National Office

SEPTEMBER 5th a force of Federal Agents took possession of the national office. A thoro search of the office was made and later copies of books, leaflets, records and lists were taken.

This material is to be placed before the grand jury. The charge made against the national office is that some of the comrades have violated the Espionage Act.

It may have been the intention to conceal the real purpose of this search, but the inference was left that there was no disposition to interfere with the routine work of the party. If the information given us is correct, we will be permitted to continue our regular activities except so far as we interfere with the war program.

We appeal to the members of the party to lay special stress on organization at this time. Every member should enlist as a recruiting officer in order to build up the party machinery so that we can win a sweeping victory in the congressional elections of 1918.

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Hellraisers Journal: The Struggle of the Northwest Lumber Workers from the International Socialist Review

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday September 16, 1917
The Great Northwestern Lumber Strike: Causes and Demands

From the International Socialist Review of September 1917:

LUMBER BARONS REFUSE GOVERNMENT REQUEST
As we go to press we learn that Secretary of War Baker sent a telegram to the West Coast Lumbermen’s Association, urging an eight-hour day for Pacific Coast lumber workers.
According to an Associated Press dispatch, Robert B. Allen, Secretary of the Association, said the lumbermen were anxious to co-operate with the government, but “they did not feel that they could concede the eight-hour day at this time.” This open defiance of the government by the gentlemen composing this Association, coming at this time, is rank treason, and fifty thousand lumber jacks are watching the outcome.

Lumber Workers WA, ISR, Sept 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: IWW Halls and Socialists Offices Raided Coast to Coast by Federal Agents, Tons of Material Seized

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 6, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. and S. P. Headquarters Raided

The Headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World, located at 1001-1006 West Madison street, were raided by federal agents yesterday and vast amounts of property and documents seized. The offices of the Socialist Party of America and of its national newspaper, American Socialist, were also “visited.” The raids in Chicago were made simultaneously with raids of I. W. W. halls across the nation.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 6, 1917:

WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 2WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 3

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WE NEVER FORGET Frank Thornton Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Troy, Montana During July of 1917

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WE NEVER FORGET, Frank Thornton, Troy MT, July 1917


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Fellow Worker Frank Thornton

Organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World

Fellow Worker James Rowan, in his work entitled “The I. W. W. in the Lumber Industry,” described the death of Frank Thornton:

LWIU, IWW Label, Lumber Rowan, ab 1920

Near the end of July there occurred at Troy, Montana, an incident of shocking barbarity. A man named Frank Thornton was arrested in a saloon after a quarrel with the bartender, and the constable took him to the jail, a small wooden structure. According to the statements of by-standers who witnessed the arrest, two Lumber Trust gunmen followed them, and the sound of blows was heard coming from the jail, as if they were giving Thornton a terrible beating. That night the jail was burned down and Thornton, the only prisoner, was burned in it. It is thought by some that Thornton was beaten to death by the constable and gunmen on the afternoon of his arrest, and that the jail was purposely set on fire to cover up the crime. Others claimed that while the jail was burning, they could see Thornton writhing in agony among the flames. This much is certain: the jail burned and either Thornton or his dead body was burned with it. Thornton was beaten to death or burned alive in the jail, and the authorities who arrested him and put him in that jail are responsible for his death.

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Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Invites Czar to America, “Conditions here are good for your line of business.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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While Elihu Root is advising
the new Russian democracy,
you can come over and advise
the new American autocracy.
–Appeal to Reason to Czar Nicholas II

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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday July 12, 1917
Girard, Kansas – Invitation Sent to “Mr. Nicholas Romanoff”

From the Appeal to Reason of June 30, 1917:

The Appeal Invites “Czar Nick”
to Come to America

Girard, Kansas, June 27, 1917.

Mr. Nicholas Romanoff, Care Council of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Delegates, Petrograd, Russia.

Czar Nicholas II, March 1917, wiki

Dear Nick: Not knowing just how to reach you directly, we are sending this letter in care of the Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Delegates, who are doubtless keeping an eye on you and whom we trust to deliver this message uncensored as the mail of other private citizens is now being delivered-in Russia.

We expect you to be surprised at hearing from us, but not more surprised than we are at finding ourselves writing to you, a perfect stranger, you might say. Still, we feel that we have had an introduction to you after a fashion, having read about you a great deal and followed your recent career with much interest; so we think, Nick, that you’re the very man for a job that is now open over here in this land of the recently free. Here is a new and promising field for the exercise of your peculiar talents.

You will drop your hoe and come over on the next ship when we tell you that Czarism has been introduced in America, that the United States has taken the place of Russia with a vengeance that is rather characteristic of your own past rule.

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Hellraisers Journal: Everett Prisoners Freed; IWW Organizing Drives Declared in Lumber, Mining, and Marine Transport

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t Mourn, Organize!
-Joe Hill

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 1, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Telegram from Washington

INDUSTRIAL ACTION NEWS

Everett Massacre, Prisoners Released Telegram, ISR June 1917

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Everett Free Speech, Class War Prisoners at Cemetery, May 12, 1917, WCS

ON the 5th of November, 1916, five working men, members of the Industrial Workers of the World, were shot to death on the docks at Everett, Wash., by hirelings of either the mill owners of the State of Washington, or the Commercial Club of Everett, Wash. Forty-six other workers were wounded.

For this crime, seventy-three workers were jailed for six months under various charges and on the 5th day of May, this year, Thomas H. Tracy was acquitted of a murder charge after a trial lasting two months. Now comes the good news of “all prisoners released.” Another clean cut victory for the fighting I. W. W.!
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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Leaves Seattle, on Speaking Tour Back to New York City

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
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Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 18, 1917
From the Industrial Worker: Elizabeth Flynn Heading Back East

According to tour dates published in Seattle Industrial Worker, organ of the Industrial Workers of the World, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, has left Seattle and is heading back east, with speaking engagements scheduled along the way. She has a small son in the care of her mother in New York City, and she must surely be eager to be with him again.

From the Industrial Worker of April 21, 1917:

Everett Massacre, EGF Tour Dates, IW p2c4, Apr 21, 1917

From the Industrial Worker of May 8, 1917:

Everett Massacre, EGF Tour Dates, IW, May 8, 1917, p3

From The Rockford Republic (Illinois) of May 12, 1917:

ELIZABETH FLYNN SPEAKS.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, noted agitator, speaks tonight at the Olympic theater on Seventh street. She will tell about the trials at Everett, Wash., in which seventy-nine I. W. W. men are being tried for murder.

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Hellraisers Journal: Everett Class War Prisoners Released After Tracy Acquittal, Honor Murdered Fellow Workers

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Pray for the dead and
fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 13, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Following the acquittal of Tom Tracy, the Everett Free Speech Fight Prisoners have been released. They immediately visited the Mount Pleasant Cemetery were three of five Everett Martyrs lie buried:

Everett Free Speech, Class War Prisoners at Cemetery, May 12, 1917, WCS

Their next action was to turn themselves in at the I. W. W. Union Hall, to be assigned as needed. They have spent the time in jail studying in preparation to become capable union organizers.

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Everett Massacre Martyrs of Nov 5, 1916

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Hellraisers Journal: Victory for Industrial Workers of the World: Tom Tracy Found Not Guilty by Seattle Jury

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 May 7, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Victory for Everett Defense!

From The Seattle Star of May 5, 1917:

Everett Massacre, Tracy Freed, Stt Str, May 5, 1917

From the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee:

Everett Massacre, Def News #23, Tracy Freed, May 5, 1917

Everett Class War Prisoners 1916-17, Thomas H Tracy

SEATTLE, Wash., May 5th.-Thomas H. Tracy after a trial lasting exactly two months, has been acquitted. It is also exactly six months since the red outrage of Bloody Sunday on November 5. The fifth seems to be a significant date in this case and on November 5th was the trouble; on March 5th Tracy’s trial started and on May 5th he secured his acquittal.

JURY DELIBERATES 21 HOURS.

The case went to the jury yesterday, Friday, at 11:30 a. m. and the verdict was handed to the clerk of the court at 8:30 this morning. The Los Angeles sleuth, Malcolm McLaren, was rushing up to the courtroom to hear the verdict when he met Tracy himself returning in freedom! The famous “defective” did not look very happy at that moment!

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