Tag: SPA Local Trinidad CO

Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Miss Helen Schloss, The Red Nurse, Arrested for Picketing, Now in Trinidad Jail

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Helen Schloss, Women w Hungry Souls, Black Hills Dly Rg p2, July 15, 1910—————-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday September 17, 1914
Colorado Socialists Now Lodged in the Foul Trinidad Jail

Colorado Socialists, Helen Schloss and A. Marians, are now imprisoned in the Trinidad Jail, a jail where conditions are so vile that it stands condemned by the State Board of Health. Also a guest of that foul lodging establishment is John Murray, Appeal correspondent.

No Stranger to Jail, Helen Schloss behind bars during Little Falls Strike:

Helen Schloss Jailed, Little Falls Strike, IRS Cv, Jan 1913

From the Appeal to Reason of September 12, 1914:

Federals Imprison Trained Nurse

By telegraph to Appeal to Reason.

Trinidad, Colo.-Helen Schloss, Socialist, trained nurse in charge of hospital tents of the striking miners at Ludlow, was arrested while picketing with a number of miners’ wives at the railroad station. The gallant Southern Major Cabell of the United States army had on of his soldiers swear to the complaint, and a company just imported from Tellerville held court in the railroad station, sentencing Miss Schloss to 15 days in Trinidad’s jail.

It was this same Major Cabell and his soldiers that man-handled Miss Schloss and a score of miners’ wives a few days ago at Ludlow, the brutal attacks of the federals leaving black and blue marks upon the women. The jail in which Miss Schloss is confined has been condemned by the state board of health, and is at this time crowded with striking miners just indicted by a hand-picked grand jury, on which were a number of notorious gunmen.

Miss Schloss nursed the wounded miners in the hospital tents, and cared for their children. Her arrest has shocked the entire community.

                                                                                   JOHN MURRAY

[Emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Miss Helen Schloss, The Red Nurse, Arrested for Picketing, Now in Trinidad Jail” →

Hellraisers Journal: The women answered: they had to take a part in the strike; their husbands’ fight was their fight, and side by side they would struggle with the men.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Helen Schloss, Women w Hungry Souls, Black Hills Dly Rg p2, July 15, 1910—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday September 16, 1914
Women on Picket Duty at Ludlow, Colorado, Face Federal Soldiers

Ludlow Refugees at Trinidad, ISR p715, June 1914

Helen Schloss tells a stirring story of the courageous women of the Southern Colorado Coalfield Strike who have now taken up picket duty and are meeting the scabs as they arrive at the Trinidad depot. Bearing the insignia of the “Women’s Union Picket Squad,” the women face arrest by federal soldiers.  When they were advised by Major Rockwell to cease picketing:

The women answered that they had to take a part in the strike, that their husbands’ fight was their fight, and that side by side they would struggle with the men.

From The Labor World of September 12, 1914:

WOMEN ON PICKET DUTY IN COLORADO

———-
Wear Sashes Bearing Insignia That all
May See When Leaving Trains.
———-
FEDERAL SOLDIERS IGNORE INSTRUCTIONS
———-
Charged That Outsiders Are Permitted
to Take Jobs of Striking Miners.
———-
BY HELEN SCHLOSS.

LUDLOW, Colo., Sept 11.-Women in the strikers’ colony have become pickets. They are already doing valuable work. One Sunday evening recently as the train was pulling in, a group of women appeared at the station to meet it. They had sashes across their chests bearing the insignia, “Women’s Union Pickett Squad.”The soldiers at the station were dumbfounded, and did not know what to make of us. We were not molested that evening, and we called a scab a scab. We pleaded with the scabs not to go into the mines, and take their brothers’ jobs. We informed them of the danger in the mines with unskilled hands.

We kept up our arrogant picketing for two trains but when the third train arrived, we were informed that we would not be allowed at the depot.

Major Cable, of the federal troops, who is a southern gentleman, told us that he hated to see women in the capacity of pickets, and that perhaps the scabs might insult us, and that he as a soldier would hate to see us insulted. The gentleman pleaded with us, but we stood on our grounds of constitutional rights.

We informed the major that we would return to the depot. He then informed us that we would be arrested and taken before the justice of the peace. After much argument and after we tried to show him what picketing meant, he said that we might return to the depot providing we did not call any names, such as scabs, which seemed to be very offensive to the gentleman.

One Saturday evening after the train pulled out and the scabs were waiting in the hacks for the soldiers to take their names, and while the pickets were standing near to listen, we were told to move.

We did move, but not enough to suit the major. “Soldiers,” he shouted, “remove the women.” The soldiers surrounded us like a pack of hounds, and tried to remove us from the platform. But alas, they were mistaken, they thought perhaps we would be so frightened that we would run back to the tent colony. But we did not move. One husky soldier grabbed me and dragged me from the plat form, and I had a toss and tumble with him. Mrs Dominiske took hold of a post and stuck to it with all her strength. Mrs Bartolotti had her face slapped. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: The women answered: they had to take a part in the strike; their husbands’ fight was their fight, and side by side they would struggle with the men.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Comrade Marians, Socialist of Trinidad, Colorado, Warns of Reorganization of Murderous Militia Troop

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Ludlow Mary Petrucci, Children all dead, ed, Trinidad Las Animas Co CO Affidavit, May 11, 1914—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday August 28, 1914
Trinidad Socialist Warns of Reorganization of Murderous State Militia

From The Day Book of August 27, 1914: 

COLORADO’S WAR THREATENS
TO BREAK OUT AGAIN

CO Militiamen and Mine Guards w Machine Gun Aimed at Ludlow, ISR p713, June 1914

Colorado’s labor war threatens to break out again. A. Marians, a union coal miner, secretary of the Socialist party local at Trinidad, Col, has sent a telegram to all Socialist state secretaries. The copy received by John C. Kennedy, Illinois state secretary, reads:

Comrades of America: Troop A of Trinidad and E of Walsenburg (Col.) National Guard organization, which massacred women and children at Ludlow, have reorganized to their full strength and are holding nightly meetings in their armories. Col. Lockett, commanding federal troops, states to citizens that he will permit militiamen to parade through Trinidad streets. Federals will then leave. Citizens openly declare these preparations mean further bloodshed, as company gunmen and Baldwin-Feltz detectives have been enrolled in the militia here for the past week. These things being so, we Socialists of Las Animas county appeal to Socialists of America to take immediate action to protect workers here from repetition of Ludlow massacre, as authorities of state and nation are impotent. Will you see the slaughter repeated without coming to our aid? This message was sent to every state secretary.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: “Class Struggle News; The Latest from Trinidad; the Mother Jones Parade”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Chase No Own State, RMN p3, Jan 12, 1914—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 1, 1914
Trinidad, Colorado – Mother Jones Still a Military Prisoner, Held Incommunicado

From the International Review of March 1914:

Trinidad CO Parade f Mother Jones ISR p517, Mar 1914

The Latest from Trinidad

INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST REVIEW,
Chicago, Ill.
Dear Comrades:

Replying to yours of Feb. 5, regarding a letter to Mother Jones, I must say it is impossible. She is held absolutely “incommunicado”-no one having seen her since incarceration except Horace Hawkins, attorney for U. M. W. A., and his admission was since the Congressional investigation was approaching. I enclose you clipping from yesterday’s daily showing how even medical advice from outside was denied her. “Military discipline” and general conditions are softening down much since the investigation has become a certainty. This puts new hope and courage into us all.

Yours for Socialism,
GRACE B. MARIANS,
Local Secty., S. P.
Feb. 10, 1914

Mother ]ones Parade

On January 22 a women’s parade was formed to make a demonstration protesting against the imprisonment of “Mother Jones.” The line of march was to proceed from Castle Hall up Commercial street, along Main to the postoffice, and then return to Castle Hall. One of the leaders was an Italian woman, who did not speak or understand English well. She was carrying an American flag in the form of a large banner. Not knowing that the parade was to turn at the postoffice, she led the parade towards the hospital where Mother Jones is held. A block from the postoffice the parade was met by a troop of cavalry commanded in person by General Chase. The soldiers immediately pulled the flag out of the woman’s hands. Other women ran up and demanded the return of the flag. This was finally returned to them amidst cheers.

Colorado Militia at Trinidad, ISR p519, Mar 1914

On receiving the flag the paraders re-formed, turned around and started back to the hall. They had not proceeded a block when the troop of cavalry, who had now been reinforced by the infantry, charged at full gallop with drawn sabers. Women were rode down, others flocked to the sidewalks. The cavalry then charged the sidewalks, beating the people with the flat of their swords. One woman received a gash on the hand from the saber stroke. Mrs. Margaret Hammond was struck by a militiaman with his fist, cutting her forehead above the left eye and blackening both eyes. Any person objecting to the treatment was immediately seized and taken to jail.

The infantry backed up the charge with drawn bayonets, forcing the people before them. Private lawns were invaded and any persons standing on them were herded off. Even government property was not sacred. The troops drove people from the postoffice steps.

A number of people were injured in this charge, mostly women, and eighteen were taken to prison. The streets were then blocked by the militia and no person was allowed to pass up or down them without permission of an officer.

Governor Ammons upheld General Chase in his chivalrous attack upon the women of the community.

—————

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: “Class Struggle News; The Latest from Trinidad; the Mother Jones Parade”” →