Tag: United Mine Workers of America

Hellraisers Journal: Jack Sellins, Seeks Justice for His Mother, Martyred Mine Workers’ Organizer, Fannie Sellins

Janet RayeFannie Sellins
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Quote M. Robbins, for Fannie Sellins, Wkrs Wld p4, Nov 28, 1919—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday April 2, 1922
Jack Sellins Seeks Justice for Murder of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski

From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 1, 1922:

 

SON SEEKS JUSTICE
———-

ASKS THAT SLAYER OF HIS MOTHER,
MRS. FANNIE SELLINS,
BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
———

WNF Sellins Starzeleski Monument, The Woman Today p9, Sept 1936

Editor of the Journal: I am writing you concerning the bringing to justice the persons responsible for the death of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski, who were murdered in wanton cold blood over two and a half years ago.

For this length of time every effort has been made to find the persons responsible for this crime, and on January 26, last, three deputy sheriffs were arrested for the murder. Even on the information on which the arrests were made the court granted them their liberty on bail, which was only $2,500. However, on February 14, the grand jury returned an indictment against the three, and we are now waiting for a date for the trial to be set.

The three men indicted are: Edward Mannison, John Pierson and James Reilly, former deputy sheriffs.

A copy of a resolution is herewith enclosed asking that the two attorneys we have employed be appointed as special district attorneys. I would like to see this resolution adopted by local unions over the country and be sent to president judge of the Allegheny County courts.

Fraternally yours,
JACK SELLINS.

The writer of the above is a son of Mrs. Fannie Sellins, so brutally murdered by deputy sheriffs in the Brackenridge mine strike. He has had a heroic effort to have the slayers of his mother brought to justice, and says he is taking no chance of a failure of prosecution in the hands of the district attorney’s office.

The resolution is as follows:

Whereas, The District Attorney of Allegheny County has failed to proceed with the prosecution of the murderers of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski, or to take any action to bring these offenders to trial, said murders having been committed at West Natrona, Pa., on Aug. 26, 1919;

Be it Resolved, That we believe that private counsel should be employed for that purpose, and that the court be asked to appoint two attorneys as special deputy district attorneys to take charge of said prosecution, and, further, we recommend that the court appoint John S. Robb, Jr., Esq., of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Victor B. Benton, Esq., of New Kensington, Pa., as such special deputy district attorneys, and that a copy of this resolution be mailed to the president judge of Allegheny County courts.

—————

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1912, Part II: Four Score Hard Winters of Labor’s Heroine Described by Lawrence Todd

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, No Abiding Place, WDC Hse Com Testimony, June 14, 1910—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday March 28, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1912, Part II
The Four Score Hard Winters of Labor’s Heroine by Lawrence Todd

From The Tacoma Times of February 14, 1912:

Four Score Hard Winters Has Mother Jones Seen,
and She Is a Heroine in Labor’s Ranks Still
———-

BY LAWRENCE TODD.

Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p3, Feb 14, 1912

“Where do you live, ‘”Mother Jones?” asked the chairman of a Congressional investigating committee of a little old woman in rusty black.

She had kindly, determined Irish features and the most piercing and confusing of blue Irish eyes. Brave, kindly, faith-inspiring eyes the old woman had, and a motherly way of speaking when she was not aroused. But this chairman was trying to defend the steel barons from the charge of enslaving their men.

“I live in the United States, sorr,” she replied.

“But where-in what state have you a home?”

“Where the big thieves are wringing their dollars out of the blood and bone of my poor, miserable people, sorr,” came back the reply, in a voice like that of an accusing judge. “Sometimes it is among the slaves of the Alabama iron mines; sometimes with the gold and silver miners of Arizona, where the Southern Pacific has fastened itself on their throats; sometimes with the boys on the northern copper range, and often in the coal miners’ shacks in Pennsylvania or West Virginia. Where you send your militia where men are shot and women driven from their homes at night by armed bullies, there I stay.”

“Mother” Jones is nearly 80 years of age. What she told the corporation congressman is literally true. For more than a generation she has been an organizer for the Western Federation of Miners and for their brothers, the United Mine Workers. Strikes she has seen and taken a part in, since she was a little girl in a southern cotton mill. Once she led 1,500 women of the coal miners’ families against a Colorado sheriff and his deputies. The sheriff for once was driven back from the strikers picket line.

At another crisis, when the children of the Philadelphia factories were crying for protection, “Mother” Jones shocked the community by organizing a great parade of 7,000 crippled and maimed boys and girls, ragged and pale, underfed and haggard as factory children always become, to march through the streets of the fashionable shopping quarter. Always she is making a fight against social wrongs. Usually she is dramatic about it. Always her warm heart and her fearless tongue, and her white forehead that has more than once been pressed by the muzzle of a deputy’s gun, endear her to the wretched people who spend their days in factories and mines.

Just now the miners have lent “Mother” to the striking stoop employes of the Harriman railroads in the western country, where she is making appeals to the women to do picket duty. Incidentally she visited the convention of the California State Building Trades council at Fresno, and urged the delegates to stand by their officials, Tveitmoe and Johannsen, indicted in connection with the alleged dynamiting conspiracy.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1912, Part I: Found in Colorado, Wyoming, Illinois, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Master Class Creates Violence, LA Rec p4, Dec 21, 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 27, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1912, Part I
Found in Colorado, Wyoming, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana

From the Appeal to Reason of February 3, 1912:

Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p3, Feb 14, 1912The California Building Trades convention [of late January] unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a conference between the Socialist Party, the state A. F. of L. and the State Building Trades, with a view to united political action for the working class. Job Harriman, Mother Jones and Alexander Irvine were among the speakers at the convention.

—————

[Photograph added.]

From the Denver Rocky Mountain News of February 7, 1912:

 

ROOSEVELT ‘MONKEY CHASER,’
DECLARES ‘MOTHER’ JONES
———-

“WALL STREET WILL ELECT HIM NEXT PRESIDENT,”
SAYS WOMAN LABOR LEADER.
———-

That Theodore Roosevelt is a “monkey chaser,” but will be elected the next president of the United States despite the fact, is the opinion of “Mother” Jones, who arrived in Denver yesterday to investigate labor conditions.

“I have no doubt that Roosevelt will be the next president,” she says. “Of course, I have no use for him, but he plays to the galleries, and a Wall street will elect him.

“He is the fellow who sent guns to murder the working men in the strike of 1904 [Telluride, November 1903].

“Taft is right in with him, but I think that Taft is more of a gentleman than Roosevelt is.”

“Mother” Jones will make an address at Eagle hall tomorrow night, under the auspices of the Western Federation of Miners.

———-

From Denver’s United Labor Bulletin of February 8, 1912:

 

“MOTHER” JONES SPEAKS TO
FEDERATED SHOPMEN

Strike Is Already Won, Says “Mother”
Many Entertainments for Benefit of Strikers

“Mother” Jones spoke to a large crowd at Eagles’ hall Wednesday night, and during her address but one man left the hall. She spoke to the striking Federated Shopmen, and her discourse covered a period of two and one-half hours. “Mother” Jones has passed through the entire life of the labor movement in the United States. The daughter of a miner and later a miner’s wife, she was reared and spent her life in the labor movement. She has a wonderful memory, and in her address she followed the evolution of the labor movement in the United States, and told of how labor has been exploited by capital to the detriment of the human race.

“Mother” Jones has been traveling over the Harriman system, and said that the strike of the shopmen was won now, and it was only a matter of time until the roads will sign up. She said that on one occasion where a train on which she was riding had a nine-hour schedule it took the train thirty-six hours to make the trip.

From Rawlins Republican (Wyoming) of February 8, 1912:

 

MOTHER JONES HERE

Last Thursday evening in the Danish hall Mother Jones spoke to the striking shopmen and several of their friends. The crowd was very enthusiastic and frequently applauded the speaker.

Mother Jones is a strong and vigorous speaker and does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. She assured the strikers that she was confident that a settlement of their troubles would be made in the near future, advised them to remain firm in their demands and not desert the cause for which they had been fighting for so long. She urged the men strongly to remain away from the saloons and gambling houses and prophesied that if this was not done much discredit would be thrown upon the cause they represent.

As is usual in labor leaders, she strongly denounced the capitalist class and even took a shot at several of she religious organizations.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1902, Part II: Found Returning to West Virginia as Organizer for United Mine Workers

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Mine Supe Bulldog of Capitalism—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 19, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1902, Part II
Found Returning to West Virginia as Organizer for U. M. W. A.

From The Philadelphia Inquirer of February 16, 1902:

Mother Jones, Ipl Ns p11, Jan 21, 1902

Mother Jones stopped over in the city yesterday on her way to the Southern coal fields, to the organization of which region she has been assigned by President Mitchell, of the United Mine Workers.

[Photograph added.]

From the Birmingham Labor Advocate of February 22, 1902:

 

HdLn Textile Workers Union Growing, Bmghm Lbr Adv p1, Feb 22, 1902

It is interesting to note the progress being made by the organization of Textile Workers for the betterment of the workers in the textile industries, both North and South.

A national organization of these workers with affiliation with the American Federation of Labor was only formed last year, and delegates were accepted at the last convention at Scranton. The organization consists of the workers in cotton factories and knitting mills and their strides forward have been rapid and well taken. Quite a foothold has been secured in the Carolinas, particularly North Carolina, the Charlotte district being compactly organized.

[…..]

The condition of the textile workers are little understood, and if told in cold black type would probably create a furore….They are first robbed of all independence, planted in company houses, often fed from company stores and worked at the company’s will. The result is that the spirit of organization has hard ground to work over, but the Textile Workers’ organization is making headway.

Mother Jones, that noted woman who has devoted her life to the interest of the organization of labor and to the betterment of the conditions of the workers, and whose penchant seems to be the factory workers, came to Birmingham a few years ago and spent considerable time in the Avondale mills working as a weaver and trying to lay ground plans for an organization, but the time was not ripe; yet many of the facts that she made known have been most useful in the work now progressing…..

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1902, Part I: Found in Indianapolis, Cleveland and Pennsylvania Towns of Erie and Arnot

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones WV Miners Conditions, ISR p179 , Sept 1901—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday March 18, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1902, Part I
Found in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Erie and Arnot, Pennsylvania

From Indiana’s Muncie Daily Herald of February 3, 1902:

Our Indianapolis Correspondent Has to
Do With Several Points.

Mother Jones DRWG Reading, Ipl Ns p9, Jan 22, 1902

Indianapolis, Feb. 3.-The members of the delegation of the Illinois miners to the joint conference here told an amusing story today in which a woman’s hat was a prominent part. One of the most picturesque characters at the great convention is Mother Jones, who has a national reputation among organized laborers. She has been prominent in their trials and triumphs and the miners would be lonesome at their convention without her. Today she appeared among them with a handsome new hat and thereby hangs the tale. She attended one of their meetings last week, and during the discussion a husky Illinois delegate sat down on her hat, mashing it flat. Mother Jones didn’t say much about it, as she is with the miners first and last, but the Illinois men were determined to make good, so they took up a collection and purchased a beautiful and costly bit of millinery that was the talk of all the miners.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From The Cleveland Leader of February 6, 1902:

“MOTHER JONES”
———-
Famous Woman Agitator Delivers Address
Before Central Labor Union.

“Mother” Jones, the famous agitator made a stirring address at the meeting of the Central Labor Union last night on the subject of her organizing work for unions in the Virginias. She was bitter in her denunciation of capital and many of her remarks were warmly applauded. She stated that the toilers were in no better condition than the prisoners in Siberia. She urged the workingmen present to elect men from among their own numbers to the lawmaking bodies, as their only means of salvation…..

From Pennsylvania’s Erie Daily Times of February 7, 1902:

“MOTHER” JONES
———-
The Miner’s Valued Friend, 
Is in Erie Today.
———-

Mother Jones stopped over in Erie today on her way from the miners’ convention in Indianapolis. By request she will remain in the city for a few days. She will give an address tomorrow evening at the Labor Carnival, and on Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock, will speak at the Central Labor Union hall, corner of Fifth and State streets. Mother Jones scarcely needs an introduction to the people of Erie, as by reputation she is well known here as the woman who for many years has been a conspicuous figure during he strikes of the coal miners.

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Police and Militia in Lawrence Seize Babies, Prevent Strikers from Sending Children to Philadelphia

Janet RayeBread and Roses Strike of 1912
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Quote EGF, Heaven n Hell, ISR p617, Jan 1910—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday February 26, 1912
Lawrence, Massachusetts – Mothers and Children Attacked by Militia

From The Kansas City Star of February 24, 1912:

 Lawrence, Mass., Feb. 24.-Heads  were broken today in a riot which resulted from an attempt to send thirty children of striking textile workers to Philadelphia, contrary to orders from the authorities. Police and military took the children into custody and arrested several persons.

Anticipating a possible attempt to rescue the children four companies of infantry and a squad of cavalry surrounded the railroad station when they were taken into custody.

The action was taken as a result of the order issued last Saturday by Colonel Sweetser, commander of the militia doing patrol duty here, forbidding the exportation by the strike committee of the Industrial Workers of the World of additional parties of children to other cities in an endeavor to create sympathy in the cause of the strikers without permission of the parents.

When they learned that their children had been taken into custody the parents rushed to the police station to rescue them, but a big squad of special policemen was thrown about the building and the parents were arrested when they entered the station.

—————

DASTARDLY, UNION MEN SAY.
[United Mine Workers of America, District 12]
———-
Resolutions Adopted Regarding the
Actions Of Soldiers at Lawrence

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Feb. 24.–Announcement of the action of the Lawrence, Mass., authorities in preventing children of the textile strikers from leaving the city brought a storm of protest from the convention of the Illinois mine workers here today. Resolutions were adopted denouncing the authorities for what the resolutions termed “a most dastardly outrage.”

“By such acts as these are the McNamara outrages prompted, and those in charge of the affairs, as well as the mill owners, should be charged with the most contemptible of crimes, which will hasten the day of the torch and the bomb, if an enlightened people do not at once rise up in their might and once and for all put an end to these Russianized methods.” the resolution says.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1912, Part II: Found in Fresno at California State Convention of Building Trades Council

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Revolutionary Class Conscious Vote, Fno Tb p1, Jan 18, 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday February 22, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1912, Part II
Found in Fresno at State Convention of Building Trades Council

From The Fresno Morning Republican of January 17, 1912:

CA Building Trades Council Convention Delegates, Fresno Mrn Rpb p3, Jan 17, 1912

[Delegates to the California State Convention of the Building Trades Council.]

The picture contains most of the prominent labor leaders attending the sessions of the B. T. C. Olaf A Tveitmoe, seated in front can be picked out by his cane. On his right is President McCarthy, ex-mayor of San Francisco, and on McCarthy’s right, J. B. Bowen, first vice president and acting president during McCarthy’s mayoralty. Anton Johannsen, state organizer, and under indictment with Tveitmoe, is seated on the extreme right of the picture. The picture was taken yesterday noon by a representative of the Western  Panoramic company of San Jose.

—————

UNION MEN URGED TO VOTE AS CLASS
———-
Resolutions Propose Minimum Wage Scale
of $2 and 8-Hour Day
———-

According to the official report given out yesterday from the session of the California Sate Building Trades Council, the reports from the different local councils give promises of support, both financial and moral, for the fight growing out of the recent indictments returned by the federal grand jury of Los Angeles against Olaf A. Tveitmoe and Anton Johannsen. This information was given out by Tveitmoe, who as secretary is the press bureau of the convention…

The second day of the eleventh annual convention of the California State Building Trades Council which is being held at the Union hall, was marked by speeches by Job Harriman, defeated candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, and Alexander Irvine his campaign manager, urging the banding together of all union men for political purposes. These two speakers are themselves socialists, and would probably prefer to have organized labor fall into the ranks of the Socialist party, but nothing definitely suggesting this was made in their speeches. They urged co-operation between unions and Socialists, probably leading to a Labor-Socialist party.

[…..]

PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT

In order to allow the general public an opportunity to hear the prominent labor leaders who are now here, a mass meeting of all delegates and visitors will be held at the Barton opera house tonight at 8 o’clock, to which the general public is invited and urged to be present. Olaf A. Tveitmoe, the indicted secretary-treasurer; P. H. McCarthy, ex-mayor of San Francisco; Job Harriman, candidate for mayor of Los Angeles and Alexander Irvine, one of the henchmen of Harriman in his fight for the mayoralty, will all speak…

“Mother” Jones eighty years old and for many years connected with the labor movement of all branches, arrived in Fresno last evening and will probably be one of the speakers of the public mass meeting…..

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1912, Part I: Found in California Speaking on Behalf of Striking Railroad Shopmen

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday February 21, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1912, Part I
Found in California Speaking on Behalf of Striking Shopmen

From The Sacramento Bee of January 8, 1912:

SHOPMEN HEAR “MOTHER” JONES

Mother” Jones, the famous labor leaderMother Jones crpd ed, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910, spoke in this city for the second time Saturday night, when she addressed meeting in Socialist Hall at 1024½ J Street. Her theme was the principles of labor unionism, and her remarks were made principally in behalf of the striking shopmen. “Mother” Jones declared the strikers were right, and urged them to hold out firm against the efforts of the Harriman lines to prevent them from establishing a shop federation.

—————

[Photograph added.]

From the Ogden Evening Standard of January 9, 1912:

MOTHER JONES AT M. E. CHURCH
———-

Evidently holding with Kipling that “the female of the species is more deadly than the male,” Mother Jones, internationally known because of her fiery oratory in defense of labor, arraigned and chided the women of her audience in the Methodist church last night, claiming that women are always the dangerous element to the cause of labor during strikes. Mother Jones spoke under the auspices of the Harriman federation, although the expenses of her present tour over the Harriman railroad system are being bourne by the Western Federation of Miners.

The aged “guardian of the minors,” now nearing her eightieth birthday, did not lack in oratorical vigor and spoke with all the vehemence that has marked her forty years experience in the labor movement. While Mother Jones spoke with almost brutal force at times, there was withal a kindly thread of sentiment throughout her talk which softened the harshness with which she emphasized her contempt for “scabs,” “corporation lap dogs,” “capital’s spies and detectives,” “capital’s rats,” and kindred vindictive frequently used.

Mother Jones turned many of her remarks to the women of her audience, stating that because the women in many instances do not understand the economic problems of the day they often persuade their husbands or brothers to return to work when their union is on strike. She contended that a large per cent of strike breakers became strike breakers because of the urging of women. “Women,” she asserted, “are the dangerous element in every strike, because they cannot see the need of labor’s organizations and do not know the struggle between capital and labor”

[She told the women:]

If I had a husband and he had never gone on a strike I would lick him and make him go on a strike. I would not live with such a servile slave, as the worker that never strikes. This nation was founded on a strike against George III and the bravest and best men of the nation have been striking against various forms of injustice ever since. And there have always been ‘scabs,’ men who were traitors to their fellows. There were traitors in the army of Washington and there were traitors to the Immortal Lincoln; always there have been traitors but the traitors have never in the end defeated a just cause. Labor never loses. It becomes better educated with each battle and its struggles becomes more intelligent and more heroic, and in the end it cannot lose.

The gray haired speaker recounted many of her experiences in different strikes, in which she has taking place, told of facing militia bullets in Pennsylvania during the coal strike of a year ago and during the greater strike of 1904. She said that the present strike on the Harriman lines was but a symptom of the industrial disease which infected the nation and the entire world and which would never be cured until the workers themselves owned the tools with which they worked. She ridiculed those whom she termed the timid strikers who were always asking how long the strike was going to last and told them that some strikes had been on after the workers had remained away from their jobs for five years. “This strike is going to last,” she said, “until the railroad company recognizes the federation of shop workers.”

Mother Jones will leave this city today for Salt Lake City where, she will deliver an address to the striking shopmen of that city tonight.

————–

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1902, Part II: Found Speaking at Convention of the United Mine Workers of America

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday February 17, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1902, Part II
Found Speaking at Indianapolis United Mine Workers Convention

From The Indianapolis News of January 21, 1902:

MOTHER JONES TALKED.
———-
A Speech to the Convention While
Waiting for Miss Meredith.

Mother Jones, Ipl Ns p11, Jan 21, 1902

While the convention awaited the coming of Miss Meredith to make charges against the national officers, this forenoon, the committee called for “Mother Jones” and she responded in a stirring speech.

She said it was a critical time for the miners’ organization, and she urged cautious and intelligent action on the part of the organisation in order to accomplish its purposes. She related, in an interesting way, her experiences in strikes and in the mining districts in the East.

One characteristic incident was of a time when a strike was on and the mining company’s policeman called on her to keep her from taking the miners’ part.

“Who are you?” she asked the policeman.

“The company’s watchman,” the officer replied.

“Well,” replied “Mother” Jones, “the company doesn’t own me. I’m responsible to God Almighty and He and I stand in on this question.”

This met with vigorous applause from the miners.

She urged greater respect for the Mine Workers’ organization, and censured the man who refused to pay dues to the national organization.

[She exclaimed:]

You poor, benighted, brainless creature that you are. You poor, ignorant, slaving serf. If the company offered you a barrel of beer, you would take it and fill your stomach; but won’t pay 25 cents to help the national organization.

She said the miners must be intelligent enough to emancipate themselves.

You have emancipated the mules that work with you and demanded that they shall be turned out to grass, but you nave not emancipated yourselves. The mule enjoys the air and grass, while you still toil down in the bad air of the mine working more than eight hours a day.

In a pathetic way she told of miners’ children, and in conclusion she said:

I plead with you men to go home and do your duty as men. Young men miners who work in the mines all day long and come out at night and never read a book. You don’t seem to study your coal trade only over men whom you have to deal with. Study your work and be prepared to take your post. You must be ready to go to jail, and must be willing to face bullets or even be hanged for your principles.

[Note: Miss Meredith charged that President John Mitchell and Secretary-Treasure William B. Wilson had minimized embezzlement committed by ex-Secretary W. C. Pearce, which charges were unanimously rejected by the Convention]

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1902, Part I: Found Describing United Mine Workers Organizing Drive in Old Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday February 16, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1902, Part I
Found Describing Organizing Efforts in Old Virginia

From the New York Worker of January 5, 1902:

CAPITALIST TOOLS IN OLD VIRGINIA.

Mother Jones, Ipl Ns p11, Jan 21, 1902

Mother Jones is at present in old Virginia, organizing for the United Mine Workers. As usual she finds labor conditions in that state as deplorable as else where, more so perhaps, because modern industrial methods are comparatively new there and the capitalist exploiter has unrestricted sway. That Mother Jones has anything but a “soft snap” is shown in a private letter, recently received. She says:

This is an American Siberia if one exists anywhere on the continent. Let me tell you what happened to me yesterday. I had a meeting scheduled several miles from here. The federal judge located here got on the train and went down ahead of me. I had the meeting billed for the colored church, but before I arrived the company served notice on the trustees that if they allowed me to speak they would annul their deed. The poor negroes got scared and begged me not to talk. When I arrived the federal judge was waiting to arrest me if I spoke.

I fooled both him and the company, however, for I called the meeting in a secret place, and had a fine crowd of the boys. The company officials are trying to find out where the meeting was held, but none of the boys will give it away, and so they cannot arrest me.

Nevertheless, they tied to bluff me and sent a company policeman up to serve notice on me not to speak or they would put me in jail. I sent back word, “Jail be hanged. I am going to hold that meeting.”

The company policemen have no bondsmen, are responsible to no one but the company, and they can put you in jail without a cause, and there is no redress. This fellow who spoke to me was a dandy.

He said the company hired him for $35 a month, twelve hours a day, and night work besides. He boasted of working seven years for one man for $3.50 a week, took care of a wife, paid house rent, bought fuel and clothes and fed themselves, and when he quit he had $37.67 saved up. He thought I should not come in there and “bother the company.” In our conversation it developed that he did not know who Thomas Jefferson was. He asked me if Jefferson was a minter. When I spoke of George Washington he asked me if I meant the company doctor. And this fellow is an officer of the law in the state of Virginia!

[Photograph added.]

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