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WE NEVER FORGET
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Alois Tijan-18 |
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Steve Putrich-40 |
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MINER'S BULLETIN
Published by authority of Western Federation of Miners
to tell the truth regarding the strike of copper miners
No.4 Aug19th 1913
IN MEMORY of our murdered Brothers
LOUIS TIJAN and STEVE PUTRICH
They never fail who die in a great cause,
The block may soak their gore,
Their heads may sodden in the sun,
Their limbs be strung to city gates and castle walls,
But still their spirits walks abroad and overwhelm
All others in advancing freedom.
No fitter words have been spoken, my dear, brave brothers. Your folded hands strike at the citadels of oppression with greater power than life could ever give. Your silent lips have the gift of eloquence beyond the power of speech. Though dead, you yet speak to us, and live in our heart of hearts.
None can doubt the sincerity of your sacrifice. None can put a greater gift on humanity's altar than you have done. You fell, my brave young brothers, in life's morning, ere the heat of the day had begun, while the air was filled with fragrance and song, and you held life's sweetest dreams.
We pick up those dreams at your graveside; we will carry them on, a sacred trust, and strive to realize them in the lives of all. And when the day is hot, our hearts weary, when faith falters, we will come to your grave to gain new courage, to learn of a devotion that falters not, eternal through the years and across the centuries.
Then we will go forth to battle until victory comes.
You shall not have died in vain. Yours shall be an inspiration in all of freedom's battles. You shall live in all of freedom's sons, your grave a shrine for all her lovers.
On your tombs, we will write the words: "They died for us." In our hearts, we shall carry the high resolve to be worthy of your sacrifice.
The Seeberville Massacre
On August 14, 1913, deputies and Waddell Detectives, some of whom had also been sworn in as deputies, came to a Croatian boarding house in Seeberville, Michigan. They came to arrest two striking miners who had used a well-worn path, part of which crossed company property. They came without warrants, and on the orders of a company supervisor who wanted the men brought to him. When the two men resisted this unlawful arrest these gunthugs surrounded the little boarding house and fired through the windows until their guns were empty.
Inside the house, men, women, and little children took cover as best they could. When the shooting ended, four men and a baby were found wounded. Stanko Septic and John Stimac survived their wounds. The baby was burned on the face while held in her mother's arms and soon recovered. Alois Tijan and Steven Putrich did not.
The Death of Alois Tijan
Alois Tijan was shot in his left side. He was taken to an upstairs bedroom where he died in the arms of his brother, Albert. He was 18 years old, and a striking miner.
The Death of Steven Putrich
Steven Putrich was also a striking miner. He lived at the boarding house with his brother and his brother's wife and their four little children, ages 7 months to 4 years. His brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Antonia, ran the boarding house.
Before he was taken to the hospital, Steven said:
I am shot and if anything happens to me send my money to my children.
Joseph later testified that the doctor told him:
If I operate on your brother and he gets well he will just go out and fight again. You go and tell your Croatian people to go back to work, and I will treat your brother.
Steven Putrich died in that hospital.
From the Miner's Bulletin No. 3 of August 16, 1913:
Strikers Murdered by Deputies in Cold Blood
Will they be Punished?
The Croatian Boarding House
Location of the Seeberville Massacre
Two men were murdered at a mine location near Painesdale known as Seeberville, Thursday afternoon August 14. Two others were shot, one of whom may die.
Louie Tijan was shot and instantly killed at his boarding house, by secret service men last night. Steve Putrich shot through the breast, died from his wounds in the hospital about noon Friday. Stanko Stepic in hospital shot through left wrist and wounded in body, may die.
John Stimac, shot in the stomach while sitting at table. The above outrages came as the crimes to the reign of organized thuggery under the direction of James Waddell. These killings are among the fruits harvested in this district from the importation of man-killers. The morning lyer [liar?] of the operator [the Mining Gazette?] stated that the killing was the result of resisting arrest.
Here are the facts.
John Kalem and J. Stimac came from South Range yesterday afternoon, to their home in Seeberville following the railroad track till near the bridge when they took a by-path leading to a mine shack, and on the property of the mining company, although in general use. While near the shaft, a secret service man ordered them back. They replied: "We always go this way, it's closer," and went on. They had scarcely reached the house, when Deputy Sheriff, Henry James, trammer boss, and six secret service men arrived. The trammer boss pointed out Kalem as the man. The leader of the secret service man says: "come with me." He replied: "I guess not." At that the leader sprang upon him and began clubbing him. All the men ran into the boarding house. Upon command from the leader, the secrete service man, two at each window, began firing into the little home, and James shot one of the party, shooting from the doorway, with the results indicated above.
The tragedy occurred in an Austrian boarding house. The wife of the proprietor has four children, the oldest four years old, the youngest a baby of six months, in her arms, was burned by powder smoke from the shots of the secret service men shooting into the room where she and her children were. Almost at once after the shooting, deputies and soldiers arrived. They searched the house, even going through the trunks of the men. They found no weapons of any kind. There was no resistance to the officers. There was no call upon the men to surrender. The secret service men [Waddell men, many of them sworn in as deputies] came to murder, and they accomplished their infamous purpose.
Then, as if to afford some justification for their murder, they went around the houses of the location picking up all old broken bottles, the product of years and gathered them up, claiming they had been thrown at them. It was too late to manufacture evidence. There were too many witnesses to the crime, who knew what the thugs were doing.
It is reported that the Prosecuting Attorney twice requested that the Sheriff serve warrants upon the murders. He has not done so yet. He divides honors(?) with other accessories before the facts.
Let the reader put down these facts as against the statements of the Mining Gazette, the advocate of deportation, and constantly inviting to assassination.
SOURCES
Miner's Bulletin
-of Aug 16 & 19, 1913
Rebels on the Range
-by Arthur W Thurner
MI, 1984
Photos:
Funeral from Copper Country History
http://coppercountry.wordpress.com/...
Grave marker and boarding house from Keweenaw Now
http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/...
lhttp://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/...