You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Monday December 28, 1903
From The Sun of New York: "CALL TO COLORADO LABOR"
State Federation to Start a Movement Against Gov. Peabody.
DENVER. Col., Dec. 27.-The labor unions of Colorado are about to start a vigorous crusade against what they term the tyranny of Gov. Peabody and the State militia.
The State Federation of Labor sounded the keynote yesterday in an address urging the formation of a "law and order and constitutional rights protective league," which should appeal to the President and Congress for the protection of the constitutional rights of citizens. They declare that if this is not secured the members will defend their rights at all cost. Officers of other labor organizations met later and endorsed the State Federation's action.
The movement is to be general, and especial stress will be laid upon the growing tendency of the Governor to use the militia against members of organized labor. It will be argued that it is his intention, backed by the corporations, to destroy the labor organizations of the State. The men will be urged to exercise the right of self-defense.
This general movement is expected to reach its climax next Sunday, when a citizens' meeting will be held in Denver. Mother Jones and other labor agitators will address the meeting.
SOURCE
The Sun
(New York, New York)
-of Dec 28, 1903
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Sunday December 28, 1913
Hancock, Michigan - Sheriff Cruse has staff of Työmies arrested for "inciting to riot."
Sheriff Cruse has found himself a justice of the peace willing to issue 20 warrants for the arrests of the the staff of Työmies. These warrants charge the reporters and editors of Copper Country's Finnish Socialist newspaper with inciting to riot by means of the publication of the headline and the article which accused the Citizens' Alliance of murder in the deaths at the Italian Hall.
Four men were arrested at the newspaper's office yesterday, and more arrests are likely to follow. For now, Työmies is out of business; its voice has been effectively silenced. We will note that, if Työmies was attempting to incite a riot, they made a poor job of it for no riot, nor even talk of a riot, resulted from the publication of the "MURHATTU" (murder) issue.
Yanco Terzich, John H. Walker
and Charles Moyer
Meanwhile, no arrests have been made in the beating, shooting, kidnapping, and forced deportation of Moyer and Tanner. The Sheriff claims that no such crime took place, and that, in fact, Moyer skipped out on his hotel bill. President Moyer and Organizer Tanner have made their way to Chicago where Moyer was taken to a hospital and is receiving treatment for the gunshot wound he suffered at the hands of the Citizens' Alliance mob.
Funerals are taking place at six Calumet churches this morning. The front of the churches are filled with small caskets, so many that little caskets had to be sent in from near-by towns. After the services, there will be one united march to the cemetery. Thousands have come to Calumet by special trains to take part in the funeral march. We will have more on this sad story tomorrow.
SOURCE
Death's Door
The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder
-by Steve Lehto
MI, 2006
Photo: Charles Moyer in Hospital
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
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Saturday December 28, 2013
This is the account of the Italian Hall Massacre from the Miners Bulletin:
A HARVEST OF DEATH
Striking Miner's Children In Christmas Joys Are Called By The Angel Of Death
In the midst of Christmas good cheer and happiness twenty eight little girls, twenty four little boys, fifteen women and five men were swirled into the cruel jaws of death in less than five minutes at the Italian hall Calumet on Christmas eve. The striking miners of Calumet had prepared Christmas exercises and the distribution of presents for the little ones and at the appointed time the hall was filled with the happy little tots accompanied by their parents. The Christmas tree gaily decorated and loaded with presets stood upon the stage of the hall. The program was started by Mrs. Annie Clemenc who was making a talk to the children telling them that old Santa had not forgotten them just because their fathers had been denied work, and that they were all to be made happy by receiving many nice presents, candies, fruits and nuts.
The little ones had crowded near the stage their little faces beaming with delight when a fiend in the shape of a man sneaked up the stairway leading to the hall, opened the door and waving his arm cried "fire, fire," then quickly making his way to the street where he disappeared in the gathering darkness. At the cry of fire the great throng arose as one and made a dash for the front exit of the hall. The way was made for the children first and they filled the stairway so full and crowded from the rear so fast that some of the children were swept off their feet. These little bodies acted a stumbling blocks for those who followed and within a few seconds the stairway was a mass of bleeding crushed, dead and dying humanity. The crowd from above kept crowding into the stairway until it was completely filled with bodies.
As soon as the cry of fire had been sounded the city fire alarm was bellowing its harrowing warning and the firemen upon arriving at the scene quickly placed ladders to the front windows of the building and ascended to the hall where they stopped any more from crowding into the stairway upon the dead bodies of their comrades. Within a few minutes the hall had been emptied and the work of removing the dead taken up. The bodies were so tightly wedged into the hallway that they could not be released below and had to be taken from above and carried back into the hall. The bodies were taken to a temporary morgue in the city hall where after identification they were sorrowfully removed to their homes.
The scene was one beggaring description and those who witnessed it will never have it effaced from their minds as long as they live. While the front hallway was being crowded and jammed full of men, women and children others were seeking escape at a fire exit in the rear of the hall, many getting out in this manner. Others jumped from windows and in nearly every instance were severely injured, one little boy who jumped had both legs broken.
One little girl who was jammed in the hallway in a dying condition begged one of the rescuers to save her. She grasped his hand, kissed it, then her little head dropped upon her breast and she was dead. One man whose name was not learned got in the hallway and tried to prevent the frenzied crowd from crowding down the stairs upon those below. He placed his arms across the hall way and checked them momentarily but the force behind became too great and he was swept into the vortex of death, his dead body being taken out a few minutes later. Holding high above her head her little child, a woman and her husband were carried into the mass of humanity trying to get out of the hall. This man and his wife were swept to their death but the child miraculously escaped.
The fiend who caused this terrible disaster made his escape and is still at large. From persons who stood near the door it is learned that he was rather stockily built, a little under medium height, and wore his hat well pulled down over his countenance. Upon the lapel of his coat he wore a Citizens Alliance button, is a statement made by several who got a good view of him. How anyone with reasoning power could have deliberately committed the act is beyond comprehension.
President Moyer of the Federation who was in Hancock at the time of the accident hurried to Calumet and assured those afflicted that their wants would be attended to by the organization at whose head he stands. The funerals of the victims will be held at Calumet this afternoon and will be attended by thousands of sorrowing friends and companions of those who, while in life, stood valiantly by their side in the great fight for justice which still holds within it grasp the entire district. The funerals will be held under the auspices of organized Labor, and no funds other than those donated by such organizations will be accepted. Organized labor has made this request and the wishes will be respected in this matter...
paragraph breaks added
SOURCE
Miners' Bulletin
"Published by authority of
Western Federation of Miners
to tell the truth regarding
the strike of copper miners."
-of Dec 28, 1913
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The Red Flag-From Songs of Irish Labour
It suits today the weak and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place
To cringe before the rich man's frown,
And haul the sacred emblem down.
-James Connell, 1889