It is a privilege and a duty even by sacrifice to advance our priceless cause.
I am therefore ready to receive the sentence this court should
declare itself without either authority, right
or justification to impose.
-John R Lawson
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Saturday September 11, 1915
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania - Lawson Boyhood Hometown Plans Mass Protest Meeting
The town of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania is planning a mass meeting for the evening of September 24th to protest the unjust murder conviction and life sentenced imposed by the state of Colorado upon the John R. Lawson, International Board Member of the United Mine Workers of America. An article (see below) in the
Mount Carmel Item states in part:
It is not necessary for us to recount the history of the infamous Colorado mistrial which railroaded Lawson to prison. All we have to say now is that Lawson spent his boyhood days in Mount Carmel, and it is up to Mount Carmel to do all it can for him in his hour of great need.
Rev. A. W. Spooner, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Mount Carmel has written a letter (see below) to President Wilson requesting his assistance in seeing that justice prevails in Colorado and that John R. Lawson is granted a new trial. First Presbyterian is Lawson's boyhood church. The Reverend had this to say about the imprisonment of Brother Lawson:
It would prove a direful disaster indeed if this man should be imprisoned for life, the verdict having been rendered by a prejudiced, not to say a suborned court. By such palpable injustice the chasm will be widened between capital and labor, already wide enough-and popular confidence in the integrity of the courts rudely shaken-already trembling in the balance.
From the Mount Carmel Item of September 4, 1915:
TOWN TO HOLD MASS MEETING FOR LAWSON
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Mount Carmel people, acting upon the initiative of the United Mine Workers, are going to hold a great mass meeting on the evening of September 24th, in the interests of John R. Lawson, a Mount Carmel boy, who is now serving a life-imprisonment in Colorado for a crime he not only did not commit but with which he had not the remotest connection.
It is not necessary for us to recount the history of the infamous Colorado mistrial which railroaded Lawson to prison. All we have to say now is that Lawson spent his boyhood days in Mount Carmel, and it is up to Mount Carmel to do all it can for him in his hour of great need.
John R. Lawson, born at Weegans, between Gilberton and Mahanoy City, came to this city when a youngster, lived in Bells Tunnel and in Mount Carmel many years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Sunday School, in the class taught by Mrs. Voris Auten. Rev. Dr. Spooner, the present pastor, has made a thorough study of this case, is convinced of Lawson's absolute innocence, and today has written a letter to President Wilson, pleading that everything possible be done to give Lawson a new trial.
A committee of Mine Workers met last night, and decided to ask all the people of Mount Carmel to join in a great mass meeting, to be held on Town Park September 24th, at which time the community will draft a petition asking for a new trial.
International Vice President Frank J. Hayes, of the U. M. W. A., has consented to come here and deliver a speech, and there will be addresses by a number of local people.
The town should make this a great occasion. We should have a monster parade, and every band should offer its services. Not only Mine Workers, but everybody ought to get in line.
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[Photograph added.]
From the Mount Carmel Item of September 9, 1915:
A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
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1914 Strikers Policy Committee, United Mine Workers of America
John McLennan, President District 15; E. L. Doyle, Secretary-Treasurer District 15;
John R. Lawson, International Board Member from District 15; Frank J. Hayes, International Vice-President
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On the evening of September 24th the people of Mount Carmel plan to hold a great mass meeting on Town Park, in the interests of former townsman John R. Lawson, who is now serving a life-sentence in a Colorado prison.
Our people will no doubt be keenly interested in reading a copy of the letter written to President Wilson by the Rev. A. W. Spooner, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Mount Carmel. The copy follows:
Mount Carmel, Pa.,
Sept. 4th, 1915
Hon. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States.
Dear Sir:
I feel constrained to address you relative to the case of John R. Lawson, whose trial, and conviction in the courts of Colorado have aroused interest of tremendous proportions, not only among the miners of Colorado, but also in the hearts of all lovers of fair play and equity.
Allow me briefly to state the reasons which prompt, and seem to me to necessitate this communication.
FIRST-I am pastor of the church in which as a lad and young man John Lawson attended Sunday School, and was universally admired and loved for his manly, unblemished character.
SECOND-Among the members of my church are relatives of this leader of men: notably Mr. Thomas Ramage, his uncle, one of our most respected citizens. Nobody in Mount Carmel acquainted with John Lawson can be persuaded that he is guilty of the crime charged against him.
THIRD-My interest in this case, prompted by the facts above stated, together with my love for fair play, influenced me this past summer to make a study of the trial, and impels me to address you with reference to it, in view of the fact that an effort is being made to secure for the condemned man a new trial.
My church is located in the heart of the anthracite coal region, where the feeling of the miners is intense, and undoubtedly reflects the sentiment of miners the entire country over.
If Lawson had been proven guilty of the crime charged against him, the case would be very different, and no one could plead his cause, but-HE HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN GUILTY!
The evidence(?) presented was not even circumstantial, not even presumptive. John Lawson was selected as the martyr-(so I fully believe) because he was a leader in labor circles, and some one must be made to suffer-some one must be hit-HARD! and of course the one hit was a leader. I plead with you Mr. President in behalf of justice, to use your great influence to insure for this wronged man a new trial.
It would prove a direful disaster indeed if this man should be imprisoned for life, the verdict having been rendered by a prejudiced, not to say a suborned court. By such palpable injustice the chasm will be widened between capital and labor, already wide enough-and popular confidence in the integrity of the courts rudely shaken-already trembling in the balance.
Among the great problems confronting your administration at this crucial epoch in our national history, this, honored Sir, is by no means the least momentous. I am speaking for thousands in this immediate vicinity and unnumbered thousands the whole country over, when I beg of you to see that John R. Lawson is granted a new trial, before a court outside the reach of "influence."
Yours most respectfully,
Arthur Willis Spooner
Pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Mount Carmel, Pa.
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[Photograph added.]
~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCE
Mount Carmel Item
(Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania)
-Sept 4, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
-Sept 9, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
IMAGES
John R Lawson, 1915,
http://www.loc.gov/...
John Lawson with Olive and Fern
from Day Book of April 23, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
1914 Strikers Policy Committee,
United Mine Workers of America
https://archive.org/...
See also:
Search: John Lawson Trial + JayRaye
http://www.dailykos.com/...
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Fire in the Hole-Hazel Dickens
Daddy died a miner and grandpa he did too,
I'll bet this coal will kill me before my working days is through
And a hole this dark and dirty an early grave I find
And I plan to make a union for the ones I leave behind
Stand up boys, let the bosses know
Turn you buckets over, turn your lanterns low
There's fire in our hearts and fire in our soul
but there ain't gonna be no fire in the hole
There ain't gonna be no fire in the hole
-Hazel Dickens
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