You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Wednesday April 28, 1915
Trinidad, Colorado - Mine Guard Testifies Lawson Ordered Miners to "Shoot to Kill"
Colorado 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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Over the past two days damaging testimony has been given against John R. Lawson who is on trial for murder in the death of the mine guard, John Nimmo. Nimmo died of gunshot wounds he received while engaged in a battle, October 25, 1913, against the striking coal miners of the Southern Colorado.
Thad Sowder, mine guard and broncho buster, was fighting along side of Nimmo when Nimmo was shot. Sowder testified that he assisted the wounded mine guard to the rear and was with him when he died.
Charles Snyder is a man who appears to enjoy playing both sides against the middle, and to profit from that enterprise. Snyder has been a mine guard, then a member of the United Mine Workers, and, eventually, a bodyguard for union officers. He denies that he was paid by both sides at the same time, although he did admit, under cross examination, that he was now "indirectly in the employ of the Baldwin-Felts detective agency."
Snyder testified that Lawson ordered the miners to "shoot to kill," and that Mother Jones told the men in the Ludlow Camp: "Don't sit here like a lot of numbskulls, but get out and fight."
From the South Dakota Lead Daily Call of April 26, 1915:
CHAMPION BRONCHO BUSTER TESTIFIES
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Thad Sowder was Near Nimmo
When Latter was Shot by Miners
By Associated Press.-
TRINIDAD. April 26.-Thad Sowder, former claimant to being the champion broncho buster of the world, testified for the state in the trial of John R. Lawson, United Mine Workers of America official, who is charged with murder in connection with the killing of John Nimmo, a deputy sheriff near Ludlow, Colo. Other witnesses testified that Sowder and Nimmo were standing close together when the latter was shot. Sowder gave a recital of the opening of the fight.
Sowder told of helping Nimmo to the rear after Nimmo had been wounded, and of Nimmo saying: "I guess they got me." He then told of how Nimmo expired. On being cross-examined the witness said that he had been employed as a guard by the coal company during the southern Colorado strike.
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From the Lead Daily Call of April 27, 1915:
STRIKERS WERE ALL ARMED
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Witness Testifies that Lawson had
Ordered them to Shoot to Kill-
Evidence Against Strike Leaders
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By Associated Press.-
TRINIDAD, April 27.-John R. Lawson, on the afternoon of October 25, 1913, armed with a rifle and pistol, came from the Colorado and Southern railroad cut near which John Nimmo, on the same day, was shot to death, according to the testimony of Charles Snyder, in the trial of Lawson on a charge of murder today. Snyder, a former member of the miners union, testified he was employed as bodyguard for Lawson, F. [E.] L. Doyle and other officers of the union. He said he was instructed to gain the confidence of opponents of the union and secure information. Snyder related that he went to the scene of the battle in an automobile with ammunition. He said he assisted in purchasing arms and ammunition for the union. Following the battle in which Nimmo was killed, he testified Lawson assigned different men to picket duty during the night.
Snyder testified further, that on the day of the fight there were more than 500 men in the strikers colony, and "fully 500 rifles." Witness declared that Lawson told the strikers: "Boys, if you are going to shoot, shoot to kill"" On cross-examination Snyder denied that he had been employed by the operators when he was engaged to work for the United Mine Workers of America.
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From the El Paso Herald of April 27, 1915:
CLAIMS LAWSON URGED KILLING
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Witness Says Union Leader
Spured Colorado Miners
to Shoot Opponents.
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Trinidad, Colo. April 27.-Charles Snyder, star witness for the prosecution in the trial of John R. Lawson, labor leader, charged with the murder of John Nimmo, on Oct. 25, 1913, testified on cross examination today that he was now "indirectly in the employ of the Baldwin-Felts detective agency."
Says Lawson Urged Shooting.
Just before the cross examination the witness testified that while he was employed by the United Mine Workers he heard John Lawson in a speech at the Ludlow tent colony on Oct. 7, 1913, say:
"Boys, we are in this fight, to win. We'll get the guns to arm you will kill every d--d Baldwin-Felts detective in this country."
On another occasion he said Lawson said: "Boys, if you're going to shoot, shoot to kill. Don't let any of them get away."
"Fight." Says "Mother" Jones.
The witness then was asked what "Mother" Jones said in her speech on the same day. Horace N. Hawkins for the defence objected on the ground that nothing Mrs. Jones might have said was competent evidence against Lawson. The objection was overruled.
[Snyder testified:]
"Mother" Jones said, "Don't sit here like a lot of numbskulls, but get out and fight; don't sit here on your haunches like they have done in northern Colorado. Fight, d--n you, fight!"
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From The Wichita Beacon of April 26, 1915:
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SOURCES
Out of the Depths
The Story of John R. Lawson, a Labor Leader
-by Barron B. Beshoar
(1st ed 1942)
CO, 1980
Lead Daily Call
(Lead, South Dakota)
-Apr 26, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
-Apr 27, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
El Paso Herald
(El Paso, Texas)
-Apr 27, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
IMAGES
District 15 Policy Committee
https://archive.org/...
John Lawson at Ludlow, followed by mine guard.
http://www.newspapers.com/...
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Heat of the Summer - Phil Ochs
Oh, but we know why this one started,
More than hot anger exploded.
We all saw the sequence again and again,
Video witness proclaiming the sin
It was hard to believe when that decision came in
Just what could the jury be thinkin'?
-Phil Ochs
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