They can put me in jail until the walls crumble, but they cannot stifle
the cause for which I stand or destroy the great
struggle in the interest of humanity.
-John R. Lawson
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Wednesday May 5, 1915
Trinidad, Colorado - John R. Lawson Releases Statement Upon Receiving Life Sentence
Early on Monday afternoon, May 3rd, John Lawson was convicted of murder and given a sentence of life in prison. Shortly thereafter, he made the following statement to reporters gathered at his hotel in Trinidad:
Statement of John R. Lawson
After Sentencing:
I'll give you a statement. The verdict verifies my statement to the Industrial Relations Committee in Denver before the committee went east. At that time I told them that John D. Rockefeller could take the life, liberty, and destroy the property of any man who opposed him. He has demonstrated that he is greater than government and higher than the law. They can put me in jail until the walls crumble, but they cannot stifle the cause for which I stand or destroy the great struggle in the interest of humanity. I shall fight for these principles as hard as I can, in jail or out, as long as I live. There is no compromise on this job. Justice and right will and must prevail in the end.
After the reporters left him alone with his attorney, Horace N. Hawkins, Lawson said, "I'm going to call Olive now; she ought to know."
Hawkins advised Lawson to take care with what he told her, and Lawson replied:
Don't worry; she has been brought up as the wife of a union man and a miner. She's gone through this struggle with me, and she'll know this is just part of it. Thank God Fern is to young to really understand what it is all about.
From The Indianapolis Star of May 4, 1915:
LAWSON IS GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
-----
Executive Board Member of United Mine Workers Found Guilty
of Murder for Killing of John Nimmo Last October.
-----
CONVICTED MAN COMMENTS
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Says "They May Get Me, but They Can't Defeat the Cause of Labor"-
Case Has Attracted National Attention.
------
John R Lawson
Horace N Hawkins
TRINIDAD, Col., MAY 3.-John R. Lawson, member of the international executive board of the United Mine Workers of America, today was found guilty of murder in the first degree in connection with the death at Ludlow, Col., Oct. 25, 1913, of John Nimmo, a deputy sheriff. Lawson was sentenced to spend the remainder of his life at hard labor in the Colorado Penitentiary.
Under the Colorado statutes, the jury, which had been deliberating since Saturday night, was empowered to return a sentence either of death or life imprisonment. Thirty days were given attorneys for the defense to file a motion for a new trial.
Released on $20,000 Bond.
Judge Hillyer announced that the labor leader would be released on $20,000 bond pending action on his motion for new trial. Lawson's former bond in Las Animas County was $15,000. The new bond was arranged for at a conference between Judge Hillyer and Horace N. Hawkins, Chief Counsel for the defense. Lawson remained at a local hotel and talked quite philosophically of the verdict. He said:
They may get me, but they can't defeat the cause of labor. Im not worrying about myself-it's the fight I have been making for the working man that I am interested in, and that will go ahead. Even for me it's a long way to the penitentiary. My attorneys will not give up until everything possible has been done to save me.
Lawson sent a message to his wife telling her of the verdict. Mrs. Lawson, an invalid suffering from nervous breakdown, is in Los Angeles.
Contrary to Evidence.
Commenting on the verdict. Horace N. Hawkins, chief counsel for the defense, said:
I do not believe the verdict ever will be sustained. It is contrary to the evidence. I shall fight this case as long as there are courts in which to fight.
[Article continues...]
[Photographs added.]
~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES
Out of the Depths
The Story of John R. Lawson, a Labor Leader
-by Barron B. Beshoar
(1st ed 1942)
CO, 1980
http://books.google.com/...
The Indianapolis Star
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-May 4, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
IMAGES
John Lawson with Olive and Fern
from Day Book of April 23, 1915, Last Edition
http://www.newspapers.com/...
John R Lawson, 1915
http://www.loc.gov/...
Horace N Hawkins
https://ludlowsymposium.wordpress.com/...
See also:
John Lawson Trial + JayRaye
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Battle of Ludlow + JayRaye + Oct 2013
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The American Labor Year Book, Volume 1
Rand School of Social Science, 1916
https://books.google.com/...
The Lawson Case
https://books.google.com/...
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We're Coming Colorado-John McCutcheon
We are fighting for our rights, boys,
We are fighting for our homes,
Shouting the battle cry of union;
Men have died to win the struggle;
They've died to set us free,
Shouting the battle cry of union.
The Union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah!
Down with the gunthugs, and up with the law;
For we're coming, Colorado, we're coming all the way,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union.
-Frank Hayes
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