Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday November 21, 1917
Butler County, Kansas – I. W. W. Oil Workers Seized by Feds
A round-up by federal agents of members of the Industrial Workers of the World has commenced in Butler County, Kansas. Reports from Kansas indicates that most of those taken into custody were members of the Oil Workers Industrial Union. Butler County is located just east of Wichita. The county seat is located at El Dorado.
From The Topeka State Journal of November 20, 1917:
FEDERAL AGENTS START A ROUNDUP
I.W.W. IN KANSAS
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Fifty Arrests Made in Butler
Oil Fields Today.
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Starts Gigantic Drive Thru
Forest of Derricks.
—–ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES CLEANUP
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“Workers” Won’t Get Chance to
Duplicate Okla. Trouble.
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Robertson, U. S. District Attorney,
Will See to It.
—–Kansas City, Nov. 20.-A roundup of I. W. W’s in the oil fields of Kansas is to be made immediately, Fred Robertson, district attorney for Kansas, announced late today. Already more than fifty alleged I. W. W.’s were arrested in the Butler county oil fields today, it was announced.
The arrests today were made in the vicinity of Augusta by state and federal agents, it was announced. A tent alleged to have been used for I. W. W. meetings there was raided and a great quantity of literature was seized.
The purpose of the raids will be to rid the oil fields of the state of undesirables, federal officers say, and each man arrested will be examined as to whether he was registered.
The presence of alleged I. W. W.’s in the Butler county fields recently led to the placing of armed guards.
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