Hellraisers Journal: George Pettibone in Los Angeles, Gives Interview, Visits With Clarence Darrow at Hospital

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday January 12, 1908
Los Angeles, California – Pettibone On Labor Spies and Frame-Ups

From the Los Angeles Herald of January 11, 1908:

PETTIBONE TELLS STORY
——

NOW IN CITY AND MAY RESIDE HERE
—–
Man Accused of Complicity in Assassination
of Former Governor Steunenberg Gives
Interesting Opinions
—–

HMP, Pettibone day of acquittal, crpd, Colliers Jan 25, 1908

Weak from long confinement in the jail at Boise, Idaho, where he was held a prisoner on a charge of complicity in the assassination oE former Governor Steunenberg, George A. Pettibone has arrived in Los Angeles and is staying at the Touraine apartments, 447 South Hope street.

In company with his wife, Mr. Pettibone contemplates making Los Angeles his permanent home. His trial attracted attention wherever the words “labor union” are known.

He spoke heatedly of the efforts which were made to connect him with the murder of Steunenberg.

[He said:]

False testimony concocted by Pinkerton agents was responsible for the arrest of William D. Haywood, Charles H. Moyer and myself and the sole purpose of their efforts was to give them an opening wedge so that they could retain their official position as agents of the Mine Owners’ association.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: George Pettibone in Los Angeles, Gives Interview, Visits With Clarence Darrow at Hospital”

Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review on Mooney Case: “They Are Building the Gallows”

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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday July 3, 1917
San Francisco, California – Report on Tom Mooney Frame-Up

From the International Socialist Review:

Building Gallows Mooney by Minor, ISR, July 1917

—–

IT HAS been proven that Tom Mooney was framed up. We who are interesting ourselves in his case were glad, after our long and terrible struggle, when we were able to offer the public the absolute and unquestioned proof that Mooney’s conviction was the result of perjury bought and paid for. We were glad to be able to silence arguments with actual letters in the handwriting of the chief perjury conspirator, which letters tell in black and white that Mooney’s death is sought by false testimony. We have silenced argument.

Franklin A. Griffin, the judge who pronounced the death sentence upon Mooney, has angrily demanded that Mooney be given another trial, free of perjury. The newspapers which formerly demanded his blood have now ceased to call for Mooney’s death, and two of them are demanding that the disgraceful conviction be undone.

All of California and American Labor has ceased to discuss personal differences and has demanded in one tremendous voice that Mooney, Mrs. Mooney, Billings, Weinberg and Nolan be freed. Every national figure in the labor movement of the United States is active now in behalf of the humble labor unionists in the jail of San Francisco.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review on Mooney Case: “They Are Building the Gallows””

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Pleads with Organized Workers of America to Stand Up and Save Life of Tom Mooney

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Comrades, the red blood in you
must now prove itself.
I pledge myself to you
in this fight to its finish.
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday April 13, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Debs Fights for Life of Tom Mooney

Eugene Victor Debs, ISR, Oct 1916

TOM MOONEY SENTENCED TO DEATH

An Appeal to the Organized Workers of America!
By EUGENE V. DEBS

Tom and Rena Mooney, ISR, Dec 1916

A TELEGRAM just received from San Francisco announces the sentence of Tom Mooney. He is to hang by the neck until he is dead. The day set for his murder is May 17th. The capitalist jury and judge have done their foul work, and it is now up to us to do ours.

Tom Mooney is an absolutely innocent man and his conviction an infamous crime. We, the workers of America, are duty bound to challenge the verdict of the capitalists’ jury and set aside the sentence of the capitalist judge. We constitute a court, a jury and a judge of our own.

We sat thru this case from the hour the vile conspiracy was concocted and we knew beyond doubt that Mooney was framed and that he is to be murdered for no other reason than that the corporation criminals, the big capitalist thieves and their official highbinders could not buy him, or silence his agitation.

More than twenty reputable witnesses not only testified to Mooney’s innocence but proved it beyond even the shadow of a doubt. His alibi was without a flaw. He was miles away from the bomb when it exploded in the preparedness parade. He had absolutely no connection with and no knowledge of the affair. Bourke Cockran, the eminent New York lawyer who defended him, is positively convinced of this and so is every other man or woman who attended the trial and is not in the pay or under the influence of the United Railroads, the Manufacturers’ Association, and other red-handed bandits who have for years been plundering San Francisco and have now set themselves up as the autocratic rulers of the Pacific coast.

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Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett, Editor of Montana News, Has a Little Talk with Big Bill Haywood

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday March 22, 1907
Caldwell, Idaho – Socialist Editor Reports on Moyer-Haywood Case

From the Socialist Montana News of March 21, 1907:

Side Lights on the Trial
—–

Making Laws to Suit Prosecution-
Gooding and His Body Guard


by Ida Crouch-Hazlett.

HMP, Pettibone Moyer Haywood, AtR, Feb 16, 1907

Caldwell, Idaho, March 13.-Perhaps the chief feature that will make the Moyer-Haywood case historic is the part the government has played in the matter from the beginning. The governor of the state, supposed to be a disinterested party, is a prosecuting complainant. His boast that the men would never leave Idaho alive, before any trial, leaves no room for his recognition as an unprejudiced party. Senator Borah is one of the leading attorneys for the prosecution. Indeed, we have been informed privately that he is the real push behind Gooding, and that Gooding is a mere puppet in his hands. Borah tells Gooding what to do, makes all the plans, but he is skulking behind the governor so far as responsibility is concerned. The legislature is controlled entirely by Borah and Gooding. Its appropriation of $104,000 on this case has already been noted.

This session it has passed two measures altering the criminal code, with emergency clauses, showing that they were passed entirely for this case. One had to do with the selection of a judge according to the attorneys employed in a case. The prosecution at first had sixteen attorneys and the defense four. But the addition of the firm of Groffith Brothers at Caldwell, removed the advantage that the new law would have given, when another twist was made. Another case was the passage of a law making the number of peremptory challenges the prosecution was allowed equal to that of the defense. For forty years the statute has been that the defense should have the right of ten challenges and the prosecution five. That the change should have been made at this time with an emergency clause to equalize it immediately, can admit of but one interpretation for such unseemly haste as this at this time, which is unprecedented in the modification of the criminal code.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett, Editor of Montana News, Has a Little Talk with Big Bill Haywood”

Hellraisers Journal: Seattle Union Record Covers Tracy Murder Trial, Plans to Give Day to Day Account

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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday March 21, 1917
Seattle, Washington – E. B. Ault Reports on Tracy Trial

E. B. “Harry” Ault, editor of the Seattle Union Record, organ of the Central Labor Council of Seattle and Vicinity, promises:

The Union Record has made arrangements to be represented at each session of the trial, and next week will cover the story from day to day covering those points the daily press avoids.

From the Seattle Union Record of March 17, 1917:

FAIR TRIAL ASSURED
THE FREE SPEECH PRISONERS
—–

Judge J. T. Ronald Prevents State’s Attorneys
Taking Unfair Advantage-
Deputies So Far Heard as Witnesses
Bound to Convict Tracy-
I. W. W. Officers Prove Good
Antidote for Gunmen-
Jury to Get Liberal Education in Doctrines
of Organization on Trial

By E. B. AULT

Everett Massacre, Judge Ronald, WCS, p139

With the second week of what may prove to be one of the greatest labor trials in history drawing to a close, in which Thomas F. Tracy, the defendant, is the first of 74 workers to be tried for the fatal fracas at Everett last November 5, one great outstanding fact is being made more and more apparent-in so far as Judge J. T. Ronald has power and influence, the trial will be absolutely fair.

Judge Ronald is the dean of the King County superior court, and it was probably for that reason he was chosen by Governor Ernest Lister to preside over these trials. His course throughout the examination of jurors and later on of witnesses, and his rulings on the introduction of testimony have been so fair and equitable as to call forth expressions of admiration from the large audience, many of whom had come to have but little respect for the law or for any one connected with its operation, owing to the many injustices they have suffered in the past at the hands of officers of the law.

George Vanderveer, Defense Attorney

A peculiarly pertinent case in point occurred on the afternoon of Thursday [March 15], when, after the “Sabotage” pamphlet by Walker C. Smith had been admitted as evidence, Prosecuting Attorney Lloyd Black read portions of the book to the jury. Mr. Black picked out only those portions which would tend to show sabotage as a method of violence, and carefully eliminated such portions as would show its use to be merely a matter of slowing up in work and without violent intent. As was natural, Defense Attorney George F. Vanderveer objected to the method of Mr. Black, declaring the desire was to prejudice the jury and not to establish any fact, and demanded the right to read with Mr. Black, supplying to the jury those parts of the text which were left out by the prosecutor. Judge Ronald ruled that was not permissible, and that Mr. Black was within his rights. The judge, however, closely followed the reading, and after Black had finished and had in one instance quoted all of a certain paragraph except the last sentence, which was set out in black type, he sent the jury out and heard argument on the point. The sentence omitted by Black was: “Note this important point, however, sabotage does not seek nor desire to take human life.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Seattle Union Record Covers Tracy Murder Trial, Plans to Give Day to Day Account”

Hellraisers Journal: Defense Wrings Important Admissions from State’s Witnesses at Trial of Tom Tracy

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday March 20, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Charles Ashleigh Reports on Tracy Trial

Everett Defense News #16, Mar 16, 1917

Everett Massacre, Tom Tracy in Seattle Courtroom, Stt Str Mar 9, 1917

SEATTLE, Wash., March 16th.-In a courtroom the battle for the life of Thomas H. Tracy, the workingman charged with the murder of Jefferson Beard at Everett, Wash., on November 5th, is now proceeding. Thousands of workers are awaiting eagerly the news of this, one of the greatest labor trials in history.

CITIZEN DEPUTIES AS WITNESSES.

The Prosecution has already introduced several “citizen deputies,” as are styled the vigilantes recruited by the Commercial Club, as witnesses. The first was one H. W. Shaw who was on the dock when the “Verona” came in, and who participated in that red tragedy. There followed one Owen Clay, an employee of the Weyerhauser mills and a Mr. Booth, ex-saloon keeper and real estate agent of Everett. Then came Charles Tucker, a workingman who admitted that he had served as guard in a struck mill. Of such are the witnesses of the state.

WHERE DID THE FIRST SHOT COME FROM?

Of course, the witnesses for the state have all stated that the first shot came from the boat. But there their unanimity ceases. As to where it came from,-what portion of the vessel,-and the moment when it came, they contradict each other most satisfactorily. Also, none of them have seen the shot or the shooter, they have only heard it! The grilling of the Defense attorneys, Moore and Vanderveer, sadly confused some of the witnesses. One of them, Tucker, flatly contradicted his former testimony in the important matter of where he thought the first shot came from! When faced with his earlier statement, he denied it, thus discrediting the Court Stenographer!

LIGHT BEGINS TO SHINE ON BEVERLY PARK!

On the evening of October 30th, 41 workingmen coming to Everett with the object of holding a street meeting were met at the dock by a mob of vigilantes, armed and with automobiles. The workers were loaded into the autos and taken out to Beverly Park, on the outskirts of Everett where they were made to run the gauntlet and were severely beaten up.

This outrage the Prosecution had no desire to see revealed and the cross-questioning of the first few witnesses elicited no information. Mr. Booth, however, caused a thrill to run through the court when he stated that he had taken part in the “procession” of autos loaded with men through Everett. He said that he had taken no part in the gauntlet-running because “he would not participate in beating up” a virtual admission that the others had done the beating up.

WHAT ABOUT THE RIFLES AND SHOT-GUNS?

The Defense had also quite a fight before the fact began to emerge that the citizen deputies were armed, not only with revolvers, but with rifles and shot-guns. The first State witness to acknowledge that he had even seen such things on November 5th was Judge Bell, of Everett, who was a deputy. He said first that he had seen men with long-barrelled guns,-he didn’t know whether they were rifles or shot-guns,-down at the dock. Later, he denied this same fact, although the stenographic report showed plainly that he had so stated, but still admitted that he had seen them at the Commercial Club. To have gone so far, with only the first half-dozen witnesses out of a couple of hundred which the Prosecution has on its list, is to be counted as definite progress for the Defense.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Defense Wrings Important Admissions from State’s Witnesses at Trial of Tom Tracy”

Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Clarence Darrow Speaks: “Adams’ Prosecution a Fraud and Humbug.”

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday March 17, 1907
From the
Appeal to Reason: Clarence Darrow Speaks

In the this week’s edition of the Appeal, it is reported that the jury in the Steve Adams’ trial, which took place in Wallace, Idaho, could not reach agreement and was, therefore, discharged by Judge Woods. On the same page is published the closing argument of Clarence Darrow, counsel for the defense, which we are pleased to offer below:

DARROW SPEAKS
—–


Adams’ Prosecution a Fraud and Humbug
—–
A Manifestation of the Inevitable
War of the Classes.
—–

HMP, Steve Adams, Darrow Speaks, text, AtR, Mar 16, 1907

—–

HMP, Clarence Darrow, ab 1907

The merits of the Adams case and motives prompting the prosecution are strikingly set forth in the closing argument of Clarence Darrow, counsel for the defense, in the following clear and forceful presentation. Said Mr. Darrow:

It is the truth that much as I love justice, and much as I hate punishment of any sort, I have neither the time nor ability to defend every poor man charged with a crime. That is not the reason I am here.

Mr. Knight has said, and I do not deny it, that back of this man are the funds of a great organization, the small contributions of thousands of workingmen, and it is true that a great effort is being made to defend him, but it is also true that the state of Idaho never prosecuted a man before as this man is being prosecuted.

The officers of this county have been shoved aside and the greatest lawyer in the state has been employed. More than that, the state of Colorado has been called upon, months of the time of the greatest detective of the west have been given to bring him to the gallows, the state of Washington brought another who used his time without stint. It is a remarkable case, unprecedented in the annals of criminal proceedure.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Clarence Darrow Speaks: “Adams’ Prosecution a Fraud and Humbug.””

Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett, Editor of Montana News, Discovers a Socialist Local in Caldwell, Idaho

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday March 16, 1907
Caldwell, Idaho – Editor Crouch-Hazlett on the Scene

The editor of the Montana News is now reporting from the scene of the attempted frame-up of the officials of the Western Federation of Miners, and, to her surprise, she has found an active and effective Local of the Socialist Party in that small western town.

From the Caldwell Socialist of August 18, 1906:

HMP, Waiting by Ryan Walker, Caldwell Socialist of Aug 18, 1906

From the Montana News of March 14, 1907:

Socialist Activity in the Idaho Conspiracy.

[By Ida Crouch-Hazlett]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett, Editor of Montana News, Discovers a Socialist Local in Caldwell, Idaho”

Hellraisers Journal: Kidnaping Anniversary Edition of Appeal to Reason, Edited by Eugene Debs & Consecrated to “Holy Cause of Emancipation.”

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday February 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Kidnaping Anniversary Edition

This week’s edition of the Appeal to Reason commemorates February 17, 1906, the one-year anniversary of the state-sponsored kidnaping of the valiant leaders of the Western Federation of Miners, under the banner:

Labor Is Forging The Thunderbolt
for the Conspiracy!

Eugene V. Debs is the special editor of the first page of this edition, and raises his voice on behalf of our imprisoned comrades:

HMP, AtR Kidnap Anniversary Edition, Feb 16, 1907

THESE are the three comrades whose kidnaping under the most extraordinary circumstances ever recorded we are celebrating with a special edition of three million copies and with fresh consecration to the holy cause of emancipation for which they have offered up their liberty and jeopardized their lives.

Verily, “it is an ill wind that blows no good,” and “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.”

At first glance the kidnaping of our comrades by the chief magistrate of a state sworn to execute the law against kidnapers, and who, if not a perjurer is a felon, and if not a felon a perjurer would seem to be a monstrous crime without a feature to redeem it from execration. But not so. What else, or what less than this would have served to arouse the working class of the whole nation like an alarm blast from the trumpet of an avenging deity?

What else could have lashed the stagnant waters of organized labor into foaming billows, tossing high their spray of life and discontent?

In all the history of labor there is no event to equal it. A year ago the names of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were known to but a few thousands in the Western states; today they are hailed and honored by millions, who applaud their fidelity and honor their fortitude.

And thus are heroes snatched from the common multitude.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Kidnaping Anniversary Edition of Appeal to Reason, Edited by Eugene Debs & Consecrated to “Holy Cause of Emancipation.””

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Now in Girard Assisting Appeal to Reason in Effort to Save Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 10, 1907
Girard, Kansas – Debs Rallies Readers of Appeal to Reason

From The Girard Press of February 7, 1907:

Eugene Debs, Wilshire's Magazine, Nov 1905

Eugene V. Debs, twice the candidate of the Socialist party for President, has been in Girard during the past week, and is assisting in preparing matter for a special edition of the Appeal to Reason.

“The Kidnaping Edition” of the Appeal to Reason is now one week away from publication, and orders for Number 585 have already surpassed the one million mark. On the front page of this week’s edition, we find Comrade Eugene Debs rallying the troops of the Appeal Army to:

Turn on the Light! Spread the Truth!! Every labor and every Socialist paper is engaged in this righteous and supremely important work.

Now is the time to widen the circulation of these heralds of light and truth.

Let the workers everywhere bestir themselves as never before in this crucial hour, so fraught with possibilities for weal or woe to the American people.

Let every atom of latent energy and determination be aroused and the cloud that now threatens will be dispelled and the cause of Justice triumphantly vindicated.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Now in Girard Assisting Appeal to Reason in Effort to Save Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone”