You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 17, 1907
Mesabi Iron Miners’ Strike: Good News from the Front Lines
From the Duluth Labor World of September 14, 1907:
GRAND JURY REFUSES TO INDICT STRIKERS
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No Miscarriage of Justice in Duluth Courts.—
Won’t Practice Range Methods.
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Jury Practically Holds That Petriella Was
Justified in Protecting Himself.
—–
Teofilo Petriella
The cases against the striking miners on the Mesaba range have fallen flat. When the Grand Jury took up the matter of the nine miners who were bound over on the charge of inciting a riot they listened to the evidence presented by the state, and then promptly, and very properly dismissed the matter by asking that the defendants be released.
Petriella too, who was bound over for carrying concealed weapons, was dismissed, and his $1,000 was returned to him.
One of the members of the grand jury in commenting on the cases said: “It was ridiculous to bring such frivilous cases before the grand jury.”
Judge Brady ought to see by this time that he is putting the county to needless expense in binding men over to the grand jury simply because hirelings for the Steel Trust bring them before him.
Petriella admitted carrying a revolver, but the jury thought he was justified, in view of the fact that newspapers on the range were threatening his life, advising tar and feathers, and demanding that he be driven from town. Petriella’s bail money was returned to him.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 4, 1907
From the Duluth Labor World: News from Mesabi Miners’ Strike
The August 31st edition of The Labor World provides much news from the Mesabi Range concerning the ongoing strike of the iron ore miners led by the Western Federation of Miners.
Miners Not Allowed to March on Labor Day.
Strike Continues.
[Note: Photograph with caption added is from the Duluth News Tribune, the voice of the mine owners’ interests in Minnesota.]
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 15, 1907
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Found in Arizona
During the month of July, Mother Jones was found continuing her work in Arizona on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. She toured the mining districts and spoke to the miners, their families, and supporters. One such speech was described by The Tucson Citizen of July 16th:
Mother Jones, known as the miners’ Joan of Arc, arrived in Tucson yesterday afternoon and last night addressed an open air meeting at the corner of Church and Congress streets. Tremendous magnetism and a certain amount of crude eloquence are the attributes with which Mother Jones has endeared herself to tens of thousands of working people all over the United States. Last night she gave a characteristic address….
Mother Jones went throughly into the Colorado and Idaho situation and lambasted the crowd that is prosecuting Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone. Getting nearer home she paid her stinging compliments to the Copper Queen Mining Company and gave her own version of the strike situation there. She has been at Bisbee since May 15 of this year lending encouragement to the strikers in the interest of the Western Federation of Miners. Her voice rose almost to a shriek as she told the Federation side of the troubles in the Warren district. Frequently during the address the old woman was cheered and exclamation of “God bless you” and “Good for you, Mother,” were heard from among her auditors. Before she finished the speaker was surrounded by a crowd in thorough sympathy with her, and the wonderful power she exerts over large bodies of men was made manifest in the way she swayed her Tucson audience….
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday July 28, 1907
Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota – Pinkerton Gunthugs Arrive
One wonders what would happen should strikers import into the state of Minnesota 100 armed gunthugs. We expect that the militia would be immediately called out and the bullpen made ready. The Pinkertons, however, entered the state and proceeded on up to the Range where they will most likely be sworn in as Sheriff’s deputies, as is per usual.
Meanwhile, an arrest warrant has been issued for the peaceful strike leader, Teofilo Petriella, organizer for the Western Federation of Miners.
From The Minneapolis Tribune of July 27, 1907:
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BULLETIN.
DULUTH, July 27,-(Special.)-One hundred Pinkerton detectives have arrived in Duluth. It is expected that they will go out to the strike district at once. They are here to protect the interests of the United States Steel corporation.
