Hellraisers Journal: Persecution of Colorado Miners Continued by Coal Owned State Government
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Thursday March 30, 1916
From the United Mine Workers Journal: A Day in a Trial of Colorado Miners
Yesterday, Hellraisers reported that the indictments against Judge Gary and other steel bosses were quashed in Youngstown, Ohio. Today we pause to remember the Colorado coal miners who have suffered within the halls of Colorado's so-called Temples of Justice. The persecutions which began under Democratic Governor Ammons are now continuing under Republican Governor Carlson, both faithful servants of the Coal Kings of Colorado.
Through the pages of the February 17th edition of the miners' Journal, we are able to view a day in the trial of four coal miners at Castle Rock, Colorado:
The Colorado Trials
-----
Ludlow Testimony Admitted.Castle Rock, Colo., Feb. 11.
Mrs. Pearl Jolly, who was at the Ludlow colony when it was destroyed, testified for the defense in the strike cases today. Judge Denison allowed testimony, believing that the destruction of Ludlow might form a basis for the stories that influenced the minds of the men who later went up on the hog-back at Walsenburg and fought.
Mrs. Jolly declared the militia had started the fighting and described the scenes as the women and children took to the cellars under their tents when bullets swept the colony and when the men ran out with guns to protect themselves.
Against the bitterest opposition thus far manifested by the prosecution, the defense continued presentation of evidence yesterday afternoon, with particular reference to Major Lester's hostility to striking miners. Judge Denison allowed William Gilinsky and John Suriskey to testify regarding Lester's actions at the Maine tent colony toward strikers.
Questions calculated to show that Lester had searched tents in the miners' colony were barred because Judge Denison did not want to admit testimony prior to January 1, 1914.
Suriskey told how Capt. Swope, in whose detachment Lester was when he was killed, had forced the men of the colony to stand in line while the place was searched. Gilinsky told how from fifty to seventy-five mine guards had appeared on the cliffs above the colony armed with rifles, apparently constructing fortifications, so frightening the women and children that many fled during the night and many more the next day. John Turner and Thomas Gardner testified concerning the firing on the union hall at Toltec. Much evidence was put forward by the defense to show the effect of the Ludlow tragedy on the minds of the union men in the vicinity of Walsenburg.
How the depths of a coal mine 1,000 feet underground served women and children as a refuge during the Walsenburg "hog-back" battles was told by Thomas Gardner. Gardner, president of the Toltec miners' local, related that mine guards had previously riddled the union hall with bullets and that protests to the militia resulted in no action on their part.
He described the fight [flight?] of the women and children when the fight started. He and John Shepherd, his father-in- law, decided to take their families down into the mine for safety. Besides the two men, there were three women and seven children in the party.
It was not until the truce was called on the third day of the battle that they dared return to their homes.
"We men were used to staying in mines," said Gardner, "but for the women and children it was terrible."
[Photograph of Mrs. Pearl Jolly added.]
SOURCES
Hellraisers Journal: Indictments Against Judge Elbert H Gary of the U. S. Steel Corporation Quashed
http://caucus99percent.com/content/hellraisers-journal-indictments-again...
Hellraisers Journal: E M Ammons, Democrat of Colorado, Spineless Tool of Coal Operators, Defeated
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/17/1345375/-Hellraisers-Journal-E-...
Hellraisers Journal: Former C. F & I. attorney will now preside over murder trial of John R Lawson.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/4/20/1378769/-Hellraisers-Journal-For...
The United Mine Workers Journal, Volume 25
Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America,
Nov 11, 1915 to May 25, 1916
https://books.google.com/books?id=NQpQAAAAYAAJ
UMWJ of Feb 17, 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=NQpQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcove...
Miners on Trial at Castle Rock
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=NQpQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcove...
IMAGES
Miners on Trial at Castle Rock, CO, UMWJ Feb 17, 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=NQpQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcove...
Pearl Jolly, May 1914, cropped from:
Judge Lindsey on tour with Women of Ludlow: Thomas, Petrucci, Jolly
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/hec.04101/
"Crucified" from the Denver Express
(MacGregor covered the strike for this newspaper
from the union point of view in Colorado.)
http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2012/06/rogues-gallery-socialist-cartoon...
See also:
WE NEVER FORGET April 20, 1914 The Ludlow Massacre
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/20/1083217/-WE-NEVER-FORGET-April-...
Hellraisers Journal: Vivid Testimony of Pearl Jolly and Mary Thomas Describes Horror of Ludlow
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/5/28/1302492/-Hellraisers-Journal-Viv...
Hellraisers Journal: Battle of the Hogback, Don MacGregor Lays Down His Pen and Picks Up a Gun
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/4/29/1295507/-Hellraisers-Journal-Bat...
Hellraisers Journal: Men don't scare easy when they fight to keep other men from burning their homes
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/5/7/1297378/-Hellraisers-Journal-Men-...
For more on death of Major Lester during Battle of Walsenburg/Battle of the Hog-back:
Blood Passion: The Ludlow Massacre and Class War in the American West
-by Scott Martelle
Rutgers University Press, 2008
(Search: Swope Lester.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=sH5oOK3MKqUC
Comments
Oh wow, JayRae. "Fire In The Hole" is awesome. The story is
deeply moving. Thank you for bringing us these.
I visited a Utah Phillips tribute site last night called "The Long Memory." Utah always took the time to tell the backstories to his songs, precisely because he wanted to foster the long memory in folks. Progressive folks are floundering around today because they've forgotten their history. When we remember that our spiritual ancestors fought back against vigilantes massacring them and their families, then we are fortified for today and tomorrow's battles. Without the long memory, we waste so much time banging pots around instead of working as the continuators (is that a word?) of the age-old fight.
I want to visit htel inks, but it iwll wake the monster within and I've got work to do. I will visit them later. Thanks again mate. You are our best link to the Long Memory and your work is crucial to us getting on track.
Oh and that graphic. Wow, it says it all. Best wishes,
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
Gerrit, don't know where to begin with your comment so will just
say, Thank you very much.
It isn't always easy to keep on writing about the painful history of our working class heroes, and your support means a lot to me.
Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons
I am delighted to see the Hellraisers Journal published on c99p.
It is so very important to continue to tell the stories of sacrifice and victory made by those who bled and suffered for the Union Movement in the United States. We cannot just allow American Unions to wither due to our inaction or complacency. It is what the Oligarchy is counting on.
Glad you found Hellraisers here at C99, ValleyForger!
Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons
You and me both! I do not give my custom to TOS anymore. n/t
Wow. Look at the bios for those miners.
One started in the mines at age 10, the others at 12.
Thanks again JayRaye for the series.
There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams
Kharma, my eyes opened wide at the bios too. Our work should
make them proud. We can't fail our spiritual ancestors who endured so much enslavement and hardship. We have no excuse to be cowardly lions when we learn about them through Hellraisers Journal. Best wishes mate,
Oh yes, I'd like one day to learn how come you spell karma with an "h"
Whyzat? Or is that how its supposed to be spelled and I went surfing that day when it was explained in class?
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
yep only 18 & already a veteran mine worker, facing the gallows
great to see you kharma!
Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons