Youngstown Massacre of 1916

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones: "I try to go, wherever there is a chance for a good fight against high-class burglars."

I try to go, wherever there is a chance for a good fight
against high-class burglars, and I am kept
pretty busy most of the time.
-Mother Jones
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Monday May 15, 1916
Chanute, Kansas - Mother Jones Passing Through on Way to Kansas City

Mother Mary Harris Jones, Chanute KS, May 13, 1916.png

Hellraisers Journal: Indictments Against Judge Elbert H Gary of the U. S. Steel Corporation Quashed

You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Wednesday March 29, 1916
From The Day Book: Judge Anderson Quashes Indictments Against Judge Gary

WE NEVER FORGET: The Youngstown Massacre of January 7, 1916

Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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Candle Flame for We Never Forget.png

WE NEVER FORGET

George Get-23
Robert Davis-24
Unknown Worker

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THE YOUNGSTOWN MASSACRE

January 7, 1916
Youngstown Steel Strike of 1915-16, Capitalist Violence, ISR Feb 1916.png

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks: "Thank God I have lived to be a grandmother in agitation."

Thank God I have lived to be a grandmother in agitation!
I hope I will live to be
a great-grand mother in agitation!
-Mother Jones

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Monday January 31, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Addresses Convention of United Mine Workers, Part I

Yesterday Hellraisers reported on the speech delivered by Mother Jones during Saturday's afternoon session of the United Mine Workers Convention, now in session in Indianapolis. Today we are pleased to present part one of her speech; we will offer part two in tomorrow's edition of Hellraisers.

Mother Jones Speaks to United Mine Workers Convention, Part I
January 29, 1916, in Indianapolis, Indiana
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Mother Jones UMWJ, Jan 21, 1915.png

ELEVENTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION The convention was called to order at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, January 29th, Secretary Green in the chair......

Secretary Green—.....President White will not be here for a little while and, with your permission, we will pause for just a few minutes in our regular order to hear from Mother Jones. She is planning to leave soon and wants to say something to the boys before she leaves.

Mother Jones—Boys, I have looked over this convention from the platform, and I want to give expression to the feeling that in this gathering are men of the most highly developed brains this country can produce. You have come from the picks, but you are developing, and I want to say to you to keep on.

Now I want to call your attention to a few things. Away back in the old Roman age, two hundred years after the world’s greatest agitator was murdered by the ruling class, there arose in Carthage a tremendous agitation among the oppressed, the exploited, those who had borne the burden for ages. The Romans began to be disturbed and thought they would go down to Carthage and capture those who were responsible for the agitation. They went down. All they captured in those days they retained as slaves or sold into slavery. Among the group that was captured was one youth. The Roman judge asked, “Who are you?” The youth said, “I am a member of the human family.” “Why do you agitate?” asked the judge. “Because I belong to that class that has been crushed, robbed, murdered and maligned in all the ages, and I want to break the chains of my class.”

Hellraisers Journal: Report of Ohio State Investigation Vindicates Labor in East Youngstown Riot

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

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Wednesday January 12, 1916
From The Day Book: State Investigation Vindicates Labor at East Youngstown

The state of Ohio, upon an order issued by Governor Willis, is investigating the recent strike disturbances at East Youngstown, Ohio. Attorney A. M. Henderson of Mahoning County who is conducting the investigation has issued a report which vindicates labor. Tuesday's Chicago Day Book, 2nd edition, reported the news:


LABOR VINDICATED IN THE
YOUNGSTOWN RIOTS
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East Youngstown, OH, Burning, Jan 7, 1916.png
East Youngstown Burning, January 7-8, 1916
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Hellraisers Journal: Mayor of East Youngstown Blames Armed Company Guards for "Desolation Wrought"

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

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Tuesday January 11, 1916
East Youngstown, Ohio - Mayor Blames "Desolation Wrought" on Company Guards

From The Pittsburgh Sunday Post, page 2, of January 9, 1916:

Youngstown Steel Strike, Mayor Cunningham, Ptt Sun Post, Jan 9, 1916.png

East Youngstown Mayor Blames Riot
on Guards
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YOUNGSTOWN, O., Jan. 8- "I am completely dazed over the horrible occurrence here and the desolation wrought," Mayor William H. Cunningham of East Youngstown said, in commenting on the riot.

"From what I have been told I fear it was caused by the armed guards on the bridge. Had the guards been kept within the limits of the mill property I doubt if there would have been any trouble.

Eye-witnesses have told me it was the guards on the bridge that fired the first shots. That aroused the fury of the mob.

"I think the trouble is over for the present and do not look for any further outbreak unless an effort is made to operate the plants with strikebreakers. There will be trouble if this is attempted."

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Hellraisers Journal: Youngstown! Another Year, Another Massacre of Workers in Fight for Justice

In East Youngstown you realize that
men are here not to live but to tend the mills.
Humanity is dwarfed;
the machines which make the industry are exalted.
-Mary Heaton Vorse

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Monday January 10, 1916
Youngstown, Ohio - Three Killed as Guards Open Fire on Striking Steel Workers

Our information, thus far, on the Massacre at Youngstown comes from two Pittsburgh newspapers which are clearly hostile to the striking steel workers and their supporters. What we know so far is that, according to a reporter on the scene, the first shot may have been fired by the supervisor of the company guards, which supervisor is now chief of Police in East Youngstown:

...T. J. Kinney,chief of police of East Youngstown, has resigned and his place has been taken by James M. Woltz, safety director of the Tube company. Woltz, formerly a postoffice inspector, has been in charge of 100 guards at the Tube Company's East Youngstown plant for the past week. It is said Woltz fired the first shot, but a later report had it that a guard precipitated the trouble...

From The Gazette Times of January 8, 1916:

Youngstown Steel Strike, Massacre, Ptts Gz Tx, Jan 8, 1916.png
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35 PERSONS WOUNDED;
SIX BLOCKS BURNED IN EAST YOUNGSTOWN
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