The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industrySmith, Walker C.
History
The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industry
Smith, Walker C.
Industrial Workers of the World; Lumbering -- Washington (State); Lumbermen -- Washington (State)
Working in conjunction with the prosecuting attorney was H. D. Cooley.
This gentleman was one of the deputies on the dock, having displayed
there his manly qualities by hiding behind a pile of wood at first, and
later by telling others to go with rifles to head off the Calista which
he had spied approaching from the direction of Mukilteo. Cooley had a
practice among the big lumbermen, and in the case against the I. W. W.
he was hired by the state with no stipulation as to pay. The general
excuse given for his activities in the case, which dated from November
6th, was that he was retained by "friends of Jefferson Beard" and other
"interested parties."
Attorney A. L. Veitch was also lined up with the prosecution. He was the
same gentleman who had lectured to the deputies during the preceding
fall as a representative of the Merchants' and Manufacturers'
Association, and had told the deputies how to handle "outside
agitators." Veitch was also employed by the state as a matter of
record, but there was a direct stipulation that he receive no pay from
state funds. He also was employed by "friends of Jefferson Beard" and
other "interested parties."
With Veitch there was imported from Los Angeles one Malcolm McLaren, an
M. and M. detective and office partner with Veitch, to act as "fix-it"
man for the lumber trust. McLaren was at one time an operative for the
infamous Wm. J. Burns, and Burns has well said "Private detectives,
ninety per cent of them, as a class, are the worst of crooks,
blackmailers and scoundrels." Under McCullogh's regime this open-shop
gumshoe artist had free access to the jail with instructions to go as
far as he liked.
Just what the prisoners thought about jail conditions during the time
they were incarcerated is given in the following report which was
smuggled out to the Industrial Worker and published on March 3rd:
"'Everything is fine and dandy on the outside, don't worry, boys.'"
"This is the first thing we heard from visitors ever since we
seventy-four have been incarcerated in the Snohomish County Jail at
Everett.
"While 'everything is fine and dandy on the outside' there are, no
doubt, hundreds who would like to hear how things are on the inside. Let
us assure everyone on the outside that 'everything is fine and dandy' on
the inside. We are not worrying as it is but a short time till the
beginning of the trials, the outcome of which we are certain will be one
of the greatest victories Labor has ever known, if there exists a shadow
of justice in the courts of America.
"One hundred days in jail so far--and for nothing! Stop and think what
one hundred days in jail means to seventy-four men! It means that in the
aggregate the Master Class have deprived us of more than twenty years of
liberty. Twenty years! Think of it, and a prospect of twenty more before
all are at liberty.
"And why?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account