The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-10-21
American Workmen Beaten and
Dragged to Mines-Wives
Brutally Assaulted.
LAW SET AT DEFIANCE;
COMPANY RULE SUPREME
Armed Men, Employees Of CON-
pany, Break Into Workmen's
Homes and Beat Women.

In New Jersey where the patriots
froze, starved, fought and died for
liberty, methods as tyrannical, if not
more so, than those in operation in
Russia, are being used to break the
spirit of those who toll.
Men have been dragged from their
homes and forced against their will,
to labor in the mines. They have
been beaten and put in Jail; their
homes have been desecrated and their
wives brutally assaulted and some
have been banished because they
dared be union men.
Workers in the neighborhOOd are
Mortified and astounded, and when
they meet ask each other this ques-
ton: Are we living in the United
States or Russia?"
New York Worlds Authority.
Many readers will not believe the
story of a labor paper in matters Of
this kind. It is held that they paint
pictures to prejudice workingmen, and
to draw upon the sympathies of
others. No one would ever accuse
the New York World of doing this.
It is no muck raking publication, and
above all it will do little to. injure
the big interests. However, it does
tell story of happenings in Frank
lin Furnace, N. j., that sounds, like
the complaint of a labor paper. 1t
says: This mining village of 1900
persons has within the past fortnight
witnessed lawless scenes worthy OF
the California of 40
Miners Homes Invaded.
After the New Jersey Zinc COM
,pany.~had denied the right. of its en-
: ployes to organize labor union and
had discharged a score or more of
it's men who had enrolled as men,
bers, an armed mob of vigilantes took
upon itself to invade miners houses,
drag them to work or order them out
of town.
''Franklin Furnace lies in the pic
turesque valley of Waikiki and is a
struggling settlement. It's one indus
try is that of the New Jersey Zinc
company. The center of things is
known as green spot, the main en-
trance to the mine, near which are
situated the company's Offices, the
company store and homes of the Of
ficers in charge At different widely
scattered points of the company's
property-and nearly everything in
Franklin Furnace belongs to the COM
pany-live the miners and other
employees
Wives Are Assaulted.
The New York World is authority
for the statement, given by employees
that armed men broke into their
homes, assaulted them and their
wives, dragged them to Jail and ban
ished them from the town because
they would not give up the union.
Father McGuinness, the village priest,
said: Men were told if they did
not dress and go to work they would
be taken to Jail. AS result the local
Jail contained that day good COM
plement of men. They are all out
now. I don't know where
Company Runs Everything.
Not content with owning the
ground, the underground, the stores,
etc., this company is determined to
own the men. soul and body. The
union would have ransomed the men
and the women and the babies, but
at the point of the gun, setting law
at defiance, with thugs and the village
authorities an attempt was made to
destroy the labor organization and
keep the workers in bondage.
On learning of the outrage the
American Federation of Labor i'm.
mediately dispatched Organizer Stuart
Reid to defend the rights of the work.
ers. He will be aided by several
Othor nizora