The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-11-26
Jury at Sas Mass Frees Men Charged With the Murder of Anna
lopzzo In a Riot During the Lawrence Textile
Strike Last Summer
Defendants Embrace Each Other Prisoners Cage and Jurors Are
Thanked For Their Decision Socialist Leaders Were
Accused of nstigatine Violence

| attacked; men. women and children
who attempted to work were assailed
and in some cases injured and there
were repeated clashes between strikers
and the organized forces Of the law
until citizens of Lawrence we're alarm
ed al the threatening struggle It's
climax came on January 30, a day be-
gun with a parade Of agitated foreign
workers TO demonstrate their solidarity
| against the mill owners and ended witt
riot in which the young woman was
slain and oscar Benoit, a Lawrence
policeman. stabbed.
Congressional Probe.
Even congress was appealed to dur
ing the struggle following an attempt
of strike leaders TO take from Law
renee To Philadelphia a hundred chill
dren Of strikers families TO be cared
for by sympathizers. This effort. pre-
ceded by successful deportation OF
strikers children to New York and
other cities, was frustrated by the pc
lice in clash at the railroad station
elashed with the authorities Many
men and women were arrested. This
occurrence. widely heralded, aroused
protests from all parts of the United
States ana prompted Victor Berger.
Socialist member OF the House of Rep
resentatives to plan a Congressional
investigation Of the strike ard work.
ing conditions in the mills Of the
American Woolen Company ana others
4 resolution directing such an inquiry
brought about preliminary hearing
before the Rules Committee Of the
House in which Lawrence strikers,
men, women and children, representa-
tives OF the mill owners and rcpresen.
tativcS Of the Lawrence authorities,
participated. The hearings held in the
caucus room Of the House Office build.
ing in Washington aroused intense in
terest, hundreds Of persons, including
Mrs. Taft. wife Of the President at
tending them for several days No
Congressional action, however. was
recommended.
Ettor in Command.
when workers in mills Of the American
Woolen Company left their looms IN
protest against a reduction without no
tice of two hours pay a week In con-
sequence of there going into effect
new state law restricting labor TO fifty
four hours a week. Rioting about the
mill gates Immediately followed, and
oh the following day Ettor, young
Italian American labor leader from
Pennsylvania, went TO Lawrence Ia
take charge of the strike for the In
dustrial Workers Of the World and to
organize the dissatisfied and unorgan-
i2ed army OF laborers.
BY January Is. 10000 persons were
idle, the mills were closed: special
police were sworn in 10 aid the regular
force in preserving order; state troops
were ordered to Lawrence by Governor
Foss and AN industrial crisis was at
hand.
Fttnr, assuming command Of tho
workers cause, announced that tho
strikers demanded a wage increase cf
fifteen per cent. abolition of the pre-
MUM system and double pay for over
time. Numerous conferences were held
with state bodies and mill owners and
a Strike Committee was organized,
headed by Fttor and composed of rep.
of each nationality m-
volvcd In the conflict including the
Italians, who were most numerous,
Poles, Syrians. Lithuanians. Hebrews,
Americans and others
Gave Frequent Addresses.
During the progress Of the trouble
Ettor frequently addressed the masses
in churches, halls and or the Lawrence
Common. In keeping up the enthusi-
ssm thus he was aided by Arturo
who went 10 Lawrence
from Brooklyn. William d. HAYWOOD.
the leader of the Industrial Workers
Of the World. and many others prom-
nent In the work Of organization For
many days tho situation in Lawrence
was tense. with outbreaks of violence
agitating the public mind.
on January 20 seven sticks Of dyna
mite were found by the police Ia
houses aud shops in the Italian quar-
ter. Suspicion against the strikers was
directed at once, and six persons, tia
lians and Syrians we're arrested. Et-
tor was Informed by COLONEL +. Leroy
Sweetser Of his grave responsibility in
the matter Fttor Immediately told
the strikers that none Of their peop.e
had anything Ia do with the dynamite
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