Denver labor bulletin., 1915-05-15
State Conference Asks for
Another Hearing
Department of Justice Petitioned
to Investigate Rockefeller Court /
Methods Used in LasAnimas

Calling upon the United States com
mission on industrial relations TO return
to Colorado and investigate the brand OF
injustice being doled out with machine
like precision in Las Animas and Huer-
fano counties by courts controlled by
John ID. RocLefeller's agents was decided
upon at the meeting held in Denver Mon
day and Tuesday of the executive board
OF the Colorado State Federation OF Ia
Dor and officers OF local central bodies
1t was further decided to lay the mat
ter before the department OF justice OF
the United States, because it Is impos-
sible to appeal TO any state authority
with hope OF securing either redress or
legal rights.
A comprehensive resume OF events
leading up to and conviction OF John F.
Lawson and Louis Zancanneli in the
district court at Trinidad, and their sen
tence TO the penitentiary by hand picked
juries, was drawn up and will be sent
to all labor and civic organizations in
this state Public mass meetings viii be
held and protests made against the out
rageous court proceeding. Governor
Carlson will be bOmbarded with letters
and protests from all over the state and
nation. Every state federation of labor
and central labor union in the United
States VIII be placed in possession OF
all the true facts in the present pro-
gram of the Rockefellers and state ad-
ministration to railroad union officials
and former strikers to the glllows or
Penitentiary.
Those Who Were Present
The two-days session OF the state la
Dor executives was held at Headquarters
OF District 10, United Mine Workers OF
America in t!se- German American Trust
building. Those in attendance Were:
John McLennan. president, and William
I. Hickey, secretary-treasurer with the
following vice presidents of the State
Federation OF Labor: Ed Anderson,
Pueblo; J. X. Radley. Colorado Springs;
Sadie Adney. Denver; Frank Miner,
Trinidad: Eli NJ. Gross, Denver: John p.
Cassidy. Lafayette. and Robert UhIich,
Trinidad; John r Lawson. national exc
eutive board member United Mine Work
rrs; Charles II. Meyer, president Western
Federation OF Miners; W. +. Hynes,
chairman legislative committee Railway
Clint c. Houston, presi-
dent Denver Trades and Labor Assem-
bly,: William Koch. chairman Trades As
semblv Legislative Committee; Chester
j. Common. president Building Trades
Council; William C. Thornton. president
Allied Printing Trades Council; Edward
c. Stouchton, president Union Label
League; ]. II. Mitchell. Iathers Union,
and = r. Mays. Stationary Engineers
for the United Mine Workers
and the State Federation were also pre-
ent during a part OF the sessions to give
legal advise.
Five Under Indictment.
Il was decided to exercise every LEGAL
method to obtain reheariug of the Law
son case and if necessary carry it to the
state supreme court, where a reversal OF
the Trinidad verdict Is confidently ex-
Pected. Several hundred other similar
cases are pending against union officials
and former strikers. These Will be de-
Tended TO the utmost. though no hopes
for securing justice in either Las Animas
or Huerfauo counties is maintained.
Five OF the eleven officials of the
Colorado State Federation of Labor have
Indictments and informations hanging
over their heads in connection with the
late coal strike. These range from re-
iusing to kow-tow to IA militiaman to
a mine guard
Letter TO Frank P. Walsh.
Just before the meeting adjourned
Tuesday night the following letter was
sent TO chairman Frank L. Walsh of the
United States industrial commission at
Washington;
To the Committee on Industrial Rela-
tions, Hon. Frank p. Walsh, Chair
man. Washington. d. c.
1t is respectfully submitted that the
system of prosecution conducted in the
courts OF southern Colorado against the
coal miners recently engaged in strike
should be Investigated by your commit
tee.
Hundreds of miners are now under iu-
dietment in the courts of Las Animas
and Huerfano counties. They are de-
MED trial excepting in = few instances,
and bail has been fixed in such exhorbi-
tant amounts that the jails of these two
counties are now crowded with the
miners.
Horrible Example of Injustice
The methods pursued by the coal
to secure convictions form a
horrible example OF the extent to which
under the form OF law prosecution can
be resorted TO. Two cases have now
been tried in which verdiets of life SEN
tence have been secured. One OF these
cases is that of John X. Lawson. the un-
ion labor leader, q man OF the highest
character and national reputation. The