The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1916-12-07
MINOR MESABA
RANGE STRIKE
CASES ON TRIAL
All Charges Against Miners Framed
Up by Tools of Steel Trust

Besides the murder charges against
eight strikers and organizers of the
Iron Miners strike, there remains a
number of lesser cases which are be-
ing heard at present. These were sift-
ed out of the 500 arrests made by
deputized gunner the steel trust i'm
ported to break the strike. The in
dictments are for alleged rioting, as
sault and kindred charges growing
out of picketing. In themselves these
cases are not of great importance;
yet they indicate the relentless atti-
tude of the state when it's forces are
prostituted to the desires of organ
lied capital.
In the case of Joe Blago, on trial
for assaulting deputy, Prosecutor
Funk called for the state a 14-year-
old boy from whom, previous to trial.
he had secured statement-he writ
ing the statement and having the boy
sign it while under his influence and
in his presence. Upon taking the
stand the lad was admonished by the
court as to the nature of an oath and
as a consequence absolutely corrobo-
rated the testimony of witnesses for
the defense. Funk then brought out
the statement and, failing in his en-
deavor to intimidate the lad with it,
tried to have it admitted over the
boys sworn testimony. He was pre-
vented by the court upon objection.
Funk then asked for conviction be-
cause Blago was a foreigner. The
jury then brought in a compromise
verdict of simple assault instead of
assault in the second degree, as
charged
Last week Eli Monovich, Rafael
Petite and Steve Dronjak were tried
for rioting. The state attempted to
lay base for further prosecution for
assault to kill as, on the day of the
riot, Martin Teller, local chief of the
Oliver gunner, was stabbed slightly
when attacking the picket line. Teller
told the doctor who dressed his wounds
that he did not see who cut him and
didn't know he was hurt till after
ward; yet he had story to tell the
jury, identifying Dronjak as the one
who had stabbed him. All the trusty
henchmen of the operators had the
same general story. However few
conflicting things they had over
| looked caused the jury to discredit
their story entirely, its verdict exon
Grating the prisoners from violence,
melting to violence or carrying weap-
ons. Regardless of this, possibly be-
cause some juror, for reasons best
known to himself, hung out for con-
viction, the jury judged Petite and
Dronjak guilty of rioting. Defendants
having been dubbed and having suf-
fered some Imprisonment, apparently
the jury decided little more of the
same wouldn't make much difference
to them.
1t was also shown that the depu-
ties were so irresponsible that they
dubbed one another during the ex-
element and that the fight was pre-,
cipitated by scab who had evidently
arranged with the deputies to "start
something" among the pickets.
One is reminded of the Industrial
Relations Commissions report,
wherein is stated that, ''In some To-
calities the control by employers of
the entire machinery Of government
is such that lawless acts on the part
of the agents of employers go I'M
punished while vindictive action
against leadess of the strike is accom-
plished by methods unparalleled in
civilized countries"
The United States Steel Corpora
ton has announced a general raise of
wages. Does any one imagine this
labor hating crew has experienced
change of heart? Or does it fear that
all workers in the steel industry may
join with the miners now organized in
the next fight with their exploiter?
Does the Steel Trust wish to excul-
pate itself before working it's murder
Gus will upon Sam Scarlet, Joe
Schmidt and Carlo Tresca?
HARRISON GEORGE.