The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1916-12-07
PERSECUTION
OF FREE SPEECH
PRISONERS
Latest News of the Everett Fight and
Commercial Club Activities

AS final result of the wedding out
process among the men imprisoned
! because of their activities in the at
tempt to secure the rights of Free
Speech in Everett, Wash, there are
now "a in Jail in Everett charged
with first degree murder and 35 in
the King county Jail in Seattle charg-
ed with unlawful assemblage. The 35
men are the passengers on the "Cal-
ista" which never reached Everett,
but turned back half way when warn
I ed by the returning "Verona."
Attorney Fred II. Moore, of Los
Angeles, Cal, famous in many labor
cases, is on the job acting for the men
in Seattle and Everett Col. G. E. S.
Wood, Of Portland, Ore, is also act
ing in the case in an advisory capac-
ity.
The men in Jail in Everett are be-
ing constantly subjected to petty per-
secution. They have all been photo
graphed and finger-printed by Off
Gals of the State Board of Prisons,
although yet unconvicted! This was
made the excuse for not letting At
torney Moore into the Jail on Friday,
the oath. He was not allowed to see
his own clients! Prosecutor Webb
tried to get Moore into the Jail, but
Sheriff McRae was implacable.
This same sheriff also refused to
allow any dainties to be sent into the
Jail for the boys on Thanksgiving.
Friends of the men and local sympa-
! thizers had planned to send them a
Thanksgiving dinner. But, out of
sheer malice and gratuitous brutality,
the sheriff forbade the food being
given the men. This has but added to
the growing sentiment in Everett
against the sheriff and the prosecu-
ton. The daily press of Everett is
completely under the sway of the lum-
Der interests, it seems. For instance,
the Everett Herald of November 20
says that Attorney Fred Moore tasted
the prison food and praised it highly
This article actually states that Moore
said that the prisoners were "given
as good food and as much of it as
they could wish" When Moore saw
this interview" in the paper he was
astounded. The story was deliberate
piece of Misrepresentation. Disclaim-
ers have been sent to the Everett pa
pers, but have not been printed.
| Oscar Carlson, the passenger on
the verona" who was shot in nine
places when the Everett thugs poured
their volleys into the crowded decks
of the steamer, has had action for
damages brought against the steam
ship company, the Everett Dock COM
pny, Sheriff Donald McRae and sew
eral other leaders of the Commercial
Club mob. He claims compensation to
the extent of $4,000 for the damages
done by the anti-free-speech thugs.
Seventy-four murder cases, 35 I'M
lawful assemblage cases and the case
of Edith Frenette, a free-speech SYM
pathizer charged with assault and in
tent to kill-such is the full tale of
the legal battles looming in the near
future. The providing of an adequate
defense for all these workingmen will
cost a great deal of money. There is
ply for aid: the working class. 1t was
for the rights of the working class
: to express its views and to organize
that five men met their death so nobly
on Bloody Sunday, November S. 1t is
for the same cause that these men are
now in prison. The masters will try to
railroad them. We must defend our
own! Shall these men be railroaded
to the penitentiary for life because
they said that labor should not be
gagged? Workers, it is for YOU to
say!
Send all contributions to the North
west Worker, Everett.
Protests and resolutions should be
sent to President Wilson and to Gov
ernor Lister, Olympia, Wash. Send a
demand to your congressman and SEN
ators for a congressional investigation
into the battle of Everett, November
5, 1916.
! nEEENTCE ETTNn