Denver labor bulletin., 1917-08-25
The Neglected Wife

W D. Haywood is now in Chicago
talking about better living conditions
for the miners and their families" He
urges So a.day pay that the miners
children may have more than the ne
cesslties of life. A few years ago
Big Bill" went before the United
States industrial commission to plead
with all the stirring oratory at his
command that the women and chill
dren be saved from the factories" ="
Big Bill" is dedicated to the task of
making life better for his fellow
man" His strongest pleas have been
for the women and children.
Yesterday at the Mercy hospital a
woman with misshapen hands and
crippled body, unable to move from
the wheel chair where she lay-a pa
tient woman, who has suffered for
years-told the story of 'her man"
The woman is Mrs. Nevada ]. Hay-
wood; the man, William d. Haywood.
Big Bill' as his followers affection
ately call him-"Big Bill- Haywood.
secretary-treasurer of the Industrial
Workers of the World. and the ac-
( knowledged brains" of the organiza-
ton.
For the most part of four years it
is charged Big Bill" who is so con-
cerned about the miners wives and
children in Arizona, has contributed
almost nothing to the support of his
own wife and daughters. A few weeks
ago friends of Mrs. Haywood made
complaint to the district attorney.
Deputy District Attorney Oliver c.
Dean, who has charge of the non-sup-
port cases for his office. wrote to Hay-
wood. Big Bill" answered that his
neglect had not been "wilful." and
promised to do better in the future
He sent $50 and wrote friends of Mrs.
Haywood's he would not again have to
be reminded of his duties.
Vernie, the older daughter, who is
now 26 years old, maintained the
household until last April, when she
broke down from overwork. The
young woman has been teaching
school in a small town in Nevada.
The younger girl, Henrietta, is 10
years old. She was graduated from
high school last June.
In 1907 the /. w. W. leader bought
a home for his family at 1904 Franklin
street. There is mortgage of 81, 400
on this place.
wife's bills at the hospital. II he fails
to make good his wife's friends will
insist that he be eNtradited and tried
here on n charge of non-support.
Mrs. Haywood has been crippled
for twenty-three years. She has not
been able to walk for number of
years.
There was no bitterness in her tones
as she talked about "her man" yes
terday afternoon.
"Bill and l were married twenty
eight years ago." she said "Three
years before my marriage l had a
fall from n horse and hurt my spine.
After Nernie was born my fingers be-
gan to draw and it got so 1 couldn't
do no more than crawl around. Bill
was n good husband to me then. He
used TO come home after working hard
all day and do the housework and
wash clothes. The neighbor women
used to say they wished their hus-
bands were like Mr.. Haywood.
"When drink gets hold of man
there's no telling how he'll change.
Well, drink got Bill. l was in hopes
that the eighteen months he spent in
prison in Idaho would make him for
get his taste for liquor. but guess it
didn't. l guess you know the girls
and l went to Boise for the trial On
the way back was the happiest wom-
an in the world. Everywhere crowds
came out to cheer Bill. 1t wasn't un-
til long after that l learned that he
had been drinking all the way.
81 noticed n change in Bill after we
got home. The attentions people were
paying him made him lose his head.