The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-09-14
NATIONAL LABOR DEFENSE COUNCIL
INVESTIGATES THE BISBEE OUTRAGE

told some of the strike leaders about
these Incidents. But they spurned
the suggestion that there was dan
ger to them.
"Why, we are within our rights,
are not violating any law and don't
intend to. We're American citizens.
They wouldn't dare harm u.s." they
said.
The Early Morning Attack
Early in the morning of July II,
several hours before daybreak, there
congregated crowd of men. Each
carried a rifle "a Winchester), and
each wore a handkerchief tied about
his right arm. There were many
of these gunner, under direction of
Sheriff Harry Wheeler. The Bisbee
newspapers said the number was
5000. The sheriff had lists of
names of the undesirables. These
he distributed and divided his men
into squads, assigning a certain ter
ritory to each squad. Then the army
of gunmen proceeded to commit a
felony, which under the Arizona law
kidnapping is, punishable by from one
to ten years in prison. The sheriff
is proud of his work.
Into houses they went, into bed
rooms. They dragged men out,
many from wives and children, many
half dressed, and some in pajamas.
If a wife protested or asked to be
allowed to say farewell she was
struck across the face and insulted.
If the man protested, which very
few did, he was knocked on the
head with the butt of rifle and
marched bleeding down the street.
Some were found on streets, others
in rooming houses, others in homes
they had purchased with their saw
ings. If gunman was in doubt,
he took his man. If he met a man
he owed a grudge, he took him,
striker or not; it made no difference
Several houses were robbed by these
gumen. In some cases money was
taken. Gunmen returned later, here
and there, to intimidate wives of the
victims of mine oppression. Many
families, deprived of their husbands
and fathers, were practically desti-
tute. A relief committee is caring
for these.
When the 1864 had been lined UP,
they were marched to Warren, an
adjoining town, where they were
placed in an improvised "bull pen"
made of baseball park. From there
they were placed in cattle cars of
the Ell Paso & Southwestern Railroad,
owned by Phelps-Dodge. With gun
men on top of the train, the twenty
four cars were started eastward.
They stopped at Columbus, N. NJ.
The city marshal announced they
could not unload there, so the train
was turned west again to Hermanas,
where there is no city marshal; only
a store and half a dozen houses. 1t
was late afternoon by this time,
and when Hermanas was reached it
was after midnight. The train stop
ped, the guards steathily leaving their
perches. In the desert, with no food,
were left the 1854 men whose crimes
were variously those of striking,
sympathizing with strikers and dis
sent from Phelps-Dodge domination.
That night, the next day and the
following night they stayed. A car
of food was on side track, a temp
tation to hungrey men, but they did
not touch it. W. B. Cleary, a Bis
bee lawyer, also deported, became
the recognized leader of the refugees.
He cautioned against any irregular
acts, telling the men that was pre-
cisely what their enemies hoped for.
There were no such acts. When food
arrived from Columbus, a committee
was chosen to apportion it. The men
were taken July IA to Columbus and
supplied with tents, bedding and food
by the federal troops stationed there.
There they remain now, an ever
present query to the government as
to whether it is going to allow min
ing companies to overthrow the law
and drive men from their homes.
Mr.. Cleary says the government
must answer.
Mining Company Law in Bisbee
But this group was only a part
of those deported. July IL and aft
erwards, scores, probably hundreds,
left voluntarily for less lawless quar-