The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-09-28
THE BlSBEE
AFTERMATH

the Phelps-Dodge interests in its
deportation of citizens from Bisbee
Arizona. The horrors of "Prus-
sianism," pale somewhat when such
unbelievable acts of brutality are
done in the United States.
(By VIM. p Harvey
What is the condition in Bisbee as
a result of the strike? And what
the social reflection of this Twen-
tieth Century Arcadia?
After the gunner had cleared the
town of strikers, they discovered,
apparently with some amazement,
that many of the strikers had fami-
lies and homes they owned. What
was to become of the wives and chill
dren? Well, why not deport them /?
That to the gunman. mind, seemed
quite the thing to do. But it was
+ done with more finesse than the ear
lier deportation. One is reminded
of Longfellow's "Evangeline," built
on similar atrocity in Arcadia when
the military separated families and
deported them.
Women who had relatives in other
places were urged, in a mandatory
way, to go to them. For some
railroad tickets were bought. For
the ties of home and family must
not be left to draw the striker back
to Bisbee!
Samuel Brooks, striker, was ar
rested July II while gunner pointed
rifles at his wife and child and Or
dered them not to leave the house.
Brooks is at Columbus, N. M. Mrs.
Brooks and the child are now with
her mother in Colorado.
j. L. Dechery, seized at his root
beer stand and sent to Columbus, is
unable to see his wife. Her letters
tell of repeated insults by gunner
She has practically no money and
cannot sell her husbands small bust
ness.
Louis Asic, in Columbus with a
wounded head, hears that his wife
still is in Bisbee, her face bruised
by blow from gunman. She and
the three children are without re-
sources and the house they own
stands on the mining company's
ground
The wife and child of William Gu
rovich, who worked in the mines
eleven years at Bisbee and never
joined union, are in the town de-
pendent on charity. A watch and
chain and $172.50 in money were
taken from their home July ~ by
gunner who carried off Gurovich.
William Blackburn, resident of
Bisbee from childhood, left a de-
pendent mother and father in the
town. The father is ill, and without
money.
Nestor Sjofeld was preparing to go
for doctor for his sick baby at
F3o o'clock the morning of July IL,
when he was met on the porch by
gunner. They were deaf to his
pleas for the baby and in answer to
the wife's they threw her to the
floor. Another child, little girl,
is still hysterical from the fright of
the invasion.
Vuko Delya left a wife and three
children in the suburb of Lowell.
He is at Columbus, unable to return.
His wife is suffering from a scalp
wound caused by gunman's blow.
The invaders took $425 in money, ac-
cording to Delya, and Mrs. Delya's
jewelry. Now the family is with
out money.
Marco Benderack was permanent
ly injured by gunman's beating,
and paralytic attack has made him
incapable of manual labor.
Ilya Gobovich, Russian, showed
the writer at Columbus a receipt
from Bisbee bank for $1,000 paid
for war bonds and a receipt for S25
he gave to the Red Cross. Gobovich
was taken from his cafe because of
his unwillingness to accommodate
strike breakers
James Cowan's wife was struck
by a gunman on the morning of the
raid Since her husbands deporta-
ton, she has gone, under pressure.
to Butte, Mont, to stay with her
mother. The Metal Mine Workers
Union there is caring for her. Cowan
is at Columbus.
There are many such cases. In
some instances the Bisbee relief COM
mlttee is contributing to the support
OF the bereaved, and cases that come |
to the notice of the refugees at Co
lumbuS are sent to this committees |