The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-12
SEND THEIR WIVES
H0Wat Forces Spring New
Form of Picketing.
Mob of 1000 Women Prevent
Miners From Working.
AMAzONS WERE NOT LADYLIKE
Their Men Back of Them,
Women Anything But Gentle.
Sheriff and Officials POwerless
to Calm Excited Wives.


women, estimated at 1000, the wives
and relatives of striking Howat coal
miners. stormed mine No. IT of the
Jackson Walker company shortly after
3 O'Clock this morning and prevented.
the miners employed at the mine from
returning to work.
The mob of women appeared to
have no leader and was composed
formed in Franklin, about mile from
the mine. Men. in number estimated
at 5000, assembled at Franklin, but
did not march on the mine or take
part in the stormins of the mine.
About 125 miners had been working
at the Jackson Walker mine. Many
of the miners have been going to the
4 mine in their motor cars. An inter
urban railway line passes near the
mine and ether miners have been
using it to get to the work. This morn
ing the women, after assembling in
Franklin marched down the public
highway, which runs parallel to the
interurban line, to the interurban sta
ton, near the mine, and refused to
let the miners get off the car.
The women stopped motor cars
coming along the road and ripped off
side curtains. If miners were in the
car they were tod they could not re-
turn to work. Other persons, having
no connection with the mining BUSH
ness, were compelled to stop their cars
land wait until the women permitted
them TO go on.
Sheriff Milt Gould and two or three
available deputies at the scene were
powerless before the mob. The sheriff,
who learned last night of the pro-
posed storming of the mine this morn
ing. after a secret meeting of women
yesterday at Franklin, was at the mine
Z ~ hi bNfr bA y,
rived.
After their storming of the Jack
SON Walker mine the women went
back to Franklin. Reports reaching
the sheriff were that plans called for
"a similar demonstration tomorrow at
two or three mines several miles from
Franklin.
was Battle of Words.
Except for words which the women
used fluently, vigorously and in sew
eral different languages, the only
weapon the women appeared to have
for the enforcement of their orders
was red pepper. Several instances OF
it's use were reported but it was NOT
generally resorted to by the women,
"You are scabs" was an expression
freely hurled at mon who mad come
to the mine to go to work. i:e -a.ce
astand by Howat". other women
shNeked. John L. Lewis, interna-
tiohal president of the union and Gov
ernor Henry J. Allen came in for equal
condemnation in the verbal onslaughts
of the women marchers.
Women Not LadyliI<e.
When a motor car approached on
the road, many of the women would
gang" the roadway and compel the
driver to stop or gun into them. In
every instance the drivers stopped
their cars. There was no gentleness
of the sort usually attributed to their
sex, in the way the women tore the
curtains off the motor cars.
The women were looking for work
ing miners and when they found them,
advised them quickly ana emphati-
ally that they were not going to re-
turn to work.
All White Women
Evidently tine women agitatos in
spite of the apparent lack of supreme
command, were well organized No
man was among them. Several wo-
men appeared to be speaking with au-
thority but the mob itself was In COM
mand and left the mine after a mo-
ton to leave had been put by one of
the women.
Altho there is a large negro pop
ulation at Franklin and vicinity no
negro women were in the MOB
Joseph Fletcher, general manager
OF the Jackson Walker company, and
one of the most prominent figures In
the Kansas mining field. was a spec
tator at the mine. He was NOT modest
ed by the women.