h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When Frank Little came to Butte, Montana in 1917 to spur unionized miners' support for the IWW, a band of prominent community members kidnapped, tarred, and feathered him and left him to die by the railroad tracks. Pinkerton Agency detective (and later prominent author) Dashiell Hammett witnessed this event, which was supported by his pro-industry employers. The brutality and subsequent cover-up (the perpetrators were never charged nor discovered, though speculation ran rampant throughout the state) led to his eventually leaving the Agency. Little survived, but barely, and never came back to organize unions in Montana.

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Trying this again, without quoting the two paragraphs from another web site...

Actually, they killed him.

If you run a Google search on "Frank Little" and follow the second link, you'll find this on the page:

[Description of Frank Little's lynching and funeral removed to avoid moderation]

The Pinkerton Agency already had a reputation as violent union-busters by then.

Memorial poems appeared in the August 25, 1917 and September 22, 1917 issues of "Solidarity." The first was written by Viola Gilbert Snell, the second by Arturo Giovannitti.

NBY

Sorry 'bout that--I knew it was an incredibly savage beating, but I was under the impression he was able to leave the state (not without help from his comrades) and died shortly thereafter. By that time, the Pinkertons had nearly 50 years of union-busting under their belts, I think beginning with the Molly Maguires in Pennsylvania. They knew how to commit violent acts with the blessing of industry and community leaders.

You never can tell, when a posting has been moderated, if someone said something nasty or used copyrighted material. I was wondering there for awhile...

Your history regarding the Pinkerton Detective Agency is right on target. It was in 1873 that hte private detective Allan Pinkerton got his big break. Franklin Benjamin Gowan, president of the Philadelphia Coal and Iron Company, Hired Pinkerton to break The Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish fraternal organization that a lot of the miners belonged to.

Pinkerton either discovered or invented the Molly Maguires, as a subgroup within the AOH. There is some debate among historians as to which it is. My inclination is that he discovered them.

Ummmm... I've had things moderated for copyright problems and for putting up links to FoLKZ, but I don't think I've ever said anything nasty enough to get moderated just because it was nasty... unless you want to count my one week suspension of h2g2.

I'm not saying you'd ever say anything nasty...just that I always wonder what's behind a moderated posting. I've been moderated once as far as I know and that was connected to the situation in Afghanistan. I feel a little too passionately about the subject of justice and punishment and that was reflected in a particular posting.

Back to the topic...I have a great interest in American history, particulary labor, immigrant, and cultural history, from 1860-1930. That's where I picked up knowledge of the Pinkertons and labor violence. Combine that with a love of Dashiell Hammett and the fact that I live in Montana and...voila!

"I'm not saying you'd ever say anything nasty...just that I always wonder what's behind a moderated posting. I've been moderated once as far as I know and that was connected to the situation in Afghanistan. I feel a little too passionately about the subject of justice and punishment and that was reflected in a particular posting."

My apologies for reading in something that wasn't there. I ask myself the same questions about moderated postings. I do try not to let circumstances in one arena influence my attitudes in another. I can't claim perfect success in that.

American labor history is something of a passion of mine. Denver... Big Bill Haywood...

Recommemded reading for ANYONE interested in US labor history:

"Labor's Untold Story" by Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Marais. The history presented is slanted and one-sided, but it's a good starting point for a lot of history and a great read. No actualy inaccuracies, just failure to include, or minimumization of, anyting that doesn't make union organizers look saintly.

The book is hard to find. 1955 copyright... my copy is the sixteenth printing of the third edition, from 1980.... published by UE (United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America).

During the four years I spent organizing service workers and farmworkers, the organization I was with had an extensive suggested reading list. "Labor's Untold Story" was the only book on the required reading list.

One book I would recommend to you is "Big Trouble" by...oh, dear. I've forgotten who. He committed suicide right at the time it was published. In any case, it's about the real life 1909 murder of Idaho Governor...oh, dear. I've forgotten that too.

The years fly by, and apparently my memory has flown with them. Anyway, a labor activist (don't ask--my brain is being taxed enough as it is) is charged with his murder. The motive? The Gov's handling of the Coeur d'Alene mining strikes. The supporting cast of characters for the defense, the prosecution, and the courtroom audience is fascinating! It includes a lot about Bill Haywood (who eventually got dragged into the mess), the IWW, and everyone who was anyone in early 20th Century America.

Now if you tell me you're also a fan of Woody Guthrie, then I *will* be impressed!

"Now if you tell me you're also a fan of Woody Guthrie, then I *will* be impressed!"

A fan and the proud owner of his autobiographical coming-of-age book, "Seeds of Man."

"This Land is Your Land" is a bit overused, IMO. "Deportee" is a personal favorite. The farmworkers I worked with were mostly African-American or Puerto Rican, but they could identify.

I've always admired the man personally and politically, but I was really turned on to his music by the Billy Bragg-Wilco collaboration on Mermaid Avenue and its sequel. If you haven't heard these excellent CD's yet I highly recommend them! On the first Mermaid Avenue they do a version of "I Guess I Planted" that not only celebrates union workers but also really sets the feet to tapping.

Haven't heard them. I'll have to do so, and soon. Thanks for the lead on what will have to be some good music.

It's excellent! And, btw, I remembered the author of the work I was speaking of above--Anthony Lukas. And the assassination was in 1901 or 1902. Still sketchy on the Governor's name, though. Since the first epiphany came to me in the shower, clearly I have to take another one.