The Appeal to Reason with dispatches from the seat of war in Colorado detailing the first four days of fighting begun with the Ludlow Massacre of strikers and their families on April 20, 1914.

‘The Colorado War’ from Appeal to Reason. No. 961. May 2, 1914.

Gunmen Riddles Tent Colony With Bullets, then Burn Bodies in Coal Oil–Scores of Miners, Their Wives and Babies Slain in Cold Blood by Mine Magnates Private Army of Gunmen–Truce Bearer Receives 51 Bullets.

EXPLOSIVE BULLETS USED ON HELPLESS BABES

Bloody Incidents of French Revolution Outdone by Greedy Exploiters Headed by Rockefeller–While Wilson Sends Military Forces to “Civilize” Mexico, Colorado is Soaked With. Blood of Disinherited.

Militia Company Mutinies When Called Out.

By Telegraph to APPEAL TO REASON.

Denver, Colo., April 23. Twenty-eight bodies of striking coal miners have been recovered from the ruins of the Ludlow tent colony, and at least thirty more are believed to have been burned by the gunmen militia in a huge funeral pyre of bullet ridden and suffocated bodies. Mrs. Pearl Jolly has made an affidavit to the effect that she saw militiamen pile bodies of women and children in a huge pile, pour coal oil over it and set it on fire. The total number of dead strikers, their wives and babes may reach sixty. WALTER H. FINKE.

The Colorado Massacre

The past week has witnessed the greatest labor battle America ever knew. The long strike of the miners has terminated in bloodshed exceeding the casualties of our war in Mexico.

It all resulted from the destruction of the tent colony of the strikers at Ludlow, by the private army of the Rockefeller interests. The regular state troops were not in the field, General Chase refusing to serve after the resources of the state were exhausted. After the hired soldiers had set fire to the tents, riddling with bullets women and children who attempted to escape, until more than twenty had perished, and some say as high as forty, they piled the bodies together, saturated them with Standard Oil, and burned them, to hide evidence of their guilt.

The slaughter of these innocents enraged the miners. Wherever they appeared they were fired on and many of them were killed. This made them desperate. Then they begged and borrowed arms, and speedily surrounded the guards. Others from outside and even from other states, hearing of the trouble, shouldered arms and marched to Ludlow. For three days desultory firing continued, resulting in many deaths and the wounding of far more on both sides.

The state legislature was called into extraordinary session, and pledged the credit of Colorado to obtain money to place the state troops in the field in the interest of Standard Oil and the private army of capitalism. The war is not over at this writing.

It would be impossible to tell the number of the dead and wounded. Perhaps it will never be known, because many bodies of the miners killed have been burned and buried to hide the evidence, while the masters are withholding the list of slain guards in order to keep from inspiring fear in the mind of other possible hirelings for murder. In all probability no less than 200 have been killed on both sides, and probably 500 wounded. Among the dead are some of the managers and minor owners of the mines. With the battle in progress numerous tipples have been fired. The property loss, not counting the cost of the soldiers to Colorado, has probably reached the neighborhood of half a million dollars.

Nothing like such a class war has ever been known in America.

The days of the barricades in France pale before its bloodiness.

Company C Mutinies

Denver, Colo. Company C, National Guard, mutinied today, shortly before time for the troop train which was to convey them with 500 other men to the strike region, was due to leave Denver. The train was held at the station.

Members of the company declared they refused to go to the strike zone because they opposed the murdering of women and children. The troop train left Denver after 10 o’clock, without the mutinous company. No arrests made.

Kill Women and Babes

By telegraph to Appeal to Reason.

Denver, Colo. Ludlow tent colony, which housed 1,200 Colorado striking coal miners, was burned to the ground, after three women and seven children had been murdered by 150 gunmen in militiamen’s uniforms and with state equipment. This force, having six machine guns, kept up a constant attack on men, women and children an entire day. The indications now are that the mine guards intend to murder all strikers who refuse to work on the company’s terms. One boy of eleven was shot as he ran to get a drink of water for his mother who was lying ill in the cellar. Four other children, from seven to eleven years in age, were driven back by bullets of uniformed gunmen into the burning tents and perished in the flames. Gunmen guard all roads. Passengers on trains say fifteen or twenty men and women are lying on prairie dead in the ruins of the tent colony. Society women offer to nurse injured men, women and babes and are refused opportunity. A score or more of women and children are reported smothered or massacred in this most terrible slaughter of workers in American history. Water supply was cut off from the tent colony early Monday morning, and women and babes were forced to lie in ditches and cellars for 24 hours without food or water. Murderous guards are keeping up the attack on men and all may be slaughtered.

For God’s sake and in the name of humanity call upon all citizens to demand of the president of the United States and of both houses of congress that they leave Mexico alone and come into Colorado to relieve the miners, their wives and children, who are being slaughtered by the private army of capitalism. F. L. DOYLE, Sec-Treas. Dist. 15, U.M.W.A.

Story of the Opening Battle

Trinidad, Colo. Lieutenant Linderfelt began arranging his men for attack upon the unprotected city. The militia started their work afternoon when they began insulting women and children and tried to break up the ball game between Ludlow and Segundo. They taunted the strikers throughout the afternoon and did everything in their power to bring about a fight. The gunmen were accompanied by women of the underworld, who likewise applied taunts to the good people around them. Then, just as dark was about to surround the tented village, the gunmen began to fire upon the harmless people. All the lights had to be extinguished early, for the protection of those inside. The attack was entirely unexpected, although it was predicted that the gunmen would start something during the day.) But just before daybreak, before most of the strikers had left their beds, a fusillade of shots greeted them. They all came from the hills and riddled several of the tents. Men, women and children, many of them undressed, rushed out and were greeted with another round of shots from the killers in the hills.

Thought First of Families.

“Get back into the tents,” the brave men ordered to their families.

Then the strikers rushed across the open place to the station, thus detracting the attention of the gunmen, and bringing the hail of bullets upon them. They entrenched themselves as best they could and later managed to secure a few rifles, old patterned, and began returning the fire of the enemy. The fact that General Chase did not return all the weapons that were taken from them, and also the fact that they had but little ammunition, deterred the men from making a more determined fight. The miners are reserving their fire as much as they can. The gunmen are reckless in their efforts to “get” the miners. The homes of persons, who have taken no part in the strike, which happen to be in the line of fire, are given no protection, but the bullets from the gunmen are pouring into them at every minute.

The Second Day’s Fight

Trinidad, Colo. The Segundo special and the Trinidad special, loaded with armed gunmen, left Trinidad shortly after 3 o’clock this afternoon. Engineer Hunt is said to be in charge of the Segundo train. Master Mechanic Roach was the engineer in charge of the Trinidad train. The third train dispatcher, Friedman, was his fireman.

The guards were armed “to the teeth.” Every railroad man in the employ of the C. & S. refused to have anything to do with the trains. They were immediately notified that they were discharged by Roach. Superintendent Roach and Assistant Superintendent E. Lott composed the members of the crew. All the gunmen of Trinidad congregated at the armory and were given uniforms, weapons and ammunition. E.F. Welch and James Hanes were the officers, it is said, in charge of the Trinidad killers. Reports received from Trinidad show that the battle followed demand made by the gunmen op two Greeks that they surrender two muskets they carried their shoulders as they started on rabbit hunt. The Greeks refused and told the gunmen that they had no right to stop them. Then the militia backed away, planted a machine gun on a nearby knoll, near the railroad tracks, and started to open fire. The Greeks, aided by their neighbors, drove them away. They took the machine gun with them. Then the gunmen in the hills opened fire.

The gunmen-melish, termed by a local newspaper “our representative citizens,” broke loose this morning to carry out the orders of John D. Rockefeller and the mine owners.

At sunup the Ludlow strikers found themselves entirely rounded, and a hail of bullets pouring into their tented homes from all sides.

Lieutenant Linderfelt, gunman of “Jesus Christ” fame, is in charge of about 150 killers and thugs, who are leading the attack upon the almost helpless miners.

The activities of the day is the resumption of the activities of the gunmen during the early days of the strike. Since early morning the gunmen have been pouring shot into the tent colony. All wires have been cut by the gunmen and communication from the outside world is impossible. The roads, likewise, have been blockaded.

Third Day’s Fight

Trinidad, Colo. The gunmen are on the run. The reinforcements from Trinidad and Aguilar did the trick. Two machine guns are said to have been captured by the strikers. Reports received in Trinidad tell of a terrific battle shortly before 11 o’clock, in which the Trinidad and Aguilar strikers and citizens took part. The union men are repeating the words of “Hell Hound” Linderfelt when he ordered the killing of the women and children of Ludlow: “Show them no quarters.”

The firing from daybreak until about 10:30 o’clock this morning was not very fast, coming mostly from the machine guns in the hands of the gunmen.

Then the Trinidad and Aguliar bunch opened fire from their more advantageous position higher in the hills. They tried to make every shot count and they evidently succeeded, for soon the machine guns were silenced, and eye-witnesses could see the killers scurrying for cover. The Trinidad and Aguilar men kept continually behind the rocks and took no chances. Their advantage was slow but sure and they kept peppering away and driving the gunmen back. It is reported upon reliable authority that the murderers of the women and children of the Ludlow men were forced to leave two machine guns where they lay on a knoll. There is no way of corroborating the statement, but reports say that at least fifteen of the gunmen were slain and an equal number of men were injured.

Fourth Day’s Battle

Trinidad, Colo. Report has reached this city that Primrose, Colo., is being demolished by strikers with dynamite, but miners declare it is an effort to create sympathy for the badly discredited mine guards. The Colorado legislature, however, in extraordinary session, made arrangements to borrow money from bankers. controlled by the same forces that run the mines, to carry on the war in the interest of the mine owners, and the entire force of the state is to be thrown into the conflict. Thirty persons were imprisoned in the Empire mine by the miners. They were offered freedom if they would surrender, but those outside refused for them, and then the tipple was fired. It is feared all have perished. It is declared that six coal properties are burning. Miners in the hills await the coming of state troops, ready to die in what they consider a defense of their rights. Union officials are helpless to allay sullen anger that prevails, and the state offers nothing but death for the miners and life for the private army of the masters.

There was firing all day between the miners and guards. It is known that there were fatalities on both sides, but how many cannot be ascertained.

Preparing for War

Trinidad, Colo. John R. Lawson, international board member from this district; National Organizer Peter Gorman and John Barulich, automobile driver, were ambushed near Ludlow while they were on their way to offer assistance to the striking miners just before noon. The three men were forced to find refuge along the roadside and so far they have managed to hold off the gunmen. Scores of strikers came into Trinidad this morning on a Denver & Rio Grande train and pleaded with business men, citizens and persons of every description to furnish them with guns and ammunition, so they could protect their homes.

Special train, loaded with gunmen, armed, started from Segundo. Engineer Hunt in charge. Two armored automobiles also sent from Sopris, according to report. The gunmen are stationed in the hills and entirely surround the tented city and are pouring their leaden messages of death into the tent city. The position of the gunmen shows clearly who started the fight. They have control of everything.

One of the most pitiful sights of the entire deal was witnessed when three young boys, who managed to jump aboard a D. & R. G. train and steal through the lines, made an appeal to Trinidad business men to furnish them with adequate arms, so that they could protect themselves. They also begged for ammunition.

“They’re killing us,” the three boys cried, tears streaming down their faces. “Can’t you give us help? Give us guns and ammunition and we’ll fix them. We can’t fight back.”.

Strikers in Trinidad, Starkville and other camps in the district are also pleading for arms, so that they can go to the rescue of the Ludlow miners and their families.

The Appeal to Reason was among the most important and widely read left papers in the United States. With a weekly run of over 550,000 copies by 1910, it remains the largest socialist paper in US history. Founded by utopian socialist and Ruskin Colony leader Julius Wayland it was published privately in Girard, Kansas from 1895 until 1922. The paper came from the Midwestern populist tradition to become the leading national voice in support of the Socialist Party of America in 1901. A ‘popular’ paper, the Appeal was Eugene Debs main literary outlet and saw writings by Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Mary “Mother” Jones, Helen Keller and many others.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/appeal-to-reason/140502-appealtoreason-w961-ludlow.pdf