Italian immigrant miner and U.M.W.A. organizer, Tony Stafford was a veteran of many West Virginia strikes from Cabin Creek to Blair Mt. Born Antonio Altopiedo, Stafford was a working class warrior, from physical fighting to suing the governor, he was on the front lines bringing the union to West Virginia for more the fifteen years. Incarcerated in Moundsville Penitentiary serving sentences including for attempted murder, Stafford was quickly deported to Mussolini’s Italy without a chance to see his family, leaving a destitute wife and four children. The newly-formed International Labor Defense took responsibility for aiding his family after his deportation. Below are several articles on the case. I have been unable to find out the rest of Stafford’s family story.

‘West Virginia Miner Torn from His Family by Deportation’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 2 No. 170. July 29, 1925.

Mystery Surrounds the Action Against Miner

The why and wherefore of the hasty and secret deportation to Italy of Tony Stafford is still shrouded in mystery. Stafford was a labor prisoner serving a long sentence in Moundsville penitentiary. He was one of the eight hundred coal miners indicted following the mine war in West Virginia in the fall of 1921 during which a number of miners and company gunmen were killed. Three men, Tony Stafford, Edgar Combs and George Barrett were picked as the victims.

Suddenly, on July 11, Tory Stafford was removed from Moundsville by Federal officers and taken to Pitt burgh County Jail. He was there no more than a few hours when he was shipped off to Ellis Island. There he sent the following telegram to his wife, “At Ellis Island, can do nothing myself, do your best.” Shortly after sending this telegram he was put aboard the “Giusseppe Verdi”, bound for Naples.

Stafford leaves behind a wife and four children whom he had not seen for years. Mrs. Mattie Stafford was destitute and powerless to help her husband. She wrote a letter to the National Office of the International Labor Defense in Chicago asking for help. The I.L.D. immediately notified its New York representatives. It was too late.

A letter just received from Beckley, W. Va., by International Labor Defense was written by Sadie Stafford. A photograph of the four children was enclosed. Sadie, the only girl, appears to be no more than nine or ten years of age. Here is the letter.

Letter from Miner’s Daughter.

“Dear Sir: We have just received your letter. Mother is not able to write just at present, but she asked me to send these pictures and cards to you at once. We are afraid it is too late now. We send you the last word we had from father (telegram enclosed). You may be able to see him yet. We wrote Secretary Davis the day we received wire from father. Mother will write you soon. We truly hope these papers will be of help to you.

“Mrs. Tony Stafford, written by Daughter Sadie.

“P.S. No one has ever offered us any help of any kind since father was taken away from us.”

The “papers” enclosed were receipts for payment of dues in the Loyal Order of Moose since 1917, cards issued by the United Mine Workers Union during 1920 and 21 and Staffords army registration card dated 1917.

Organized Labor Forgot Stafford.

The labor movement forgot Tony Stafford and his family. During the five years Tony Stafford was in prison for the cause of labor, his wife has been obliged to battle alone. “No one has ever offered us any help of any kind since father was taken away from us.”

In a previous letter to International Labor Defense, Mrs. Stafford told of Stafford’s enemies. “The E.E. White Coal Co. of Glenn White, W. Va is the Co. who is fighting him. I do not have money to help my husband as I have four small children to provide for, and I find it very hard to make ends meet. My husband did not even get to come home to see his children whom he has not seen for many years. I want you to fully understand that it is because of a grudge against union officials that they are so bitterly against him.”

Tony Stafford was an official of the U.M.W. of A. He fought for the unionization of the scab coal fields of West Virginia. He fought for a better life for his wife and four children. His reward was frame-up, imprisonment and now deportation.

Will Take Care of Family.

International Labor Defense did all it could to prevent the deportation of Tony Stafford. The trick was turned too quickly. It could not be stopped. I.L.D. is now doing the next best thing. It is undertaking to make up in some way for the long neglect his family has suffered. Mrs. Stafford was sent a check of fifty dollars and more will follow. A fund is being raised and the forces of militant labor are being organized under the banner of International Labor Defense to cope with the many similar occurrences of working class fighters railroaded to prison or deported, and of families left destitute and helpless.

The Deportation Menace. July 21, 1925.

Tony Stafford, former international board member of the United Mine Workers of America, was framed up by the coal operators and sent to prison for five years for his participation in a coal miners’ strike in West Virginia in 1917. The employers charged him with having dynamited the property of the coal company. The legal apparatus of the state being owned and controlled by the operators carried out the wishes of the coal barons.

Immediately after Stafford was released from jail, steps were taken by the department of labor to have him deported to Italy, his native land. He is now on his way unless he can be saved from the further persecution of Mussolini’s murderers by last minute efforts.

The deportation weapon is one of the many clubs held by the ruling class over the heads of foreign-born workers who refuse to bow the knee in submission to the bosses. Threat of its enforcement helps the capitalists to intimidate the workers who are not yet under the influence of revolutionary ideology. As the basic industries of this country, particularly the unskilled classification in those industries are composed mainly of foreign-born workers it is quite evident that the deportation club is a very real danger, not only to the foreign-born but also to the native born.

Why? Because a foreign-born worker can be deported for participating in a strike against a reduction in wages, for the closed shop or for any other effort to improve the standard of living of the workers or improve their working conditions. Every worker knows that only thru collective action can labor’s status be improved. It therefore follows, if the capitalists succeed in intimidating the foreign-born workers from joining a union, or participating in the activities of the union, even to striking, which is the only effective weapon of the union to enforce its demands, that the effectiveness of the union is seriously impaired.

Tony Stafford is one of the many workers whose loyalty to his class brought down upon his head the heavy hand of capitalist “justice.” Every effort must be made to prevent his deportation to the fascist hell of Italy. He leaves a wife and little children in Pittsburgh, Pa. The International Defense is fighting for him and for his dependents. It is up to every class conscious worker in America to step in and help in this fight. We must battle the deportation menace every inch of the way.

A Deportee’s Wife from Labor Defender. March, 1927.

Dear Friend:

I haven’t forgot to thank you for our Christmas present, but have been very busy since with my work.

We thank you so many times that I can’t explain in words how we thank you. I just now heard from my husband; he is in good health and hopes of returning. My family is also enjoying fine health at present.

Trusting to remain hearing from my husband friends knowing he is still remembered by some one.

Sincerely, Mrs. Tony Stafford and Family

A Deportee’s Wife from Labor Defender. July, 1927.

Beckley, W. Va. International Labor Defense,

Chicago, Ill.. Dear Sir:

I am writing you to see if you will kindly lend me $50 as I must raise $90 within the next 10 days. If you will loan it to me for four months I will be glad to return it with interest.

I had a letter from my husband a few days ago; he was in good health and still trying to come home. He has already got his passport some time ago. Please excuse me for my imposing on you, but I don’t know any other way to save my little home. My two oldest children will help me this summer to pay the money back. Thank you very kindly.

Mrs. Tony Stafford.

We applied to our readers to make special contributions for Mrs. Stafford, whose husband was deported to Italy In July, 1925, after serving several years in Moundsville Prison for his participation in the 1920 coal miners’ strike. Mrs. Stafford was not even given an opportunity to see her husband, upon his release, before he was rushed off. She is working hard and trying- to raise her little family by “stint and save”. Send contributions to 23 S. Lincoln Street.