14 January 2025
Frank Little was lynched on August 1, 1917 in Butte, Montana because he was a labor organizer working with the workers at the Anaconda Mining Company copper mine to improve safety in the mine and increase wages.
In this early coverage of the Little's brutal murder, the local newspaper - The Butte Daily Post - seemed to blame Little for his own murder
One headline written in capital letters: VICTIM OF VIGILANTES MADE SEDITIOUS SPEECHES OPENLY SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN BUTTE.
The paper reported, even before they spoke about Little's murder, how he said US soldiers are "Uncle Same's Scab in Uniform." The newspaper referred to that scabs quote by Little at least three times in different stories.
I wonder who pushed to have these excuses for why Little was murdered to be put above the actual story about Little's murder. At one point, the paper reported that authorities believe Little's statements are "responsible for his death."
Throughout this extensive first day coverage of Little's murder, police blamed Little for his own murder and they just couldn't find any evidence whatsoever that could lead police to the murderers. It was a real head-scratcher for police.
As this reporting in the Butte Daily Post suggests, Little did not die quickly when his neck broke from being thrown off the Milwaukee Railroad trestle. Before being hung from a bridge, the murderers drug Little's body behind a car through town. Little's body was badly mutilated. His death was not a slow and painless one. The murderers wanted everyone to know that in Butte, Montana, they will brutally murder anyone who tries to organize workers.
Not one person was ever arrested for Little's murder.
Suspects in the case include:
The day after Little's murder, Morrissey took a 20 day leave of absence from the Butte police force. Witnesses said that Morrissey had scratches on his face. The autopsy showed that Little tried to fight off the attackers, with skin under his fingernails.
Oates was a notoriously dangerous person. Autopsy showed that Little had a small hole in the back of his head that been inflicted by a steel hook similar to what Oates used on the end of his amputated right arm.
The following is actually three stories published on 1 August 1917 in The Butte Daily Post.
This first story reads like it was written by the cops who murdered Little.
Called United States Soldiers, "Uncle Same's Scab in Uniform" - Came here from Arizona Where He Was Prominent In I. W. W. Work - Was Chairman of the General Executive Board of National Organization - Haywood Notified of Outrage and Sends Reply - Masked Men Hurry Him in Automobile to Place of Execution on Outskirts of City - Authorities Start Investigation
Frank H. Little, William D. Haywood's right-hand man in the west and chairman of the general executive committee of the I. W. W. national organization, was lynched by six masked men early this morning. Shortly after 3 o'clock Little was taken from his room in the Steele block, on North Wyoming street, adjoining Finn hall, forced while still in his underwear to enter an automobile and driven off at high speed to the Milwaukee railroad trestle near the Centennial brewery on the outskirts of the city. There, after a desperate struggle, a rope was place about his and he was thrown from the bridge. His death must have been instantaneous, as his neck was broken. In red letters on a card pinned to Little's underclothing was a warning to others, signed by "Vigilantes."
The authorities have taken first steps to make a thorough investigation into the murder. Little's associates in Butte claim to know the identity of five of the men who participated in the outrage. The officers have made no arrests, but are following every possible clue. Little had made many seditious speeches and only recently at a mass meeting at the ball park declared that United States soldiers were "Uncle Sam's scabs in uniform." On occasions in Butte he had denounced the administration and declared that his organization would make it so hot for the government that it could not send troops to France. No later than last Friday night he urged the miners to defy the city authorities and declared that the United States constitution was a mere piece of paper that might be torn up.
Immediately after the identification of the body of Little, members of the I. W. W. in Butte began to telegraph appeals for aid. William D. Haywood, secretary of the national organization, was notified. Other telegrams were sent to Arizona, where Little was especially well known. Later on replies were received from Haywood in which it was understood that the whole resources of the organization would be devoted to finding and punishing the lynchers and to protecting other members of the I. W. W. now in Butte, if such protection was found necessary.
The raid on Little's room had been thoroughly planned. Six masked men drove up to the front of the hotel at five minutes after three. One stood upon the sidewalk in front of the rooming house. The others entered the house. Not a word was spoken nor a command given. Everything worked by seeming prearrangement.
The men even seem to have selected the room in which Little was supposed to sleep. Without a word of instruction to each other, they quickly broke into room number 30 on the ground floor. A flashlight was thrown into the room. The men seem surprised to find the room unoccupied.
Mrs. Nora Byrne, landlady of the Steel block, awoke when the door to room number 30 was broken in. She slept in an adjoining room, at the front of the building.
"A mistake somewhere," she heard the men say as they searched the adjoining room. Then she heard the men move to the door of her room. The door was pushed slightly open. Mrs. Byrne jumped to the door and held it.
"Wait until I get my clothes on," she told them. Then she asked who they were and what they wanted.
"We are officers and we want Frank Little," one of the men told her.
Mrs. Byrne got into a bath robe, again went to the door and opened it. The leader of the masked men poked a revolver into the opening of the door.
"Where is Frank Little?" he repeated.
"He is in room number 32," answered Mrs. Byrne.
The men quickly ran down the hall, tried to open the door to 32 and then gave it a kick that broke the lock of the door. They entered the room. Mrs. Byrne had closed her door and started to dress. She believed that police officers had arrested Little, but she could not understand why they should be in such a hurry that they broke down the doors.
She heard the men coming from Little's room, saw them half lead and half carry him across the sidewalk and push him into a waiting motor car. The six men jumped into the car beside the driver, the car was started quickly and went racing south on Wyoming street.
Mrs. Byrne was in quandary. She still believed that Little was in the hands of the police, but could not reconcile the action of the masked men with the action of police officers. She waited for about one-half hour and until two other roomers, attracted by the confusion, came to her room to make inquiries. Then after a talk with the men she called police headquarters and told of the mysterious taking of Little. Police officers were at the house in a few minutes and started an investigation.
The body was found hanging on the north side of the trestle. The ties on the trestle are about 14 feet above the roadway. Little's feet were about five feet from the ground. On the back of his head was a bloody mark. Late this morning the coroner had not determined whether the mark was a gunshot wound, an abrasion from a blow or an old sore. An autopsy will be held this afternoon.
Little had only his underclothes on when taken from his room in the Steele block. He is not known to have made any outcry or demanded any explanation. It is presumed that a towel from the room was tied across his mouth, one of the towels left there by the landlady being missed.
Upon the part of the underclothing covering the man's right thigh was a pasteboard placard about six by 10 inches, bearing in red crayon letters the inscription:
"Others Take Notice. First and Last Warning. 3-7-77. L. D. C. S. S. W. T." A circle was about the letter "L". The letters at the bottom of the card were inscribed with a lead pencil.
The figures "3-7-77" are the old sign of the vigilantes in Montana. The custom of vigilantes was to send two warnings to a marked man, the third and last warning being written in red. The warnings were usually number as "first warning," "second warning" and "last warning." The use of letters appended to the warnings is not known to have a precedent in vigilante history. The letters and warning were written by a fair penman, a man who made legible and careful characters. It was written with some idea as to form of preparing a placard.
On the back of the pasteboard placard was a smear of blood.
Before 8 o'clock this morning a tense group of men, most of them wearing the Metal Mine Workers' union buttons, had gathered about the Finlander hall and the Steele block on North Wyoming street. There was but little loud talk among the men of the hanging.
When Coroner Lane left the block after examining the man's effects, he was surrounded by a group of the men who demanded that "only union men" be summoned for coroner's jury service in the case. The coroner said he would with all justice and as he had always acted in such cases. Every man who came near or entered the Steele block was approached by members of the group and questioned concerning his business there.
"There is going to be hell to pay for this," said one man near Steele block. "We are going to go to the bottom of this and we are going to locate and name every man in the hanging party."
Few effects were found in Little's room. A few dollars in silver and currency were taken in charge by the coroner and also a suit case containing I. W. W. literature and membership books.
Little had letters in his grip from I. W. W. organizers of the country. Most of his own I. W. W. literature was dated at Bisbee, Ariz., from which point he had received many letters since coming to Butte. Letters from Haywood and other prominent I. W. W. men were in his suit case. Telegrams informing him of the illness and death of his mother in Perkins, Okla., on June 8, also were kept by the man. A letter from that place is signed, "Your brother, William Little." Another brother, "Hank," is in Seattle and is known as an agitator there.
One letter of queer meaning instructs Little "to throw away those crutches. F. says they're no good to you." Little was known in Butte since his arrival here as a cripple, explaining that he was suffering from a broken ankle caused by "two gun men jumping on him in El Paso."
Robert W. Brown of 1917 South Montana street, while on his way to work at 6 o'clock this morning, discovered the body swaying from the trestle. He at once notified the police. Desk Sergeant William Taylor answered the phone. He notified Chief of Police J. J. Murphy, who hurried to the station. The coroner, Detective Frank White, Patrol Driver Ralph Wynne and Chauffeur Ed Kimball hurried to the scene. The chief untied the rope and let down the body.
"The body was still warm when it was taken down," declared Detective White. "There were some bruises about the head and legs but no signs of a bullet wounds. We found the sign in which others were warned."
Ralph Wynne, who lived in Virginia City for many years, recognized the sign of the Vigilantes "3-7-77." He knew at once what that meant.
News of Little's hanging flashed about Butte within a few minutes. Men stopped on the street corners to discuss the tragedy. At the undertaker's members of the I. W. W. union crowded about the body. Many threats were made.
"We'll get ten for one," said one man. "They may hang a few of us, but we'll get more."
At the Finlander hall hundreds of men congregated and threats were made.
Arrangements are being made for a big parade. It is possible that the authorities will prevent the display, fearing trouble.
Rumors circulated this morning in the city that Little was a detective and that he was killed by I. W. W.'s who discovered his alleged treachery. This story was made light of by the union leaders.
It is understood that federal officials have the case under investigation.
Little came to Butte three weeks ago from Arizona, where he was prominent in labor troubles. Since coming to Butte he has made frequent addresses to the members of the Metal Mine Workers' union. In all of his speeches he attacked the government and he was exceedingly bitter in his comment on the war. He urged the miners of the Butte district to stay out on strike and to join the I. W. W., which, he declared, would close down the properties and interfere with farming operations the country over if necessary to enforce their demands. Little's activities were the subject of investigation by United States authorities and the report was general that steps would be taken to prevent further treasonable talk and attacks on the government.
Little was one of the most prominent members of the Industrial Workers of the World in the United States, and his name appears on the editorial page of Solidarity, the national I. W. W. publication, as chairman of the general executive board. He was head of the Metal Mine Workers' Industrial union No. 800 of the I. W. W., with headquarters in Salt Lake, Utah, which included all of the local organizations in the mining districts of the west.
He was a frequent contributor to the I. W. W. paper and an article appeared in the issue of Solidarity for July 21 signed by Little, stating the demands of the Metal Mine Workers' Industrial union. No. 800 in the districts of the west.
The body was first taken to the Sherman & Reed undertaking parlors and was later removed to the Duggan funeral establishment on North Main street, where hundreds of people viewed it during the morning.
Am autopsy performed at noon by Drs. P. H. McCarthy and E. F. Maginn revealed that Little was not shot before he was hanged. The neck was broken, evidently from the fall from the trestle. All the organs were found to be in good condition. There was a bruise on the skull but no fracture, showing that Little was hit on the head before the rope was put around his neck. Both knees were badly skinned, showing the deceased made resistance before he was executed.
Coroner Lane said this afternoon that the inquest in the Little case will probably start on Friday morning this week. Every witness who can throw possible light on the tragedy will be called. The investigation will be as thorough as it is possible to make it and no expense will be spared in obtaining evidence.
When the news of Little's hanging was circulated throughout the city, rumors of wild and exaggerated nature began to be heard on the streets. The coroner, the police and sheriff's office, the newspapers and even business houses were kept busy answering telephone calls from people who wanted to verify wild reports.
Reports came that a man was found murdered in an alley on East Park street, that a man had been hung in the Nine Mile canyon, that a man had committed suicide near Rocker and that four men had been shot in a fight with vigilantes in South Butte. The report even gained circulation that Tom Campbell of the miners' union had disappeared from the city. Campbell was in Butte all morning and actively investigating the hanging.
An interesting theory has been developed in reference to the possible meaning of the letters found at the bottom of the vigilante placard found on Little's body. Labor agitators say that the seven letters on the bottom of the card may be the key initials for seven men who may be marked by the men that hung Little.
The theory is born out by the coincidence if not by fact. At the bottom of the placard are the following letters, in a row across the page: "L-D-C-S-S-W-T." Around the letter "L" is a circle, possibly to show that Little already has been disposed off. Other men who may have incurred the enmity of the supposed vigilantes are thought to be as follows, the name corresponding to the letters on the placard: Dunne, Campbell, Shannon, Shovlin or Sullivan, Williams and Tomich. William Sullivan, attorney for the Metal Mine Workers' union, has declared that "at least five men have been warned." He mentioned four of the above names.
R. F. Dunne is the business agent for the Butte Electrical Workers' union. He was chairman of the recent strike committee of the electrical workers.
Tom Campbell is the brains and the actual leader of the outlaw miners' union. He is one of Haywood's right-hand men and also an old W. F. M. man who ran against Moyer for president of that organization a few years ago.
Joe Shannon has taken an active part in the Butte labor troubles. He was prominent in the troubles three years ago when "Muckie" McDonald held a short reign in Butte.
Dan Shovlin is an alternating chairman of the miners' meetings and Sullivan is the attorney for the union. Sullivan is said to have prepared all the "dope" for the strike bulletins.
John Williams is a prominent I. W. W. agitator sent here one week ago by Haywood to assist Little.
L. Tomich is a Serbian labor leader who has taken part in the recent labor troubles and who has spoken before the miners' meeting a number of times.
Before the above theory was advanced, Attorney William Sullivan declared that a number of men were "marked to go."
"They got Little. He was the first man marked to go. We had received warnings and were told that Joe Shannon as the second in line. Tom Campbell third and another man fourth," said William Sullivan today. "I can't tell you how we received the warnings, but we knew they were marking some of the men."
Attorney Sullivan only shrugged his shoulders when asked if he himself were not one of the men referred to as marked. "We used every precaution and even had the marked men change rooms every so often." added Sullivan. "I cannot give the names of the other men who were supposed to be designated as victims."
Speaking of possible trouble growing out of the affair this morning, Attorney Sullivan declared that there will be no outbreak in Butte, "although the temper of the men is much tried."
"We have taken steps to provide against trouble," he said. "The men will not cause riot or other disturbance. We are going to the bottom of this thing, but in a legal way."
"Have you any idea of the identity of the men composed the hanging party?" Sullivan was asked.
"We have practically proven who five of them were, we are uncertain to a sixth. We soon will know who they all were," he replied.
Attorney Sullivan as in conference with Tom Campbell and Joe Shannon of the Metal Mine Workers' union this morning and spent his whole time investigating the matter. He refused to voice his opinions as to the perpetrators of the hanging.
Today's tragedy is said to be the first lynching in the county since 1868. A pioneer was authority today for the statement that in that year three Chinese were executed by a mob and that no one had been a victim of lynchers in the county since then.
United States and local authorities are outspoken in their denunciation of the murder of Frank H. Little, who was lynched by six masked men in Butte this morning. All agree that the men responsible for this outrage must be run down and prosecuted. "It is the most unwise thing that has happened in Butte," said United States District Attorney B. K. Wheeler this morning in discussing the Little affair. "the men who perpetrated the affair should be brought to justice."
Mr. Wheeler said that the government officials have been working on the Little case and that he had, on Tuesday, written to the United States district attorney in Washington asking for further instructions concerning the matter. He asked the United States attorney if prosecution could be brought against Little on the ground of his unpatriotic utterances. Government men have been working on the Little case for the past week with a view of possible prosecution.
"The country is shocked beyond measure to think that in this community there should be anybody so contemptible as to take a man out and hang him in cold blood," said County Attorney Joseph R. Jackson this morning after returning from a visit to the scene of the hanging and an interview with Mrs. Byrne, landlady of the Steele block. In the opinion of this office it is a cold blooded murder and every effort will be used to apprehend the men who did it. If they are apprehended they will receive as hard a prosecution as this office is capable of giving.
"In company with Under Sheriff Melia I visited the Steele block and interviewed the landlady, Mrs. Byrne, but we were unable to get any description from her of the men who broke down the door of Little's room and took him away. Neither could we find out that there was any other witness to the abduction of Little. We likewise visited the scene of the hanging and could find nothing there to give us any clue."
Under Sheriff Jack Melia said that he was notified shortly before 7 o'clock this morning that the body of a man was hanging from the bridge. He said that he immediately went to the place but could find nothing which would give clue as to the guilty parties. The under sheriff assisted in taking the body down and handed it over to the coroner. "We have a force of men at work in an effort to run down the murderers of Little," said the under sheriff, "but up to the present time we have not the slightest clue to work on."
Spoke of soldiers as "Uncle Same's Scabs in Uniforms." Said that if Government Took Over Butte Mines the I. W. W. Would "Make it So Damned Hot for the Government That They Could Not Send Troops to France." Upbraided by Governor Campbell.
Salt Lake City, Aug. 1. - F. H. Little, the I. W. W. organizer lynched today at Butte, telegraphed Governor Campbell of Arizona from here July 17 as follows regarding the deportation from that state of members of the I. W. W.:
"Understand that the mine owners' mob will take same action at Globe and Miami as was taken at Bisbee. The membership of the I. W. W. is getting tired of the lawlessness of the capitalistic class and will no longer stand for such action. If you, as governor, cannot uphold the law, we will take same in our own hands. Will you act or must we?"
In reply, Governor Campbell said he felt sure no deportations could occur with the federal troops stationed in the district and that he was using his best efforts to protect rights of all citizens. Concluding, he said:
"I resent your untimely threats in view of earnest efforts to bring law and order and such forces as will maintain same, and further like behavior on your party will be punished to the full extent of my authority."
Some of the treasonable utterances made by Frank Little since his arrival in Butte three weeks ago and which the authorities declare are responsible for his death follow:
"Down in the hot deserts of Arizona they have taken 2,000 of our men (I. W. W.) guarded by the uniformed thugs of the United States government and shut them up in Pershing's bull pen."
In a speech at the ball park in Butte on July 19, Little spoke of the soldiers as "Uncle Sam's scabs in uniform."
"If the mines are taken under federal control, we will make it so damned hot for the government it won't be able to send any troops to France."
Referring to a talk he had with Governor Campbell of Arizona, during which Governor Campbell said this country is at war, Little answered: "Governor, I don't give a damn what your country (meaning the United States) is fighting for: I am fighting for the solidarity of labor."
"We are not interested in this country, but use the war just like the business men are doing; to make a profit for our class."
"A city ordinance is simply a piece of paper which can be torn up. The same can be said of the constitution of the United States."
"The laws were made by congress and senators, not workers; four years ago every house had Wilson's picture as 'He kept us out of war,' but last February when we entered into war he told the people 'to shut their mouths, we are running this,' and he said no one could be had to fight except by the draft."
"Go out and put on a picket. Send 20 men the first day and let be thrown in jail and then send 40 and then a hundred and fill the jails and refuse bond and pay no fines. Look the city daddies in the face and tell them to go to hell; also their city ordinances and laws."
"The I. W. W. don't have trouble enlisting soldiers. We enlist 100 to Wilson's one. The only way the I. W. W. refuse to go to war is to organize into one big union and fight the capitalists. The I. W. W. did not object to war, but the way they wanted to fight was to put the capitalists in the front trenches and if the Germans did not get them the I. W. W. would. Then the I. W. W. would clean the Germans. The capitalists are our worst enemies."
"We have no interest in the war. Our interest is solely with the working class. We do not care what the nations of America, England, Germany and Russia do."
"Our proposed nation-wide strike would be the culmination of some hundred walkouts which have occurred in the last few months. We never sign contract, but reserve the right to strike any time we we are able to win."
"Let the capitalists fight the battle and we will go into the munition plants and see that they get plenty of bullets."
"It is a waste of time to send resolutions to the president. The only thing to do is for workers to form a big army and go before the president and demand that if the men deported at Bisbee are not released immediately, the army will turn itself loose."
"I am an I. W. W., and as an I. W. W. I am responsible for what I say. The place to start is to handle the scabs; forget the quiet stuff and use action."
Six masked men lynch IWW leader Frank Little in Butte, Montana
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