100 years ago, there was a shooting in Everett between the I.W.W. and local deputies, and at least 5 were reported dead; the shootings are now known as the Everett Massacre.
The Everett Massacre, which took place on Sunday, November 5, 1916, was called one of the bloodiest labor confrontation of Northwest history. On that day a group of Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as Wobblie, were traveling to Everett from Seattle aboard the ships Verona and Calista intending to speak at the corner of Hewitt and Wetmore avenue in support of a strike by local shingle-weavers. The two ships had brought about 300 Wobblies to Everett, but a group of citizen-deputies refused to let them land under the authority of Snohomish County Sheriff Donald McRae (1868-?).After the IWW members were refused being able to dock, shots soon started firing, but historians never found out which side fired first. Soon about 7 people were dead, at least five Wobblies and two deputies. According to a HistoryLink article by Everett historian Margaret Riddle, A week before the shootings, 41 Wobblies had been beaten by citizen deputies at Beverly Park. In the end 75 IWW members were arrested and taken to the Snohomish County jail. Later for all of them to be released except one, Teamster Thomas H. Tracy who was held for murder of Jefferson Beard, a Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff. Jefferson Beard (1871-1916), Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff |
Donald McRae (1868-?), Snohomish County Sheriff
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The Everett Massacre took place in the Port of Everett Terminal
Citations
Riddle, Margaret. "HistoryLink.org." Everett Massacre (1916) - HistoryLink.org. HistoryLink.org, 18 Dec. 2011. Web. 06 Jan. 2017.
Dilgard, David, and Riddle, Margaret. "Elof Norman Interview Transcript." Oral Histories. Everett Public Library, 6 Nov. 1976. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.
Published: 20 January, 2017
Wrote and Illustrated by: Shanon W. & Angelica H.
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