The True Story of Labor’s Martyred Pioneers in the Coalfields

Anthony Bimba     1932     144p     5 x 8

A forgotten chapter in the history of American labor, revealing the true nature of the so-called Molly Maguires as pioneers and martyrs in a determined struggle of the Pennsylvania anthracite region miners to improve their miserable working conditions during the 1870s. Comprised of irish and irish-american miners, the mollies were a secret society that committed sabotage, kidnapping of mine bosses, assassinations and sent threatening ‘coffin notices’ to warn bosses what would happen to them if there demands weren’t met. No work published since sets forth so clearly the role of the railroad company which owned the mines, whose president hired the Pinkerton spies and provocateurs and acted as State prosecutor in the trials which sent the mollies to the gallows.

$4-10

‘Tomas, this is your hous
Notice you have carried this as far
as you can by cheating the ?? you three
Bosses be careful if the above don’t be your
hous in a short time
From a stranger he
nowes you

Shanty hill thursday
your a marked man
prepare your [coffin] at once
or else leave this place
your life is doomed and you’ll die like
a dog if you stay here any longer as
mine boss Take warning
by order of Molly Maguire