On this day in 1917, a deputized posse in Bisbee, Arizona kidnapped more than 1,300 striking miners, their supporters, and bystanders, deporting them to New Mexico, more than 200 miles away. The miners were organized by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and had been on strike since June 26th.

The action was orchestrated by Phelps Dodge, the major mining company in the area, which provided lists of workers and others who were to be arrested to the Cochise County sheriff, Harry C. Wheeler.

The 16-hour journey was through desert without food and with little water. Once unloaded, the deportees, most without money or transportation, were warned against returning to Bisbee. The U.S. government soon brought in members of the US Army to assist with relocating the deportees to Columbus, New Mexico.

Phelps Dodge, in collusion with the sheriff, had closed down access to outside communications, so the story was not well reported at the time.

Although a federal commission concluded the kidnapping was done "wholly illegal and without authority in law, either State or Federal" and the U.S. Department of Justice ordered the arrest of 21 Phelps Dodge executives, no individual, company, or agency was ever convicted in connection with the deportations.

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    • WIIHAPPYFEW [he/him, they/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Sure, I suppose:

      • When she was like 5, she fell out of a car going down the highway at full speed and only got cuts and bruises (This was during the early 40s though, so the speed limit was probably much lower.)
      • She met my Grandpa after he offered to drive her home after her old bf lost all his money for a trip back from gambling
      • She was for some unknown reason always watching crime documentaries whenever we visited.
      • When she was 20, she looked almost exactly like one of my cousins.
      • She’s the reason that whenever someone says “Home again”, my mind autocompletes it with “…Home again, jiggity jig”.
      • She took me to see Rango when I was 5. That was pretty fun.
      • forcequit [she/her]
        ·
        1 year ago

        home again home again, jiggity jig

        meow-melt these are really sweet, thank you for sharing

        Also falling out of a car lmao what a trooper

      • Woly [any]
        ·
        1 year ago

        She was for some unknown reason always watching crime documentaries whenever we visited

        Just making sure they hadn't caught on to her yet