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Centralia massacre (Washington)

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The Centralia massacre, an infamous incident of labor unrest in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, occurred on November 11, 1919 in Centralia, Washington. The incident, erupted during a celebration marking the first anniversary of Armistice Day, and resulted in a gunfight between local members of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World, also called the "Wobblies") and the American Legion. The clash resulted in the shooting deaths of four Legionaires by Wobblies, after which vigilantes lynched Wesley Everest. The incident remains controversial to the present day, over conflicting accounts of the action and responsibility for the violence.

History

The incident was the culmination of several years of labor strife in Western Washington. The IWW tried during the previous decade to establish a presence in the area, and met with resistance on several occasions, in particular keeping a Labor Hall in Centralia. The first Labor Hall closed after the building's owner discovered he was renting to Wobblies, and the second was destroyed by vigilantes during a parade in 1917 to support the Red Cross. The commemoration of Armistice Day in 1919 was observed locally by a parade that passed directly in front of the third Labor Hall on N. Tower Ave. Fearing violence from the marchers, who were largely anti radical-labor veterans, the Wobblies armed themselves and stationed men inside the hall and on the rooftops and in the windows of the surrounding buildings.

When the parade passed in front of the Labor Hall, Legionnaire marchers paused and the Wobblies opened fire. The Legionnaires were unarmed. Shots rang out from the Wobbly Hall, the ramshackle Avalon Hotel across the street to the rear of the Legionnaires, an old rooming house ahead of them, and a hill farther away. Post Commander Warren Grimm fell first hit by a high powered bullet killing him instantly in the middle of the street. Legionnaire Arthur Elfresh was killed by a bullet fired from Seminary Hill. The unarmed Legionnaires were caught in a pocket. Some broke for cover, others charged the source of the first shots, the Wobbly hall. Legionnaire Bernard Eubanks took a bullet in the leg on the curb in front of the Wobbly hall and Legionnaire Eugene Pfitzer was shot through the arm. As Legionnaires broke into the hall and seized several armed men, a Wobbly gunman who ran from the hall shot down Legionnaire Ben Cassagranda. Legionnaire Earl Watts fell within a few feet of the mortally wounded Cassagranda. Wobbly Wesley Everest escaped from the rear of the hall, firing at his pursuers, reloading as he ran. Legionnaire Alva Coleman grabbed a revolver from an occupant of a house along the line of chase but was hit and passed it to Legionnaire Dale Hubbard, a powerful athlete, who reached the Skookumchuck River where Everest, after attempting to ford, had returned to the near bank. When Hubbard ordered Everest to put down his gun, Everest opened fire. Hubbard fell. Everest then pistol whipped the dying Legionnaire before others overpowered him. All of the captured Wobblies were taken to the local jail. Also arrested was a local lawyer, Elmer Smith, who previously provided counsel to the Wobblies, and was known locally for his opposition to U.S. involvement in World War I. That night a lynch mob formed. The Legionnaires enlisted by the sheriff tried to protect the jail but the mob took control of the municipal electric plant shutting off all power and lights to Centralia. The mob rushed the jail but took only one prisoner, Wesley Everest, who they took to a local bridge crossing the Skookumchuck River and lynched him. While no vigilantes were arrested, the captured Wobblies faced charges. The resulting trial was held in Montesano several counties away. Several Wobblies were convicted of second degree murder and sent to prison. Ultimately all were released after a public campaign spearheaded by Elmer Smith, the Centralia attorney who had initially been jailed with the Wobblies.

A bronze statue of a doughboy, erected to honor the four Legionnaires killed in the Massacre, still stands in Centralia's George Washington Park. In 1999 the owner of the nearby former Elks building commissioned a mural to memorialize Wesley Everest and the Wobblies.

Literature on the subject of the massacre includes Wobbly Wars, the Centralia Story by John McCleland, as well as The Centralia Tragedy of 1919: Elmer Smith and the Wobblies.

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