Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Tom Copeland research materials on Elmer Smith and the Centralia Tragedy, 1905-1998
Overview of the Collection
- Collector, compiler
- Copeland, Tom, 1950-
- Title
- Tom Copeland research materials on Elmer Smith and the Centralia Tragedy
- Dates
- 1905-1998 (inclusive)19051998
- Quantity
- 1.95 cubic feet (3 boxes) plus 1 oversize vertical file
- Collection Number
- 2021 (Accession No. 2021-001)
- Summary
- Tom Copeland’s research materials on Elmer Smith, attorney for the Industrial Workers of the World involved in the Centralia Tragedy of 1919.
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access for paper-based materials; however, no user access copies are currently available for audiocassettes or 7" reel. Users may obtain a reproduction of the media for a fee by contacting Special Collections. Access to CD-ROMs can be arranged by making an appointment with the Labor Archives curator prior to viewing. Contact UW Special Collections for more details or to request an appointment.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Full processing supported by the Labor Archives Fund and the Labor Archives of Washington State Budget
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Tom Copeland is the author of The Centralia Tragedy of 1919: Elmer Smith and the Wobblies and has worked in the family childcare field since 1981.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
Elmer Smith, who is documented in this collection, was a progressive lawyer in Centralia, Washington who defended the Industrial Workers of the World members arrested following the Centralia Tragedy of 1919. Smith was a high school teacher before becoming an attorney. As an attorney he represented IWW members, loggers and miners. After hearing rumors of a planned attack on their IWW meeting hall, several Wobblies consulted with Smith about whether they had a right to defend themselves and their hall. Their previous hall had been attacked the year before during a parade. Smith contacted Washington’s governor and the IWW’s asked for protection from Centralia law enforcement. However, both attempts were denied as were IWW member efforts to plead for justice from town residents. Smith then advised the Wobblies it would be legal to physically defend themselves if attacked first.
On November 11th, 1919, under the guise of an Armistice Day Parade, American Legionnaires attacked the Centralia IWW hall. IWW members shot and killed four Legionnaires during the attack and wounded several others. A posse later mistakenly killed one of their own. IWW member Wesley Everest fled the scene, killing one of the men pursuing him, and was put in jail. That night,he was pulled from his cell by a group of vigilantes and lynched on a bridge above the Chehalis River. Ten men, including Smith, were arrested and tried for murder during a trial that was heavy with fear and intimidation. Seven men were found guilty and one was judged insane. Smith was acquitted and spent the rest of his life advocating for their release. He was harassed, arrested and disbarred for his work. He was reinstated before he died.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains Tom Copeland’s research materials on Elmer Smith, attorney for the Industrial Workers of the World involved in the Centralia Tragedy of 1919. These materials were used by Copeland in the writing of his book, The Centralia Tragedy of 1919: Elmer Smith and the Wobblies (1993). Also included are research materials from his 1986 article, "Wesley Everest, IWW Martyr" published in The Pacific Northwest Quarterly . As a part of his research, Copeland conducted a series of oral history interviews with Centralia residents in the 1970s, including members of Smith’s family, IWW members, classmates, and others who knew him.
Collection contents include Copeland’s research notes as well as reproductions and originals gathered by Copeland from family members and archival repositories of news and magazine clippings, pamphlets, correspondence, and other primary sources, including papers and photographs from Elmer and the Smith family. The collection also contains several scholarly papers and manuscripts, including a draft with notes from Virginia Waddell, Smith’s daughter, of her in-progress biography of her father. Other research materials include correspondence between Copeland and people who knew Smith as well as a large series of oral history interview materials, including correspondence between Copeland and interviewees, paper and digital copies of transcriptions of some of the interviews, and analog and digital audio recordings of many of the interviews.
See the Arrangement Note for a full list of series and subseries. More detailed description of each series is also included in the collection inventory, integrating Tom Copeland’s notes on the collection when available.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Tom Copeland research materials on Elmer Smith and the Centralia Tragedy, 2021-001, box number, folder number
Restrictions on Use
Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:
- SERIES 1: SUBJECT FILES AND RESEARCH NOTES, 1905-1998
- Subseries A: Edward Coll: Letters, Pamphlets, and Newspaper
- Subseries B: Elmer Smith
- Subseries C: Wesley Everest and Family
- Subseries D: Radio Broadcast by Eugene Barnett
- Subseries E: Centralia Tragedy and Trial
- Subseries F: Scholarly Papers and Manuscripts
- Subseries G: Newspaper and Magazine Articles
- Subseries H: Smith Family Papers
- SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1942-1995
- SERIES 3: ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW MATERIALS, 1972-1990
- Subseries A: Transcripts, Notes, and Correspondence
- Subseries B: Interview Audio Cassette Recordings
- Subseries C: Digital Copies of Interview Transcripts and Recordings
Processing Note
Preliminary inventory with rough intellectual arrangement was created by Conor Casey based on a donor provided inventory by Tom Copeland in May of 2019. Initial rehousing of the collection and an improved, detailed inventory description was created by student Vida Wang in January 2020. Processing archivist Crystal Rodgers arranged the collection intellectually into series and subseries, using the donor provided inventory from Tom Copeland as a guide, and integrated this description into the archival finding aid in March and April 2020.
Acquisition Information
Harvey O'Connor, 1972 (Biographical sketch of Elmer Smith); Tom Copeland, 2019.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
SERIES 1: SUBJECT FILES AND RESEARCH NOTES, 1905-1998Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/1, 1/4, 1/12-13, 1/17-18, 1/20, 1/22-28, 1/30-31, 1/35-36, 1/39-40, 1/42, 1/44, 1/45-46, 1/48-50, 2/1-7, 2/11-13, OSVF0203
Contains assorted research materials gathered by Tom Copeland, some reproductions from archival repositories as well as originals. Pamphlets located in Series 1 include:
- A Survey of the Workings of the Criminal Syndicalism Law in California
- Let Us Suppose
- Legion Officer and Over Seas Captain Demands Release of Centralia Victims
- Schreckens-Herrschaft in Amerika
- Three New Witnesses of Centralia Tragedy
- Suppressed Evidence in The Centralia Case
- Judicial Murder
- Lumber vs. Labor
- Elmer Smith Pleads of Liberty of Centralia Men
- Equality Before the Law
- Washington's Legal Mockery
- Centralia Case
- Washington's Judicial Mockery
- The Centralia Case by an American Legionnaire
- You Ought to Know
- Speeches by Elmer Smith
- Capt. Edward P. Coll on The Centralia Case
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/20 | Subseries A: Edward Coll: Letters, Pamphlets, and
Newspaper Includes original notebook of Coll's 1928 handwritten open
letter to the American Legion and pamphlets regarding this letter.
|
1928-1929 |
| 1/13, 1/23, 1/30, 1/35, 1/50, 2/2, 2/4-6, 2/11-12, OSVF0203 | Subseries B: Elmer Smith |
1905-1990 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/13 | Newspaper Photocopies and Notes on Elmer
Smith Includes copies of
Centralia Tribune,
Chehalis Bee Nugget, the
Montesano Vidette,
Morning Olympian,
New York Call, and
New York Times.
|
1919-1923 |
| 1/23 | Notes on Washington Archives Lewis County Criminal
Court Files (1915-1939) |
approximately 1970-1990 |
| 1/30 | Elmer Smith History at St. Paul College of
Law |
approximately 1972 |
| 1/35, 1/50 | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Files on Elmer
Smith |
1919-1923 |
| 2/2 | Virginia Waddell's Unpublished Manuscript Draft on Her
Father, Elmer Smith Includes Waddell's notes.
|
1973-1974 |
| 2/4 | Elmer Smith's Correspondence with John Nicholas Beffel
of the American Civil Liberties Union |
1924-1932 |
| 2/5 | Elmer Smith's Correspondence with Upton Sinclair of
Indiana University |
1926-1931 |
| 2/6 | People of the State of California v. J.H. Casdorf and
Earl Firey: Elmer Smith's Legal Defense Address |
1922 April 10 |
| 2/11 | Biographical Sketch of Elmer Smith |
approximately 1970 |
| 2/12 | Elmer Smith Disbarment Notes and Documents Contains Copeland's research notes on Elmer Smith's disbarment
files held by the Washington State Supreme Court with photocopies of
Plaintiff's exhibits of two of Smith's speeches used to disbar him and
Defendant brief in support of Smith.
|
approximately 1925, 1970-1990 |
| Box | ||
| OSVF0203 | Elmer Smith and Football Team Photograph |
approximately 1905-1915 |
| 1/17 | Subseries C: Wesley Everest and Family Contains note on Copeland's
Pacific Northwest Quarterly
research article, "Wesley Everest: IWW Martyr"; letters from brother and
others; Evergreen State College magazine "ReView" on Centralia Mural Project
featuring Everest; flyer for dedication of the Wesley Everest mural on December
13, 1997; and speech given by Eugene Barnett's daughter, Esther Barnett
Goffinet, at mural dedication.
|
1977-1998 |
| 1/44 | Subseries D: Radio Broadcast by Eugene Barnett Transcript of radio broadcast in the 1940s on his life and the
Centralia case
|
approximately 1940 |
| 1/4, 1/18, 1/26, 1/36, 1/45-46, 2/3, 2/7 | Subseries E: Centralia Tragedy and Trial |
1916-1994 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/4 | National Archives Military Intelligence Division:
Photocopy of Memo to Fay W. Brabson |
1921 August 31 |
| 1/18 | Centralia Publicity Committee |
1926-1929 |
| 1/26 | Evidence for the Centralia Case |
1917-1929 |
| 1/36 | "What We Fight For" Theatrical Play about Centralia
Case by Park Goist |
1994 |
| 1/45 | American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Documents |
1922-1930 |
| 1/46 | Centralia Trial at Montesano |
1919-1920 |
| 2/3 | Documentation of the Montesano Trial |
1916-1975 |
| 2/7 | Petition to the Acting Secretary of the Centralia
Publicity Committee |
1932 May 4 |
| 1/22, 1/25, 1/40 | Subseries F: Scholarly Papers and Manuscripts |
1960-1991 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/22 | Senior Research Paper, "The Centralia Massacre" by
Lewis & Clark College Student, Christine Edmands |
approximately 1960 |
| 1/25 | "George F. Vanderveer: A Summary of His Noted Cases
and His Use of Labor Ideology and Civil Liberties in the Centralia Massacre
Trial" by Robert Omberg |
1982 June 1 |
| 1/40 | "The Centralia Armistice Day Riot" Nomination to
National Register of Historic Places by Robert R. Weyeneth, Ph.D. Contains document to nominate various sites in Centralia to
the National Register of Historic Places.
|
1991 |
| 1/12, 1/24, 1/27-28, 1/31, 1/39, 1/42, 1/49, 2/13 |
Subseries G: Newspaper and Magazine Articles Contains photocopies and Copeland's notes, including typed and
handwritten transcriptions of some articles.
|
1915-1974 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/12 | Photocopies and Descriptions of
Industrial Worker
Magazine |
1920-1932 |
| 1/24 | Assorted Newspaper and Journal Articles on Centralia
Case and Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) |
1919-1925 |
| 1/27 | Notes and Newspaper Articles from the
Centralia Chronicle
|
1915-1974 |
| 1/28 | Notes on
Industrial Solidarity
|
1922-1925 |
| 1/31 |
Industrialisti
Magazine Contains copies of Finnish newspaper with articles covering
the Montesano trial.
|
1919-1920 |
| 1/39 | Seattle Union Record |
1919-1924 |
| 1/42 | California Newspaper Coverage Contains copies of the
Humboldt Times-Standard and the
San Francisco Call-Bulletin
|
1922 |
| 1/49 | The
Labor Defender Newspaper
Coverage of Centralia Leaders |
1927-1933 |
| 2/13 |
The Farmer-Labor Call
Newspaper: Photocopies with Articles on Industrial Workers of the World Trial
and Elmer Smith |
1920 October |
| 1/1, 1/48, 2/1 | Subseries H: Smith Family Papers |
1914-1945 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Elmer Smith and Family: Letters, Records, and
Certificates Includes notes from the Smith family bible indicating birth
and death dates of family members, Elmer Smith's death certificate, a copy of a
high school essay on ethics written by Smith, his business card, a portion of a
poster when he was running for Prosecuting Attorney with his signature, and a
Macalester College Debate Society program.
|
approximately 1914-1945 |
| 1/48 | Black and White Photo Reproductions of Elmer Smith,
his office, Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Members on Trial, and other
Unidentified Individuals |
approximately 1915-1925 |
| 2/1 | Photographs and Negatives of Elmer Smith, Family, and
Acquaintances |
approximately 1920 |
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1942-1995Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/3, 1/5-6, 1/29, 1/37, 2/14
Contains letters to and from Copeland and members of Smith's family and others who knew him, providing information about Smith's life and feedback on Copeland's draft manuscript before and after publishing.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/14 | Assorted Letters to Tom Copeland about Smith and in
Response to Book Publishing |
1972-1994 |
| 1/29 | Coll, Edward Correspondence to and from Edward Coll, including conversations
with Tom Copeland.
|
1942-1981 |
| 1/6 | Edwards, Herb |
1972-1977 |
| 1/37 | O' Connor, Harvey |
1962-1977 |
| 1/5 | Smith, Stuart Correspondence between Elmer Smith's son Stuart and Tom
Copeland
|
1972-1995 |
| 1/3 | Thompson, Fred |
1983-1986 |
SERIES 3: ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW MATERIALS, 1972-1990Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/7-11, 1/14-16, 1/19, 1/32-34, 1/38, 1/41, 1/43, 1/47, 2/8-10, 3
Copeland conducted a number of interviews with people who knew Elmer Smith on cassette tapes and transcribed them. Later, Elmer Smith's grandson digitized many of the tapes and transcriptions onto two CDs. Most of Copeland's interviews were taped, but some were not and exist only as transcripts or notes.
Interviewees and relation to Smith:
- Baxter, Sam, Client of Elmer Smith
- Beal, W.H., Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Beard, Nora, Smith's secretary
- Behrbaum, Orville, Lewis County historian
- Bell, William, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Bertagnolli, Frank, IWW member and friend of Elmer Smith
- Boyle, Harry, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Burnley, Charlie, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Cloud, Lucy Ann, IWW member
- Coll, Edward P. and Aimee Coll (Spouses), American Legionnaire
- Doty, Margaret, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Drews, John, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Dysart, Lloyd, Centralia lawyer
- Edwards, Herb, IWW member
- Faulkner, Bert, IWW member
- Finan, A., Centralia resident
- Fisk, Wilbur, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Fusco, Marie, Centralia resident
- Grundfossen, Iver "Swede", IWW member and logger
- Harmon, Connor, Brother in law of Smith
- Harris, Mabel, Sister in law of Smith
- Heathcote, Hiney, IWW member
- Hodgman, Stanley, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Hurd, Loren
- Johnson, John, Classmate of Smith at Macalester
- Killen, Mary, Sister in law of Smith and wife of Smith's Brother Jim
- Lipert, Helen, Centralia resident
- Murphy, Joe, IWW member
- Ruuttila, Julia, Journalist
- Skinner, Grace, Sister in law of Smith
- Skoog, Lawrence
- Smith Nelson, Edna, Sister in law of Smith and wife of Elmer Smith's Brother Bill
- Smith, Stuart, Son of Smith
- Taylor, Elizabeth
- Tripp, Oakley
- Waddell, Virginia, Daughter of Smith
- Willits, Laura, Smith's Wife
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/7-11, 1/14-16, 1/19, 1/32-34, 1/38, 1/41, 1/43, 1/47, 2/8 | Subseries A: Transcripts, Notes, and Correspondence |
1972-1990 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/8 | Copeland Interview Tapes Index with Notes from Elmer
Smith's Grandson |
approximately 1972-1990 |
| 1/19 | Baxter, Sam: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/19 | Beal, W. H.: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/47 | Beard, Nora: Transcript and Correspondence |
approximately 1972 |
| 1/19 | Behrbaum, Orville: Transcript |
1972-1979 |
| 1/38 | Bertagnolli, Frank: Notes from Interview |
1977 June 10 |
| 1/15 | Cloud, Lucy Anne: Transcript and
Correspondence Includes photograph of Lucy.
|
1972-1973 |
| 1/19 | Dysart, Lloyd: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/34 | Edwards, Herb: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972 October 1 |
| 1/19 | Faulkner, Bert: Notes of Phone
Conversation |
1972-1979 |
| 1/19 | Finan, A.: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/19 | Fusco, Maria: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/8 | Harmon, Connor: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972-1973 |
| 1/7 | Harris, Mabel: Transcript and
Correspondence Includes photograph of Mabel and daughter Dorthy Jean West
|
1973-1977 |
| 1/43 | Heathcote, Hiney: Transcript |
1974 September 29 |
| 1/19 | Hurd, Loren: Notes |
1972-1979 |
| 1/16 | Killen, Mary: Transcript and
Correspondence Includes photograph of Mary.
|
1972-1990 |
| 1/19 | Lipert, Helen: Transcript |
1972-1979 |
| 1/41 | Macalester College Classmate |
1972-1974 |
| 1/33 | Murphy, Joe: Notes |
1981 July 27 |
| 1/9 | Ruuttila, Julia: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972-1990 |
| 1/11 | Skinner, Grace: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972-1979 |
| 1/32 | Smith Nelson, Edna: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972-1990 |
| 1/10 | Waddell, Virginia: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1972-1977 |
| 1/14 | Willits, Laura: Transcript and
Correspondence |
1973-1990 |
| 2/10, Box 3 | Subseries B: Interview Audio Cassette Recordings |
1972-1980 |
| Box | ||
| 3 | Beard, Nora: Interview at Her Home 2 tapes
|
1972 September 17 |
| 3 | Cloud, Lucy Anne 2 tapes
|
1972 August 24 |
| 3 | Coll, Edward and Amy 2 tapes
|
1974 November 6 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/10 | Edwards, Herb: Interview by Tracy Dalton 7" film reel
|
1972 February 12 |
| Box | ||
| 3 | Edwards, Herb: Interview at his Home 2 tapes
|
1972 October 1 |
| 3 | Grundfossen, Iver "Swede": Interview at the Home of
Edna Smith Nelson 1 tape
|
1972 September 6 |
| 3 | Harmon, Connor: Interview at his Home 1 tape
|
1972 September 9 |
| 3 | Heathcote, Hiney: Interview at his Home 2 tapes
|
1974 September 29 |
| 3 | IWW Member (Unidentified Interviewee) 1 tape
|
approximately 1972-1974 |
| 3 | Killen, Mary: Interview at Her Home 2 tapes
|
1972 September 30 |
| 3 | Ruuttila, Julia: Interview at the Home of Edna Smith
Nelson 2 tapes
|
1972 September 7 |
| 3 | Skinner, Grace: Interview at Extended Services for the
Elderly 1 tape
|
1972 October 2 |
| 3 | Skinner, Grace: Interview at the Seattle Public
Library 1 tape
|
1973 April 21 |
| 3 | Skoog, Lawrence 1 tape
|
approximately 1972-1974 |
| 3 | Smith Nelson, Edna: Interview at Her Home 2 tapes
|
1972 September 9; 1980 October 13 |
| 3 | Unidentified Interviewee 1 tape
|
1972 September 6 |
| 2/9 |
Subseries C: Digital Copies of Interview Transcripts and
Recordings Contains 2 cd-roms with digital copies of interview transcripts
and mp3 files of interview audio recordings for many of the individuals
mentioned above. It is possible that these cds contain materials and recordings
that only exist in digital form from interviews with individuals not listed
above.
|
approximately 1972-1990 |
Beard, Nora |
||
Behrbaum, Orville |
||
Bell, William |
||
Boyle, Harry |
||
Burnley, Charlie |
||
Cloud, Lucy Ann |
||
Coll, Edward and Coll, Aimee |
||
Doty, Margaret |
||
Drews, John |
||
Edwards, Herb |
||
Fisk, Wilbur |
||
Grundfossen, Iver |
||
Harmon, Connor |
||
Heathcote, Hiney |
||
Hodgman, Stanley |
||
Johnson, John |
||
Killen, Mary |
||
Lipert, Helen |
||
Ruuttila, Julia |
||
Skinner, Grace |
||
Smith Nelson, Edna |
||
Smith, Stuart |
||
Taylor, Elizabeth |
||
Tripp, Oakley |
||
Willits, Laura |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Centralia Massacre, Centralia, Wash., 1919--History--Sources
- Labor movement--Washington (State)--History--Sources
- Labor unions--Washington (State)--History--Sources
- Labor--Washington (State)--History--Sources
- Lawyers--Washington (State)--Sources
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Riots--Washington (State)--Centralia--History--Sources
- Trials (Murder)--Washington (State)--History--Sources
- Trials (Riots)--Washington (State)--History--Sources
Personal Names
- Smith, Elmer, 1888-1932--Sources
Corporate Names
- Industrial Workers of the World--History--Sources
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (curator)
