kers at Hewitt and Wetmore
Avenues. The lumber interests issued an ordinance preventing street
speaking on that corner. The Mayor signed it without ever putting it to
a reading, thus invalidating the proposed measure. This made no
difference; henceforth it was a law of the city of Everett and as such
was due to be enforced by the lumber trust.

During the whole controversy there had not been an arrest made on the
charge of violation of any street speaking ordinance. With the new
ordinance assumed to be a law, Mrs. Frennette went to Everett and
interviewed Chief Kelley. After telling him that the I. W. W. members
were being disturbed and mistreated by men who were not in uniform, she
said:

"It seems that there is an ordinance here against street speaking and
we feel that it is unjust. We feel that we have a right to speak here.
We are not blocking traffic and we propose to make a test of the
ordinance. Will you have one of your men arrest me or any other speaker
who chooses to take the box, personally, and bring me to jail and put a
charge against me, and protect me from the vigilantes who are beating
the men on the street?"

Kelley replied that so far as he was concerned he would do the best he
could but McRae had practically taken the authority out of his hands and
that he really could not guarantee protection. So a legal test was
practically denied.

Quiet again reigned in Everett following the brutalities cited. A few
citizens were manhandled for too openly expressing their opinion of mob
methods and several wearers of overalls were searched and deported, but
the effects of bootleg whiskey seemed to have left the vigilantes.

On Wednesday, Sept. 20th, a committee of 2000 citizens met at the Labor
Temple and arranged for a mass meeting to be held in the public park on
the following Friday. The meeting brought forth between ten and fifteen
thousand citizens, one-third of the total population at least, who
listened to speakers representing the I. W. W., Socialists, trades
unions and citizens generally. Testimony was given by some of the
citizens who had been clubbed by the vigilantes. Recognizing the hostile
public opinion, Sheriff McRae promised that the office of the I. W. W.
would not again be molested. As he had lied before he was not believed,
but, as a test, Earl Osborne went from Seattle to open up the hall once
more.

For a period thereafter the energies of the deputies were given to a
course of action