No event or era in the history of the anthracite region is more talked about than the Molly Maguires. They have been well chronicled, from their origins (allegedly) in the 1860's, to the present day. There has been many books, articles, plays, songs and even a Hollywood movie written about them. Depending on who you ask will be the side of the story you will hear.
I will be perfectly clear on where I stand:
The Molly Maguires were a group of Irish Catholic immigrants who settled in the hard coal fields of Pennsylvania. After years of unfair wages and labor practices, they attempted to organize the first unions in America, only to be tagged "terrorists and thugs" by the mine owners. Eventually, 20 were hung by a kangaroo court, and their story continues to this day.
The following links all pertain to the Mollies, from the earlist "reports" to the latest.
Read them all, do your homework, and form your own opinion-Heroes or Villians. I'll think you will agree with me.
The Hibernians hung as Molly Maguires
James Boyle, James Carroll, Thomas Duffy, Hugh McGeehan,
James Roarity, Thomas Munley, Alec Campbell, Michael Doyle,
Edward Kelly, Jack Donahue, Pat Hester, Peter McHugh,
Patrick Tully, Thomas Fisher, Bucky Donnelly, John Kehoe,
James McDonnell, Charles Sharpe, Martin Bergen, Peter McManus
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