Butte in Silver Bow County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The Lynching of Frank Little

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2021

1. The Lynching of Frank Little Marker

Inscription. In June of 1917 a strike broke out in the aftermath of the deadly Speculator Mine disaster where 164 lives were lost. Frank Little, one of the "toughest, most courageous and impulsive" leaders of the Industrial Workers of the World came to Butte to support the strike and draw miners into the organization. The Industrial Workers of the World, an industrial union, was committed to the overthrow of the capitalist system by a working-class revolution. Little's speeches against the Anaconda Company, the draft and World War I were supported by many Butte miners but engendered fear among Company executives and others. Although the Company and local officials pushed for Little's arrest for "treasonable utterances," U.S. district attorney Burton K. Wheeler found insufficient evidence to indict. Early on the morning of August 1, six masked men entered Little's boarding house at 320 North Wyoming Street. They forced him, still in his underwear, to the waiting car outside. A short distance away, they tied Little to the back of the car and dragged him outside of town. He was severely beaten and hung from a railroad trestle. Pinned to

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

his body was the message, "Others take notice, first and last warning," followed by the Montana Vigilante ultimatum, "3-7-77," Little was buried in Mountain View Cemetery with 6800 in the funeral possession, the largest in Butte's history. His tombstone reads, "Slain by the capitalist interests for organizing and inspiring his fellow men." No one was ever charged with the crime.

Erected by Montana Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor Unions • Notable Events. A significant historical date for this entry is August 1, 1917.

Location. 46° 0.929′ N, 112° 32.073′ W. Marker is in Butte, Montana, in Silver Bow County. It is on East Quartz Street near North Wyoming Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 57 East Quartz Street, Butte MT 59701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically outhwest Montana, in Gold West Country, in Mining Country. It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2021

2. The Lynching of Frank Little Marker

Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Duggan Residence (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Napton (about 300 feet away); Tuttle Building (about 300 feet away); Hennessy Building (about 400 feet away); Butte National Historic Landmark District (about 400 feet away); Butte Miner's #1 Union Hall (about 400 feet away); Anaconda Road (about 500 feet away); 125 North Main (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Butte.

Also see . . . Frank Little (unionist) -- Wikipedia. Although no one was apprehended or prosecuted for Little's lynching, a number of people have speculated about his murder. The author Dashiell Hammett was working as a strikebreaker in Butte for Pinkerton's, and (allegedly) turned down an offer of $5,000 to assassinate Little.[9] Hammett later made use of his experiences in Butte to write Red Harvest. (Submitted on October 29, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Frank Little image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Commons.wikipedia.org

3. Frank Little

"1/2 White, 1/2 Indian, All I.W.W." -- IWW biography

Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 762 times since then and 71 times this year. Last updated on October 22, 2023, by Gianluca De Fazio of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.