"The notorious "Three-Fingered Jack" who was serving a term in the Territorial Prison died on August 20th. He gained considerable notoriety as leader of the striking miners at Morenci three years ago, and for crimes committed at that time was sentenced to two years in the pen. He took a very prominent part in an attempt which a number of the convicts made to escape from the prison about two years ago, when Superintendent Griffith and assistant superintendent Wilder so nearly lost their lives in resisting the prisoners break for liberty. "Three-Fingered Jack" received an additional sentence of ten years for the part he played in the attempt to escape. It is said that he had been in very bad health for some time, and his death was probably not unexpected.-
Arizona Sentinel, August 29, 1906.
There were 2 books or magazines that did stories about him.
I'm only using the parts concerning "Three-Fingered Jack " and others at the prison.
In the spring of 1903 William H. Laustaunau had settled in at Morenci, Arizona. In this little mining town next to the New Mexico border,Laustaunau had done his job and done it well. He was a silver tongued orator who was capable of kindling the ire of mildest of men. His words acted as bellows on the smoldering embers of miner's unrest. He had whipped the Morceni miner's into a fever of solidarity that was unprecedented at the time. With efficiency and a military style of planning, he had organized the Morenci miners into six battalion-like cadres. These units were poised for action and awaiting word from Laustaunau.
The demands from William H. Laustaunau, who became infamously known as "Three-Finger Jack" were relatively few, but not easily resolved. He demanded that the workers receive the same daily rate of pay as they had prior to the legislative mandate of an 8 hour day. Further, he dictated that the miners were to have freer access to medical care and facilities, and that they were to be paid only in U.S. currency. He also stated that it was no longer acceptable for miners to be paid in scrip or given credit at the company's facilities for their labors. The mining companies did not capitulate to these demands, believing that such would be the financial ruin of their tenuous and speculative business ventures.
The miners on June 1, 1903 had a general strike and over 5,500 miners stopped working.
Skipping forward,
"Three-Fingered Jack" and 14 of his "Lieutenants" were sent to the county seat of Graham County to stand trial. Laustaunau was selected by his fellow rioters to act as their attorney at the trial. He along with nine of his fellow strikers, were convicted and sentenced to two-year terms in the Yuma Territorial Prison.
Loustaunau and his fellow "rioters" arrived at the Yuma facility in October 1903.
On April 28 1904,only a few months after his incarceration, "Jack" led one of the bloodiest attempts at a prison escape of the institution.
"Jack" and his party of convicts overcame the prison Superintendent and his assistant while they made their rounds within the prison. They used the prison officials as hostages.
The guards opened fire. Buckshot hit the inmates and officials as well.
The escape failed due to the intervention of inmate W.T.C.S. Buck.
From the time of the attempted escape until his death
"Three-Fingered Jack" was kept in the "Snake Den".
Wenceslao Ricardo Yslas Loustaunau is the son of Wenceslao Jose Andrade Loustaunau and Teresa Feliciana Bernal Yslas.
He is the grandson of Joaquin Ramon Rafael Loustaunau and Josepha Leonarda Felix Andrade.
"Jack" is the great great grandson of Captain Juan Batista De Anza.
1. Labor Leader of Morenci Mine Martyr? by William F. Macklin
2.Prison Centennial by Cliff Trafzer and Steve George
3.the HELL HOLE, THE YUMA PRISON STORY, ARIZONA TERRITORIAL PRISON Yuma Arizona 1875-1909
When admitted to the prison he was a widower with 2 children.
An Irony is that his fore fathers had been the mine owners, religious and military rulers of Mexico and Arizona.
Seeking his wife and 2 children.
Post Script. I don't believe ths escape story. It was called the bloodiest escape attempt by the press yet there is no mention of anyone being killed. The newspaper article stated that he was a Unionn Organizer from Chicago, also not true. I have a copy of the letter that he wrote to his father while in Yuma Prison. His handwriting was beautiful and without any spelling errors.
He was my grandfathers uncle.
John Meyer
Arizona Sentinel, August 29, 1906.
There were 2 books or magazines that did stories about him.
I'm only using the parts concerning "Three-Fingered Jack " and others at the prison.
In the spring of 1903 William H. Laustaunau had settled in at Morenci, Arizona. In this little mining town next to the New Mexico border,Laustaunau had done his job and done it well. He was a silver tongued orator who was capable of kindling the ire of mildest of men. His words acted as bellows on the smoldering embers of miner's unrest. He had whipped the Morceni miner's into a fever of solidarity that was unprecedented at the time. With efficiency and a military style of planning, he had organized the Morenci miners into six battalion-like cadres. These units were poised for action and awaiting word from Laustaunau.
The demands from William H. Laustaunau, who became infamously known as "Three-Finger Jack" were relatively few, but not easily resolved. He demanded that the workers receive the same daily rate of pay as they had prior to the legislative mandate of an 8 hour day. Further, he dictated that the miners were to have freer access to medical care and facilities, and that they were to be paid only in U.S. currency. He also stated that it was no longer acceptable for miners to be paid in scrip or given credit at the company's facilities for their labors. The mining companies did not capitulate to these demands, believing that such would be the financial ruin of their tenuous and speculative business ventures.
The miners on June 1, 1903 had a general strike and over 5,500 miners stopped working.
Skipping forward,
"Three-Fingered Jack" and 14 of his "Lieutenants" were sent to the county seat of Graham County to stand trial. Laustaunau was selected by his fellow rioters to act as their attorney at the trial. He along with nine of his fellow strikers, were convicted and sentenced to two-year terms in the Yuma Territorial Prison.
Loustaunau and his fellow "rioters" arrived at the Yuma facility in October 1903.
On April 28 1904,only a few months after his incarceration, "Jack" led one of the bloodiest attempts at a prison escape of the institution.
"Jack" and his party of convicts overcame the prison Superintendent and his assistant while they made their rounds within the prison. They used the prison officials as hostages.
The guards opened fire. Buckshot hit the inmates and officials as well.
The escape failed due to the intervention of inmate W.T.C.S. Buck.
From the time of the attempted escape until his death
"Three-Fingered Jack" was kept in the "Snake Den".
Wenceslao Ricardo Yslas Loustaunau is the son of Wenceslao Jose Andrade Loustaunau and Teresa Feliciana Bernal Yslas.
He is the grandson of Joaquin Ramon Rafael Loustaunau and Josepha Leonarda Felix Andrade.
"Jack" is the great great grandson of Captain Juan Batista De Anza.
1. Labor Leader of Morenci Mine Martyr? by William F. Macklin
2.Prison Centennial by Cliff Trafzer and Steve George
3.the HELL HOLE, THE YUMA PRISON STORY, ARIZONA TERRITORIAL PRISON Yuma Arizona 1875-1909
When admitted to the prison he was a widower with 2 children.
An Irony is that his fore fathers had been the mine owners, religious and military rulers of Mexico and Arizona.
Seeking his wife and 2 children.
Post Script. I don't believe ths escape story. It was called the bloodiest escape attempt by the press yet there is no mention of anyone being killed. The newspaper article stated that he was a Unionn Organizer from Chicago, also not true. I have a copy of the letter that he wrote to his father while in Yuma Prison. His handwriting was beautiful and without any spelling errors.
He was my grandfathers uncle.
John Meyer
"The notorious "Three-Fingered Jack" who was serving a term in the Territorial Prison died on August 20th. He gained considerable notoriety as leader of the striking miners at Morenci three years ago, and for crimes committed at that time was sentenced to two years in the pen. He took a very prominent part in an attempt which a number of the convicts made to escape from the prison about two years ago, when Superintendent Griffith and assistant superintendent Wilder so nearly lost their lives in resisting the prisoners break for liberty. "Three-Fingered Jack" received an additional sentence of ten years for the part he played in the attempt to escape. It is said that he had been in very bad health for some time, and his death was probably not unexpected.-
Arizona Sentinel, August 29, 1906.
There were 2 books or magazines that did stories about him.
I'm only using the parts concerning "Three-Fingered Jack " and others at the prison.
In the spring of 1903 William H. Laustaunau had settled in at Morenci, Arizona. In this little mining town next to the New Mexico border,Laustaunau had done his job and done it well. He was a silver tongued orator who was capable of kindling the ire of mildest of men. His words acted as bellows on the smoldering embers of miner's unrest. He had whipped the Morceni miner's into a fever of solidarity that was unprecedented at the time. With efficiency and a military style of planning, he had organized the Morenci miners into six battalion-like cadres. These units were poised for action and awaiting word from Laustaunau.
The demands from William H. Laustaunau, who became infamously known as "Three-Finger Jack" were relatively few, but not easily resolved. He demanded that the workers receive the same daily rate of pay as they had prior to the legislative mandate of an 8 hour day. Further, he dictated that the miners were to have freer access to medical care and facilities, and that they were to be paid only in U.S. currency. He also stated that it was no longer acceptable for miners to be paid in scrip or given credit at the company's facilities for their labors. The mining companies did not capitulate to these demands, believing that such would be the financial ruin of their tenuous and speculative business ventures.
The miners on June 1, 1903 had a general strike and over 5,500 miners stopped working.
Skipping forward,
"Three-Fingered Jack" and 14 of his "Lieutenants" were sent to the county seat of Graham County to stand trial. Laustaunau was selected by his fellow rioters to act as their attorney at the trial. He along with nine of his fellow strikers, were convicted and sentenced to two-year terms in the Yuma Territorial Prison.
Loustaunau and his fellow "rioters" arrived at the Yuma facility in October 1903.
On April 28 1904,only a few months after his incarceration, "Jack" led one of the bloodiest attempts at a prison escape of the institution.
"Jack" and his party of convicts overcame the prison Superintendent and his assistant while they made their rounds within the prison. They used the prison officials as hostages.
The guards opened fire. Buckshot hit the inmates and officials as well.
The escape failed due to the intervention of inmate W.T.C.S. Buck.
From the time of the attempted escape until his death
"Three-Fingered Jack" was kept in the "Snake Den".
Wenceslao Ricardo Yslas Loustaunau is the son of Wenceslao Jose Andrade Loustaunau and Teresa Feliciana Bernal Yslas.
He is the grandson of Joaquin Ramon Rafael Loustaunau and Josepha Leonarda Felix Andrade.
"Jack" is the great great grandson of Captain Juan Batista De Anza.
1. Labor Leader of Morenci Mine Martyr? by William F. Macklin
2.Prison Centennial by Cliff Trafzer and Steve George
3.the HELL HOLE, THE YUMA PRISON STORY, ARIZONA TERRITORIAL PRISON Yuma Arizona 1875-1909
When admitted to the prison he was a widower with 2 children.
An Irony is that his fore fathers had been the mine owners, religious and military rulers of Mexico and Arizona.
Seeking his wife and 2 children.
Post Script. I don't believe ths escape story. It was called the bloodiest escape attempt by the press yet there is no mention of anyone being killed. The newspaper article stated that he was a Unionn Organizer from Chicago, also not true. I have a copy of the letter that he wrote to his father while in Yuma Prison. His handwriting was beautiful and without any spelling errors.
He was my grandfathers uncle.
John Meyer
Arizona Sentinel, August 29, 1906.
There were 2 books or magazines that did stories about him.
I'm only using the parts concerning "Three-Fingered Jack " and others at the prison.
In the spring of 1903 William H. Laustaunau had settled in at Morenci, Arizona. In this little mining town next to the New Mexico border,Laustaunau had done his job and done it well. He was a silver tongued orator who was capable of kindling the ire of mildest of men. His words acted as bellows on the smoldering embers of miner's unrest. He had whipped the Morceni miner's into a fever of solidarity that was unprecedented at the time. With efficiency and a military style of planning, he had organized the Morenci miners into six battalion-like cadres. These units were poised for action and awaiting word from Laustaunau.
The demands from William H. Laustaunau, who became infamously known as "Three-Finger Jack" were relatively few, but not easily resolved. He demanded that the workers receive the same daily rate of pay as they had prior to the legislative mandate of an 8 hour day. Further, he dictated that the miners were to have freer access to medical care and facilities, and that they were to be paid only in U.S. currency. He also stated that it was no longer acceptable for miners to be paid in scrip or given credit at the company's facilities for their labors. The mining companies did not capitulate to these demands, believing that such would be the financial ruin of their tenuous and speculative business ventures.
The miners on June 1, 1903 had a general strike and over 5,500 miners stopped working.
Skipping forward,
"Three-Fingered Jack" and 14 of his "Lieutenants" were sent to the county seat of Graham County to stand trial. Laustaunau was selected by his fellow rioters to act as their attorney at the trial. He along with nine of his fellow strikers, were convicted and sentenced to two-year terms in the Yuma Territorial Prison.
Loustaunau and his fellow "rioters" arrived at the Yuma facility in October 1903.
On April 28 1904,only a few months after his incarceration, "Jack" led one of the bloodiest attempts at a prison escape of the institution.
"Jack" and his party of convicts overcame the prison Superintendent and his assistant while they made their rounds within the prison. They used the prison officials as hostages.
The guards opened fire. Buckshot hit the inmates and officials as well.
The escape failed due to the intervention of inmate W.T.C.S. Buck.
From the time of the attempted escape until his death
"Three-Fingered Jack" was kept in the "Snake Den".
Wenceslao Ricardo Yslas Loustaunau is the son of Wenceslao Jose Andrade Loustaunau and Teresa Feliciana Bernal Yslas.
He is the grandson of Joaquin Ramon Rafael Loustaunau and Josepha Leonarda Felix Andrade.
"Jack" is the great great grandson of Captain Juan Batista De Anza.
1. Labor Leader of Morenci Mine Martyr? by William F. Macklin
2.Prison Centennial by Cliff Trafzer and Steve George
3.the HELL HOLE, THE YUMA PRISON STORY, ARIZONA TERRITORIAL PRISON Yuma Arizona 1875-1909
When admitted to the prison he was a widower with 2 children.
An Irony is that his fore fathers had been the mine owners, religious and military rulers of Mexico and Arizona.
Seeking his wife and 2 children.
Post Script. I don't believe ths escape story. It was called the bloodiest escape attempt by the press yet there is no mention of anyone being killed. The newspaper article stated that he was a Unionn Organizer from Chicago, also not true. I have a copy of the letter that he wrote to his father while in Yuma Prison. His handwriting was beautiful and without any spelling errors.
He was my grandfathers uncle.
John Meyer
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