"Coffin Notices"


The following "coffin notices" were posted in 1875 in Schuylkill County during the “Long Strike.”   They were originally published as an appendix to Franklin B. Gowen's Argument Before the Joint Committee of the Legislature of Pennsylvania (1875).  They were republished in Kevin Kenny's Making Sense of the Molly Maguires (1998)(Appendix 4)


Mr. John Taylor—Please leave Glen Carbon or if you don’t you will suffer, by the order of the B.S.H. WE will give you one week to go but if you are alive on next Saturday you will die.  Remember and leave.


Notice you have carried this as far as you can by cheating the men you three Bosses Be Careful if the above don’t be you'r hous in a short time.


[drawing of pistol]   From a Stranger he
                               nowes you.


NOTICE

Any blackleg that takes a Union Mans job while He is standing for His Rights will have a hard Road to travel and if he dont he will have to suffer the consequences. [Picture of a coffin with a body inside] body inside]

Now men I have warented ye before and I willnt warind you no more—but I will gurrintee you will be the report of the revolver.


Any man starting to work in the rail road now going to begin under the basis will have to stand the consequences.  So black legs to notice. [Picture of pistol]

                        M.M.N.

[and picture of pistol:]

Black Legs Take Notice—

that you are in dang er of our Life by working in the mines without the Consent of the union men of Swatara Branch 14 Dis at Middle Creek Mines.


Take notice Avery Black Leg that will Take Aney Eunnion man plac you will have A hard Road to travel you will Rot in this shape if you wish to Escape this home.  


[picture of coffin] 

 By a stranger.

If Thomas Martin Dont Stop we will burn down his breaker.
Notice is here give to you men the first and last notice that you will get fro not man will  go down this slope.  After to night if you Do you Can Bring your Coffion Along With you for by the internal Crist We Mean What this notice says you Drift man stop at home and Cut no more Coal let him go and Get Coal himself I Don’t mean Engineer Or forearms let them ine there on work now men the Next Notice you will get I Don’t mean to Do it With my Pen I will Do it with that there Rolver I Don’t want no more Black legs at this Collary.


[Notice found in yard of D. Patchen, engineer, Cressona:]

from the gap                 Daniel patch

remember you will be running in this coal ragion at hight you took on nother
mans engine we will give you fair warning in time and some more. VL.

—M.M.  H.S.T., [pistol and coffin]

Molly Maguires Trials