Molly Maguires
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The Molly Maguires are unique in history because there is so much controversy and mystery surrounding their existence. In fact, even their actual existence is suspect to some historians and scholars, “There is still controversy over the guilt of the men-and, in fact, whether the Mollies even existed” (Hower 1). Aside from the debate in some circles over whether or not they even existed is also the debate entailing whether or not they were an original labor movement formed by immigrant Irish in Pennsylvania or a natural extension of a labor group with the same name originating in Ireland. Adding to these debates is whether they were a heroic group of immigrants fighting for the working man or a murderous and rebellious politically-motivated group of rebels trying to thwart big business. What is known is that violent acts rose during the 1870s in the coal towns of Pennsylvania where the Molly Maguires were supposedly located, although their guilt or innocence remains a matter of opinion to this day for reasons to be investigated as this research unfolds, “The guilt of the Molly Maguires has been a subject of debate for more than a century. Were they working men struggling to support their families and improve their working conditions? Or were they ruthless killers bent on destroying the wealthy class they believed held them hostage with oppression and injustice?”, (Heyer 3). This research will cover the causes behind the
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he state provided only the courtroom and hangman,” (Larkin 2).
The efforts to break up the Molly Maguires by Gowan did not end here either. A greedy and determined capitalists, when it became apparent that his efforts were having little affect on the actions of the rebel laborers he also hired the Pinkerton Agency to infiltrate the Maguires. This would help him eventually obtain the information which would help convict many alleged members of the Irish group who were condemned to hang. Until this covert operation was ordered by Gowan, it had been virtually impossible to gain any information on the Mollies who would always supply their fellow members with alibis. That is until James McParland using the undercover name of James McKenna, working for the Pinkerton Detection Agency, was able to infiltrate the Mollies through a series of events that garnered him much trust among the Irish miners. For one, he won the confidence and companionship of a main force in the Mollies, Pat Dormer, a Maguire leader known for his tough tactics and ruthless demeanor. During a poker game with Dormer, McKenna challenged a cheating player to a fist fight and won. Because the man he beat had been a Molly member known for his toughness, McKenna
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3293
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page)
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