Molly Maguires Trials

In the mid-1800s a large Irish immigrant community worked in Northeastern Pennsylvania's booming coal fields. Harsh working conditions and low wages led the miners to organize and strike for better conditions. To break the frequent labor stoppages, the local railroad and coal company owner hired a private detective to infiltrate and investigate the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, a legal self-help group for local Irish immigrants.

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The murder of a mine boss in Carbon County and a police officer in Schuylkill led to the indictment and trial of several members of the Molly Maguires, a group the Commonwealth alleged was a secret organization using the AOH as a front for their criminal endeavors. Those trials ultimately led to six guilty verdicts and six executions. Today, historians debate the existence of the Molly Maguires, and their criminal trials are largely recognized as an effort to crush organized labor in the region.

 

Students can explore primary source materials to help conduct mock trials and the appeals that followed explore legal topics that are still relevant today.