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Baldwin Felts Detective Agency


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Hello. Does anyone have pictures or other information about Baldwin Felts and their purchase / use of the Thompson in the coal mine wars ? I have been able to locate one picture in front of a hotel in Logan wv with a group of men. One holding a Thompson. Surely there are more.

 

Does anyone have the shipping records for the first 2,000 guns??

 

Thanks

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I would guess the known shipping records for end users and purchasers for the first 2000 guns would have been first published in Roger Cox's book, later updated by Gordon Herigstad's series of books and Tracie Hill's two Collector Grade Publications books. Gordon's 6th Edition is most likely the most complete listing available today. This Board on another forum has a listing of Colt serial numbers not included in Gordon's latest book.

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Mohawk64,

Is this the picture you are talking about
Logan defenders Aracoma Hotel 2 Sept. 1921.jpg
Over the years, I have been trying to find more photos on line, from coal mine wars without success. I read that the Logan Hardware and Supply store received nine Model of 1921s in April and May of 1921 and the West Virginia State Police had purchased at least 37 Thompsons. The mining companies in the southern West Virginia coalfields, also purchased over 50 Thompson guns.
Blair mountain  Memorial.jpg
I also read that in reports from a team of archaeologists that conducted a survey of the 'battlefield' in 2006, it stated that a large quantity of .45 ACP cartridge cases were found in groups on the 'battlefield'.
Stay safe
Richard
Edited by rpbcps
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Yes. That's the picture. It was in the museum in matewan. As many Thompson guns that were there- looks like newspaper articles would have had them pictured.

I was there last weekend. I actually met James Baldwin great grandson of the original Baldwin. He was overjoyed to get his picture taken with the Thompson.

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The Senate held hearings on the use of all sorts of munitions used by mostly mining companies to suppress union activity

 

It was the 75th Congress S. Res 266 Feb 22 and 23, 1937.  It looks like the investigations were ordered to be printed March 20, 1939

 

Here are some searchable links, hopefully they make the upload.

 

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=13fJxL--EcAC&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA206

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=vI9VD_icegwC&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA2226

 

I looked through is rather quickly, but found several links to Balwin-Felts  Looks like they bought at least one Thompson serial #1089  6-16-1921 according to Auto-Ord records and the IRS.  They didn't register it.

 

 

 

Baldwin_Felts.JPG

HearingsMunitions.pdf

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Intersting thread. - I’m headed to Matewan and McCarr Thursday morning. A close friend has a Baldwin-Felts Thompson. I’ll see if he’s comfortable sharing photos or the number. As an aside, my great grandfather was shot and killed by a Baldwin-Felts man at the Dunglen Hotel, just across the river from Thurmond. My great grandfather’s name was William Page Settle and he was a miner.

 

edited to add the serial number is actually show in Chip’s attachment immediately preceding this post.

Edited by Bill in VA
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I would like to learn more about the mine wars. There are 2 museums in matewan. The umwa has one about the Blair mtn war and another about the matewan massacre. Jim Baldwin ( great grandson of the original Baldwin) will be there. Usually along the sidewalk. He has some history of the area.

 

My opinion is that the Thompson's we're used in strike breaking more than the gangsters used them. Just an opinion.

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I had 1921A s/n 1234 in my inventory for quite a few years. Cox listed it as belonging to the Pocahontas Coal Operators Association. Other documentation I acquired listed it as a Baldwin Felts Detective Agency gun. Its probably a gun I should have kept, but then I felt that way about most of the C&R guns in my inventory. Edited by 1921A
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I had 1921A s/n 1234 in my inventory for quite a few years. Cox listed it as belonging to the Pocahontas Coal Operators Association. Other documentation I acquired listed it as a Baldwin Felts Detective Agency gun. Its probably a gun I should have kept, but then I felt that way about most of the C&R guns in my inventory.

This is the gun I know of.

Edited by Bill in VA
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