Biography
Frank Suchaczewski was a Progressive miner from Westville, Vermilion County, Illinois. He was jailed with John Sloan and Ernest Giuliani in January 1938 after a vigilante campaign against local labor organizers. The three were charged under Illinois’s criminal-syndicalism law for distributing a leaflet opposing vigilante violence and inviting residents to a public meeting. At a preliminary hearing on February 3, Justice of the Peace Ben Seibert referred their cases to the grand jury. Local supporters posted $6,000 bail, and the miners were released. The International Labor Defense organized their defense and sought an investigation by the La Follette Civil Liberties Committee.
Sasha Small identifies Frank and Joe Suchaczewski as companions of ILD attorney Max Naiman and John Sloan during the attempted visit to Nathan Yagol. It later identifies Frank among the three jailed criminal-syndicalism defendants. Joe is not thereby proved arrested. New Masses, February 22, 1938, PDF page 12. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/new-masses/1938/v26n09-feb-22-1938-NM.pdf#page=12
Lillian Goodman of the International Labor Defense corroborates the February 3, 1938 preliminary hearing before Justice Ben Seibert, the referral to the grand jury, and immediate physical release after local friends posted $6,000 bail collectively for all three miners. The complaint signed by Sheriff Harry George relied on a leaflet condemning vigilante violence and calling a public meeting; the letter says all eight prosecution witnesses belonged to the American Patriotic Club. The group bail sum is not an individual amount. New Masses, March 8, 1938, PDF page 23. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/new-masses/1938/v26n11-mar-08-1938-NM.pdf#page=23
