Biography
Jesse Hann was an Indiana farmer and member of the United Farmers’ League. He was arrested with Alfred and Viola Tiala on January 20, 1934, during resistance to the foreclosure sale of Clarence Gearhart’s farm near Leesville. The three were held on bail as high as $30,000. On February 17, Hann was convicted of obstructing justice and sentenced to sixty days in jail and a $100 fine. The United Farmers’ League and International Labor Defense appealed the convictions.
The February 6, 1934 New Masses account, printed page 9, describes about one thousand farmers resisting a foreclosure at Warsaw on January 20 and police using tear gas. It names Alfred and Viola Tiala and Jesse Hann as the arrested defendants, says the sheriff initially promised to hold them only ten minutes, and reports resisting-an-officer charges and bail of $30,000 instead. The International Labor Defense and farm organizations were campaigning for their release. This corroborates the existing January 20 detention; the sheriff’s promise was not a release, and the announced February 1 court appearance was prospective. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/new-masses/1934/v10n06-feb-06-1934-NM.pdf#page=13
The February 3 Daily Worker reports continuing detention in Michigan City under $30,000 bail following the January 20 protest against forced sale of Clarence Gearhart’s Leesville farm. It describes a release campaign by the Workers and Farmers Cooperative Unity Alliance and working women’s clubs. This corroborates the established farm-struggle case; the printed Hann/Harm variation is retained as a period spelling. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1934/v11-n030-feb-03-1934-DW-LOC.pdf#page=3
The March 1, 1934 Daily Worker prints the United Farmers League appeal reporting that Indiana farmer Jesse Hann was sentenced with Alfred Tiala on February 17 to 60 days in jail and a $100 fine. The UFL and International Labor Defense sought appeal funds and hoped to secure bail for both men. Sixty days is the imposed term; the appeal does not establish an actual release day or completed service total. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1934/v11-n052-mar-01-1934-DW-LOC.pdf#page=6
Labor Defender, March 1934, PDF page 8: The farmers-defense account identifies Hann as a 22-year-old farmer and Farmers National Committee for Action member, held with Alfred Tiala and Tiala’s wife after the Warsaw foreclosure protest. It describes transfers between jails, incommunicado detention, bail raised from $5,000 to $10,000 each, and the change to obstructing justice. It does not establish a new physical-release date. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/labordefender/1934/v10n03-mar-1934-orig-LD.pdf#page=8
