In 1876, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper published this chilling illustration titled “A Warning,” depicting a so-called coffin notice – a form of written threat later introduced as evidence during the Molly Maguires trials in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

These notices were sent to mine bosses, informants, and others targeted for intimidation, often warning of death if demands were ignored.

Coffin notices became one of the most infamous symbols associated with the alleged secret society, shaping public fear and fueling support for harsh crackdowns in the Coal Region that unleashed corporate police forces and a corrupt justice system on the perceived enemies of the anthracite interests.

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Read more about the Molly Maguires and the Coal Region

A letter in defense of the Molly Maguires | 1877

“Something more than a river” – The West Branch in “Sons of Molly Maguire”

“The hour of doom” – The Molly Maguire executions in Pottsville on June 21, 1877

Alexander Campbell | From the shores of Ireland to a gallows in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region

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