In 1912, Wobblies came to challenge the San Diego ordinances by getting arrested in significant numbers, and filling the city jail.

Vincent Saint John, a leader of the Wobblies, sent a telegram to Wadham which stated, "This fight will be continued until free speech is established in San Diego if it takes 20,000 members and 20 years to do so."

That only made the San Diego vigilantes, newspapers, and city and county government dig in their heels and more determined to get rid of the Wobblies at any cost.

Anarchists Emma Goldman and Ben Reitman came to town to lecture, against the advice of mayor Wadham.

Reitman was kidnapped from his hotel room by the vigilantes, stripped, tortured, branded, tarred, and sent out of town.