How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
To beat the miners he had to let his hired thugs run wild. When the fight was over he couldn't get rid of them. He had given his city over to them and he wasn't strong enough to take it away from them. Poisonville looked good to them and they took it over. They had won his strike for him and they took the city for their spoils. He couldn't openly break with them. They had too much on him. (1.78)
During his investigations into Donald's murder, the Op learns that Elihu was responsible for hiring thugs to help him put an end to a labor strike. Afterwards, the thugs weren't willing to give up their power, which means that violence doesn't always offer the best solution to a problem. Clearly, it backfired on Elihu because he couldn't rat out the thugs since he was the one who hired them in the first place.
Quote #2
Now it's my turn to run him ragged, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Poisonville is ripe for the harvest. It's a job I like, and I'm going to it. (8.37)
This quote is our only clue as to why Hammett titled the novel Red Harvest. The Op plans on getting everyone to turn against each other so that they'll all spill each other's blood and do his dirty work for him. Take a look at "What's Up With the Title?" for more on the significance of the title.
Quote #3
The silvery streak ended its flashing slant in the ring, with a sound that was partly a thud, partly a snap.
Ike Bush took his arm out of the referee's hand and pitched down on top of Kid Cooper. A black knife-handle stuck out of the nape of Bush's neck. (9.124)
You don't want to mess with the big shots or else you're liable to find a knife sticking out of the back of your neck like poor Ike Bush here. Bush decided not to take a dive during the fighting match (and a lot of money was riding on him to lose the fight). When you don't follow orders, then you'd better watch your back.