Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1922, Page 6

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. DECEMBER 24, 1922—PART 1. DOUBT CONVICTION Self-Defense Plea May Save Men on Trial for Her- rin Killings. GUARDS ARE DENOUNCED Efforts to Prove Alibi Give "Way to Attacks on “Gun- ' men." Special Dispatch to The Star. MARION, IIl, December the first five men accused as perpe- trators of the Herrin massacre, Every man 6f the five has been identified. The prosecution claims it has shown that each of the defend- ants had a hand in the staughter of one or more of the twenty-three vie tims who met their d zing vainly for mercy, June day. Yet the feeling is general that there on that bloody will be no conviction, tha tac jury, made up of farmers and miners, will allow itself to be “per suaded” (o accept the def view, that “Willlamson c 10 the defense of its homes, and by this act of self-defense served notice on American gunmen and those who would employ American gunmen that this was not a safe pl send hired murderers.” Many Witnesses on List. When the trial resumed next week after the Christmas recess the nse point of in which to ¢fense will have the further (vppor'] tunity to introduce witnesses to give 1estimony in supposed of the murders, to show any acts of brutality culminating in the “ruth- less murder’ of three union miners. The defense has announced it will call between 300 and 400 witnessed. It can hardly hope to establish alfbis, @s | it intended. not even for Pete Miller, about whom the prosecution had some doubt, since William Cairns, one of the survivors, picked him out in the courtroom the “big, husky, mean-looking guy who shot down one of the victims at close range as he stood helpless against a_tree. Hiller was red by State’s At- torney Duty as £ the most fiendish members o ow, & throat cutter, a killor of the wor:t order. Yet state’s witnesses, who showed astonish ng memory for de 3 sulped once or tw crowd. Hiller was as Monday to pretty eighteen-year-old Anna Campbell of Marion, but after enter- taining the bride and groom ding supper, Sheriff Jim Galligan an- nounced that the honeymoon wouid have o wait until Hiller got out. So Hiller's adoring bride was torn away from her cave man and sent back to her parents. Many thrilling stories have been told about that last march of death toward Herrin cemetery. Four who survived that fearful crdeal have re- lated all they could remember. those of them who were not too ter- ribly wounded to recall the worst of it were too busily engaged in saving helr own lives to observe what was happening to the others. Donald M. Ewing, a Chicagn newspaper man, reached the scene just in time to see. Leaving his car Ewing made his way to the center of the mob and found six victims lying in the road. They were hatless, barefooted and some had their shirts and trousers partly torp off. so their tormentors could tell whether they were really dead. Three were dead. One was drawing his last breath. Two were consclous and fn great pain. crying feebly for water. According to the testimony, Bert Grace, one of the de- fendants, “stood over them. gun in hand and kicked one to silence his pleading for water. This poor fellow, Howard Hoffman. for the murder of whom the five are on trial specifical- 1y, was wounded in the abdomen and his throat had been cut. The.other man, Joseph O'Rourke, was wounded likewise but lived to show the scar on his neck to the jury. ‘Water Denfed Victimn. Ewing told how he hurried to a farmhouse and brought back a lard bucket full of well water for the two victims. _‘Clear out of here, damn you," tirace swore at Ewing, the latter tei tifle ou can’t give them any water. 'Rourke cauld identify none of h assailants because his hair was mat ted with blood and his glasses had been torn away. “I opened my eyes once” said O'Rourke, “and | saw a man_bending over me with a knife. Then I felt my throat cut. I realized that I was ter- ribly thirsty and remembered saying: “If there is a Christian in the crowd, give me a drink of water” 1 do not remember whether I got it or not.”” How Hoffman dled was related dra- fmatically by Dr. O. O, Shipman of i Herrin. “The prisoners were march- ed up the road between two filles of armed men,” he said. “They were bloody, ragged, bareheaded and some in stocking feet. ' One man was hold- ng his hand to keep the blood in at + wound in his wrist. Another was olding one forearm which was soak- 4 in blood. Mann (one of the defendants) gave orders to swing arms. The man holding his forearm did not swing arms and some one reached in and hit him. “A man came running down tie istreet and directed the prisoners to- ward the cemetery road. stopped at a corner near a woods. Some one asked one of the wounded men—it was Howard Hoffman—if he wanted to talk. ‘If you want to talk you had better do it quick, you have not long.’ They were marched a little further and came to two parked autos. One man got a _rope from an auto and put it around Hoft- man's neck. . began to loop It ‘around the others, but it was too | ishort, and some one called for {pleco’ of chain or.barbed wire iplece it together. \‘ Told Victims to Pray. “*While this was being done a fellow in the crowd yelled to the prisoners: ‘If you have never prayed before in your life, you better pri now." A boy in automoblle hol- lered, ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee.' The rope was tied and they mrched down the rcad again. Soon after- rd the shooting began ard the prisoners fell in a heap. There were i ften or twenty fellows shooting and i i four, Joe Carnaghi, Leva Mann, Percy Hall and a man named Calligar.” The first two are now to trial. ‘A man I had never seen, who was [doing most of the shooting, shot Hoff- He shot round after round, borrowing guns from those around him. him cart- He lifted an’s head up slowly and shot him again. The bul- let split his scalp. Hoffman said. ‘Oh, men, men, what are you doing? One of the little band marched ped without even being wounded. He is cer, kkeeper at the Les- and a University of Penn- graduate. ¥ ‘e mere marched & ways and lined up before a barbed wire fen crowd behind us” Officer testified. “Some one snouted, ‘We are give you a chance’ and the ng gan. I fell on my face and went un- der barbed wire, taking to the woods. Some of the other prisoners did the same thing. Some escaped, some were t. Officer lay under a clump hes for twenty-four hours while the mob hunted for him and thers. Once the ° hum. Officer finally reac! of & friend in Herrin, who hid him It was Otis one of the de- IN MINE RIOT CASE ’ gage, will celebrate Christmas with 23.—The atate has completed Its case against ! th, some beb:-i ' i i | unty arose l justification | a wed- | but | Neighbors’ Fund Saves Chinese | Burbank, Broke DELAND, . Fla., December 23— Leu Gim Gong, noted Chinese horti- culturist, who has been in dire finan- elal straits and about to lose his home near here becauss of a mort- tie realization that his troubles are about ended. : Friends in Deland, who have been caring for Leu for some months, an- nounced today that they had raised almost enough money to pay the overdue interest and assume the mortgage. Citrus growers, who have become wealthy because of Leu's de- velopment of new varleties of fruit, which now form a large part of | Florida's output, and others, have i subscribed sums of $100 and received In return notes for that amount to be secured by a first mortgage upon the, property. At Leu's death the estate, for many years regarded as one of the show places of central Florida, will be disposea of and the i holders of the $100 notes will be re- imbursed. 1t is proposed to ralse a sum above the mortgage and interest sufficlent 1o care for Leu ax long as he lives. He is only hree years of age, { but for severul years he has been in il health, CONFIRM L. 5. OIL - LEASE N MEXO [High Officials of Southern Republic Say Los Angeles Report Is True. By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, December 23.—Con- firmation of the announcement made at Los Angeles today of an oil con- i cession In the Mexican federal zone was obtained this afternoon from high officlals of the department of commerce and industry, Secretary Robles being out of the city. | 1t was explained to the Associated | Press that the Los Angeles advices | were substantially correct, although i “considerably less than 11,000,000 {acres is invi ! One stipulation of the agreement, i { which up to today had not been known, is that the promoters must drill at least three wells the first year {and a simflar number In succeeding years. Much-Coveted Concesaion. | Concessions involving federal lands in proven oil districts have heen much sought after by forelgn conces- sioners, especially American citizens. At the time of the big fire in the ofl wells here last summer there were |rumors that wholesale concessions were to be granted, but the project aid not develop. In newspaper circles it is anticipat- ed that there will be some popular objection to the concession, covering all federal lands, but the department of industry told El Universal Grafico that the grant was more for explora- government’ to_designate drilling sites. W. W. Wilson and G. T. Moreland were in Mexico City for several weeks carrying on negotiations for the Los {Angeies Interests, and departed for the United States a week ago. George J. Rushmiiler, the third member of the party, remained until several days later arranging final details. violence after the strikebreakers and others besieged in the mine had sur- rendered early in the morning of June 22, under assurances that they would not be harmed. Officer, Ber- nard Jones, another survivor, and Wil- ! ham Goodman, a farmer, all testifled to { that effect. “You don't know this scab breed like I do,” Clark harangued the mob. “The only way to stop the breed is to kill them.” Death March Described. Then the march of death began. Before it had gone far, C. K. Mec- Dowell, superintendent of the mine, began to play out, as he could not move fast with a wooden leg. Some one in the mob punched him in the back with.the muzzle of a pistol and said to his companions: “He's given out. No use to go any further with him. Let George Nelson, an eyewitness, take up the story. “A man with a revolver opened a iway and two men went south with McDowell. Otis Clark was one of them and he had hold of McDowell's arm to keep him from 1 did promptly. Soon afterwards I shot Later Nelson went down the road and found McDowel! body under a clump of bushes, |"Sifs. Nelson testified that she met iMrs. Otis Clark a short time after- | ward, and she sald: “They got old j Pegleg. I 3 So goes the Whole eordid story. It is astonishing that the prosecution has been able to bring out so many of the apparent facts in such an atmosphere 1ot intimidation. Most of the witnesses who live in Williamson county have told their stories reluctantly when { they could not escape testifying alto- i gether. The defense has been careful |to warn th union locals against any imove that could be construed as in- timidation, but they have struck ter- ror to the hearts of those called just the same. If the five men on trial are ac- iquitted in the face of the testimony that has been given, the prosecution }admltl that_it will be useless to try {any of the 200 others who have been { indicted, forty-three for murder. The sentiment of the community is over- whelmingly in favor of the accused, not that the horrors are denied, but because it is felt that the murders were justified. (Copyright, 1922.) | Members —with linc:en you have pla talking. Another member of the mob | told me to get into my house, which | Stone & Fairfax Business Family Heartily ‘Extend to You Best Wishes for a Christmas ONE ARREST MADE . IN STATE'S PROBE OF LAKE MURDERS (Centinued from Firet Page.) attorney general, who declared that every “scar and mark counts.” Whether the coroner’s jury handed down the name of the man ordered arrested this afternoon - was not learned. Department of Justice Investigators dave frequently declared they had a iist of the names of those connected with the kidnaping tragedy. Gov Parker has indicated hooded men of Mississippi and Arkansas as well as Loulsiana were implicated. The bodies were turned over to a committee composed of relatives and friends late today. The funerals were scheduled for tomorrow. The dead men were members of familles who were ploneers in this parish and their acquaintanceship is numbered by the hundreds. Many believe the surrender of the bodies to the kin and Distribution of Christmas Baskets by Salvation ' Army Gives Cheer to > |CORNERED POLICE - WIN FIERCE FIGHT (Continued from ¥First Page.) the hospital, four battered mea and one woman in the ninth precinct sta- tion and several bleeding policemen and one revenue agent considerably shaken up. Toy Train Brings Star’s “Pop ... Joy Coveted All His Life Newsroom - Staff Presents Christmas Gift to Veteran, Who Is TS texten cmiltor ety wes et e ¢ | but by the time Lisut. Burlingame sml a Boy. , | ©f No. 9 and a wagonload of patrolmen reached the scene of battle the fight was over and the prisoners overpow- ered. Policeman Has Clese Escape. During the tussle one man, supposed to be Ralph Proctor, is said by the police to have drawn a long butcher knife and made & lunge at Policeman Young, cutting a hole in his glove and scraping the skin. The officer also broke his nightstick, and lost hls hat in the fray. The other three patrol- men only received slight scratohes. Lieut. Burlingame was loud in his praise of Policemen Legg and Young, both young men, the former having been on the force about five months and the latter only a little more than a month. ‘hose are the kind of boys we want,” smiled the officlal as he told Young to pick a new night- stick and get another hat. oy ‘Many Washington Families one up right, was mustered into rvice and asked to make the pres. eech. While he was talk. ing ooked pleasant. But when he reached his climax and unvelled the train *Pop” jerked oft his hat. took one good look and let out & yell that sent the windows in the Raleigh Hotel across the way flying up. allowed as how the office bunch might e his column in the paper to- plece day is_especially good. Maybe ft's ,:?:‘: . ».:n:::-:?" :‘:o:t.... g::l: bad. We don’t kn:w as we havent read it. But If there's anything un- ::‘ ?fl? most enjoyable time was usual about it, remember that “Pop” wrote it while his train—the train .wn in the heart of every he'd walited seventy years to get— was whirring around its little shin- track on his desk. And we'll risk no boy in Wi ington Christm: tle locomotive that runs around shining track, with switches and sema- phores and all the other things that go with rallroading. Sometimes, often- times, 2 man goes to his grave without realizsing that desire. But this is the yarn of a man who didn’t. Finaneial Editor Lucky. Maybe you know “Pop” Fleming, and maybe you don't. “Pop” is The Star’s financial editor. He's been covering the financial run in Washington long X enough to call at the office of banl presidents without knocking, walk in & t“ and call them by thelr first names. ; (1 %-‘ And th like to feel close enough to “Poj have him call them by their names. Everybody does. Pop is about seventy. He doesn't care who knows it He's the sort who is always referred to as “seven- ty years young,” or something equally complimentary, when no compliments re really needed. For he is young. And the other day he confided very confidentially to a young reporter e had always wanted a toy train, train as somewhat poorly described above, that you could wind up and watch run around a track. ‘The reporter told some of the office gang. and a train was bought It was a train that beggars description —a beautiful train. “Pop” was called out a minute and in his absence th train was set upon his l:&lk and newspaper thrown over W:Ivenp?‘!’np" returned he found the office staff gathered around his desk. Fred Cook, who is always called upon body nts something VI I Dr. Wyeth and Staff of 427 Tth St. N. W. Wigh Their Many Pa- tientsand ] Friends a Dpbal= Very MERRY XMAS and a Prosperous and HAPPY NEW YEAR 31 Years of Good, Honest Dentistry Our Record to first 3 the departure of the troops may ; kindle the outbreak between the hos- tile camps created at Mer Rouge since the August kidnaping. Start of Trouble. Department of Justice agents and state officials have during the past four months, under the personal di- rection of Gov. Parker, prepared a chain of circumstantial evidence of event? preceding the kidnaping as l well as the movements of the mob on the fatal night, which will be the basis [ of the prosecution, it has been re- 3 Preou q In the midst of the Trouble started in Morehouse last 4 : ummer when an alleged attempt \\'Vas . A made 1o assassinate Dr. B. W, McCoin. * holiday season, we pause former mayor of Mer Rouge. Dr. McKoin £aid he was summoned o et I of i one night to g0 on,& profesional call | and while en route he was shot at,| : ‘ess. rd two of the bullets passing through e pnectahon for those who his automobile. Later he received|three special agents of the Depart- z : d ]‘ ot nothing in a case . . . anonymous threats against his life.|ment of Justice. was fired on from |nothin L O eo ho departed from Mer |ambushon the streets of Mer Rouge hosorer tr cheoras (oo hoearae have contributed in ma. Rouge. It had been known that the|late this afternocon. A pistol shot|teries of Morehouse that he did Dot iy ¥ 5 mayor was conducting a campalgniwas heard and a bullet' whizzed by !lfl:\nfr:e:_m:n\.llsr;r ;roo-,:’ Sii paricie i i thls a nner ar . Phaint lawlessness. A few days after Farland’s head. No trace of the |, AL 8 VIsIL from Mr Daplels, T ‘ng ba ye! that event Daniels and Richards told|would-be assassin could be found.|war veteran, and Mrs. Richards, wife ; s The ub their friends that a crowd of men In|The situation at Bastrop is tense to- u:fi::he :n(-l.—d;;—::r man, ;:flu«;i l}p::ser‘; H % White robes and masks took them outinight and a clash of arms is feared |Ofice and after he had stened 7o | separately, questioned, warned, {at any moment. following the arre i i brine ¥ ing the outrages to light. e e PP Dy A visit from a prominent man, close j - e :ffnn::: Governor Pays for Probe triend Doy ol sl el Y\From your standpoint, our large A N | = . provided the climax, determining the I . 208 Dantel later told hia friends he v o 3 | executive to act. This visitor had list Of sattsfied customers—cash or o BATON ROUGE, La., December 23| g345 of an undisputed character. He < secreted himself nlel:; lh; Zl::gen;:d (Special).—It became a matter aof |told |'.(onv dna,,:’,uhn’nabp;i;‘chnrds kh}d credtt—have ever faund our terms heard what transpired and r -ommon gossip about the state capi- | been killed and their bodies sunk in b many of those present. a1 today that Gov. Parker was large- | Lafourche lake from the old ferry reasonable, our stocks thoraughly re- While listening to the secret COD-|yy paying for the Morehouse investi- | the governor a comprehensive idea liable. our clerks courteous N clave, Daniels sald, he stepped on &jgation out of his private pocket. It of the alleged outrage. e > . Sl 4 ‘ stick and made a nolse. ¥le a8 2D {will provably cost thoussnds of dol- | o (3" oF 4eiCraime; hov. only from general business principles to be of the tured and while under the cover of {1a;s The fund appropriated for the|tnis, but from other states, commend- e el i Rt v their guns he told the men he had|governor to spend for such emer-!ing his actio Iughest se they wou e = concealed himself to obtain evidence ) —C = ; with which to expose the men. Dan- satisfied customers t hey are. ‘ !fels sald he was released with the \_ warning to “keep his mouth shut. \\\ Tormented THE WOODLAND : : _— S & e i i Y[From our standpoint, your generaus \\ " Daniels continued to talk an o 4 \ name members of the hooded band, it Cath Avéniie patronage enabled MSI S0 crponiis \ was stated. On August 24 of this year, . edral 1 na, hasi”ess e = ’ ¢ a celebration at Bastrop, fitty or East of Connecticut Avenue stock and bus! y ! = more armed white robed and mhuked ; b all it 2t ths: monlle of Ahe § men in automobileg and on horse- - - 4 me. m. Y4 2 : back, took J. L. Danlels, seventy; his New Building furn”u’e_buygng—zv{:;'ch means the \ son Watt, W. C. Andrews, C. C. b L foride St Davenport and Thomas Richards. High-Grade Apartments of home-equipping—p \\ They were bound together and placed 3 and 4 Roo With Bath \ in a trailer attached to an automobile ms, Wit ; S which disappeared. S ’ Davenport was released unmol!lled.l the aged Daniels and Andrews were: blindfolded and flogged and young Daniels and Richards disappeared. I The returned men declared. accord- ing to officials that they could not identify any members of the mob. Danjels said the automobiles parked at the punishment gronnds bore Ar: kansas and Mississippl as well a; Louistana license plates. | Daniels added that his tormentors! ‘wore white robes and masks, [ MER ROUGE, La., December 23! (Special).—A. E. Farland, one of of Their RS Thomas J. Fisher & Co., Inc. USE RA 1f Consti order—USE HARMLESS RADIUM PRODUCTS CORPORATION Strictly: Fireproof-—\(’l\vo Elevators "READY FOR OCCUPANCY YIThe Hub wishes to take this oppor- tunity of thanking its patrons, extend- ing to them the greetings of the sea- . son and expressing the best wishes for the coming year, with its big possibili- ties for their mutual betterment. Rental Agents : 738 15th Street N.W. IUM Nervousness, Insomnia, Neurasthenia USE RADIUM. Are you in agony with pain of Rheumatism, Neuritis or USE RADIUM. G pation, Kidney Trouble or Prostatitis is your dis- RADIUM. Do you suffer fron; Many eminent authorities also give this advice. 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