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About The times. (Portland, Or.) 191?-19?? | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1912)
m PORTLAND, OREGON, A P R IL 6, 1912 Vol. I. No. 24T HOQUIAM CITIZENS PUT BAN ON STRIKE-ANARCHISTS SHIPPED OUT IN BOX CARS HOQU IAM , Wash.— An armed body o f 100 citizens, carrying shot guns loaded with buckshot, rifles, revolvers and other weapons, broke the strike A p ril 1 which has held the Grays Harbor country iu a Arm grasp for two weeks, de moralized both rights o f liberty and business, when they corralled 250 strikers in a barn at the H o quiam Lumber & Shingle company mill, whom they shipped out in box cars. As fast as a striker was singled out, he was given the option of going to work in the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle company plant, which had been employing 600 men with its night and day shifts and i f he refused was taken to the bam, where he was searched. Only two men carried arms, which they gave up reluctantly, after which they were handcuffed together and photographed. Arm ed Citizens Gather Early. E arly Monday morning citizens began quietly to gather at the mill of the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle company, to prepare fo r any trou ble which might ensue. Speak ers at the big mass meeting held at Electric park yesterday, which 2000 strikers from Hoquiam and Aberdeen attended, urged the men to have their wives and children go to the mill this morning, but the appeal was in vain, very few show ing up. About 6:30 the strikers began to come and as they neared the plant armed men took them into custody and on refusal to work they were taken to the big barn. where they were told any attempt at an outbreak would result fa tally. M ill Men Take Firm Stand. The work was done quietly by a determined band o f men, who had suffered a sudden change in sentiment. The revulsion o f feel ing has been gradual, but when the mill men came out openly Sun day at a mass meeting and said they would pay the increased wage scale but that they would never hire Greeks, Finlanders, Austrians or Italians, and that they did not propose to recognize the I. W . W. union and its prin cipals, citizens Hocked to break the strike, and more than 100 took the oath o f special police during the afternoon. The parade in this city by the strikers Sunday was not as large as that o f the previous Sunday, many of the men deceding to re turn to work. Dr. Titus in Uncle Sam’s Hands. Dr. E. II. Titus, Seattle Socialist leader, who had been here fo r sev eral weeks and who was arrested last Saturday and lodged in the county ja il on a charge o f con spiracy. A ll the leaders are being taken into custody as fast as pos sible and will be held on charges until the strike is won. There are now four mills oper ating iu this city, they being the Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle company mill, which resumed with 150 men Monday morning, the Eu reka Cedar Lumber and Shingle company, Grays Harbor Lumber company and E. K. Wood mill. The Famous Campanile of Venice Nearing Completion grand ju ry reveals a serious condi selves with something o f an air tion o f affairs in this county, and o f superiority, having in it a dash it ought to arouse our citizens to o f liberalism, you have tolerated a realization o f the grave peril to this state o f affairs. Some o f you the peace and safety o f the com have been afraid of too puritani munity with which we are face to cal enforcement of law. You have regarded a laissez-faire pol face. It is, however, nothing n ew ; fo r icy as the dignified thing, and now considerably more than a year ago that the chickens are coming home this association laid before two to roost it is time to wake up. It is not too late. A pril 1!) will grand juries just such evidence as that upon which this ju ry ’s report soon he here, and you can do some is founded, but through the negli thing then that will vastly mend gence and inefficiency of District matters. The way has cleared con Attorney Cameron, and the culp- siderably fo r electing a good dis able dereliction o f the then Chief trict attorney, but don’t be too o f Police Cox (who now has the sure o f your ground, fo r you have audacity to run fo r the office of a wary enemy. And in the good sheriff), our efforts were wasted, prospects for this officer, don’t fo r as fa r as securing any action to get that you need a good sheriff as much as a good prosecutor. If put a stop to lawlessness. Let it be understood that fo r at you are wise you will put the right least three years the situation has men in both offices; fo r not other been heading tip to present condi wise w ill you do your best work to tions. During that time the police, clean up a mess that has given sheriff and district attorney have Portland an nnsavorv reputation. pursued a do-nothing policy P O R T L A N D M U N IC IP A L ASSO C IA TIO N , against the vices denounced by the 1). A. Pattullo, president. grand jury, and now we arc reap ing the harvest o f vice shameless ly flaunting itself in our faces, anil crime stalking amongst us fear- less o f punishment. Another Appeal Made. W e have repeatedly presented to S A N DIEGO. Cal.— Efforts of the public through the press the facts as we found them, but too the I. W . W .’s to sell a San Fran- often we have been regarded as I cisco evening paper tolling o f the ■ranks and impractical idealists, free speech fight here April 2, was Onee again we appeal to the de blocked by the police. As fast as cent, law-abiding people of this the newsboys appeared on the city and county, basing our ap street they were taken to the po peal upon the findings o f the i lice station, where the papers were grand jury as bearing witness to j taken from them and burned. In the truth "of the statements which this manner hundreds of copies of we have so often made in the past, the paper were destroyed and very The grand ju ry helplessly d e-1 few were sold, elares. we “ would indicate the ma | The district attorney’s office was vor of the city upon the advice elated ¡it the progress made in o f the district attorney we find the trial of Jack Whyte. Robert that there is no statute on our Oosden and Stanley Gue. three I. books by which they can be held W. W .’s charged with criminal for their dereliction to duty.” conspiracy. Witnesses testified The members o f the grand ju ry, that they were paid to come here mav rest their ease there, but the to break the city law prohibiting citizens of this country w ill fo l street speaking in the “ congest Following threats low their example at their peril. ed ” district. Instead of a reign o f law. we have against local officials, detectives a reign o f vice, and it cannot be were stationed about the court room. Mayor Wadhatn has re stopped by our citizens. ceived letters, which have been People to Blame. In the last analysis, the people turned over to the police. SLOW PROGRESS BEING MADE IN HICKS MURDER CASE-HICKS TAKES STAND IN OWN BEHALF The examination o f witnesses for the defence in the Burt Hicks’ case is being pushed with all pos. sible speed. The case has now occupied the attention o f the c o in — and ju ry fo r more than six weeks and it is expected that at least one or two more weeks will elapse before the case is in the hands o f the jury. A notable event came to light when Seargent of Police Henjuman S. Smith who had charge of the patrolmen in the strike district on the east side last fall testified that the defendant Burt Hicks had gone to him several times to voice his hear o f the strikers. Hicks was afraid that they would dyna mite his shop, said the officer and also spoke wtih deep concern of the threats to “ do him up.” Photo by American Press Association. O NE of the past «lories of Venice, the world famous Campanile (hell tower), in the Piazza of St. Aiaik, will soon be renewed. The new structure, built on the same lines as the old one, which fell in the sum mer o f 1902, is nenriug completion and will be dedicated with impos ing ceremonies, for the Venetians take almost as much pride in tills tower ns in the beautiful cathedral which gives its name to what many believe to be the finest plaza in the world. The new structure, which will be 323 feet high, will have cost about $3d0,000. it is built largely of bricks specially made for the purpose The tower, which collapsed ten years ago, had stood for more than a thousand years, and the architect of its modern replica boasts that his To the voters of Multnomah are to blame. You voters, you good work will last at least as long as its predecessor The building shown in the county: The report o f the March business men, who regard your background of the uicture is the Iiouianesque-Byzantine Cathedral of St. Mark. MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CALLS ATTENTION TO EXISTING VICE CONDITIONS IN PORTLAND Price 5 Cents Engine and Roundhouse Wrecked by an Explosion POLICE BURN I. W. W. PAPERS The next development o f special interest in the ease was when Hicks was placed on the stand in his own behalf Thursday morn ing. Hicks testified to the methods of the union pieketers during the early part o f the machinists’ strike. On one occasion he re ceived warning that the pickets were “ coining down that night to clean up.his men.” He appealed to the police for protection, and there were half a dozen officers at the mill at quitting time. Hicks said he counted 35 pickets about the place that evening, but because o f the presence o f the police noth ing happened. During last July, when his work man, \V. O. Conn, was assaulted and beaten, Hicks said he had taken the man to police head quarters and to the mayor to show the authorities the work o f the pickets. Hicks quoted Captain aty as saying that he would “ al It is very evident from what low no man to beat him up as Conn testimony has been given in this had been beaten,” implying that ease that the defendant Hicks was he would go to extreme measures in fear o f being killed at any mo in self-defense. Hicks quoted Chief ment, aside from the fear o f hav Slover as saving: “ I ’m not going to tell you what ing his shop dynamited. The I would do, but you can form your strikers being aware o f this fear, it own conclusions.” seems took advantage o f it and Hicks said he applied to Duty at pestered bint ¡ill the worse. that time for permission to carry a gun. The captain told the w it Pickets Follow Hicks. ness he could not give him the That Wortman and at least one permission sought, but advised other of the union pickets fo l him that if he fell that his life lowed Hicks from his shop on the was in danger, he had better put evening o f the shooting, was the one in his pocket. Hicks reviewed his history. He testimony in chief o f Mrs. Ford, is 55 years of age and a native o f who was living in the neighbor Jefferson, N. 11. He had only a hood o f the shop at that time. common school education, but “ Sitting on the porch at my studied engineering and drafting home,” said Mrs. Ford, “ I was at night school. He worked at. his able to watch the pickets quit; trade at Elkhart, In d .; Kansas closely. I saw them many times City, Kan.; Denver ami San Fran at the Hicks shop. A few nights cisco. before coming to Portland. “ I never was in any serious before the shooting 1 saw a gang o f pickets follow I licks and his lrouble before,” declared Hicks. men from their work. On tin* a ft “ I never engaged even in a fist ernoon o f the shooting I saw a fight, and I was never under ar larger crowd o f pickets than usual rest until this occurrence.” He gave his weight as fluctuat about the shop. 1 should say there were 24 or 25 men there. Wort- ing between 185 and 190 pounds. man was very conspicuous. He It is already in evidence that seemed to be very nervous, and l Wortman was very large, weigh thought at the time that lie must ing between 215 and 230 pounds. be drunk or crazy. I saw Wort- Iiieks stated that he arrived in man walk across the street to the Portland in Jure, 1882, and was shop. Then he went, back ami married the following year. then he walked over to the shop Mrs. Iiieks was placed on the again. He looked in the door stand ¡iml testified that tin* de Then lie went back and then In fendant grew increasingly nervous walked over to tin- shop again. He I ¡uni apprehensive as the strike looked in the door. Then when 1 dragged along and ¡is the pieketers Hicks and his men eante out some | increased their acts o f violence. of the pickets followed them out President Samuel Morrow, of and some o f them went down the I the Phoenix Iron Works, who pre- other side o f the street. Wortman I viously brought into court the and one other picket followed so |“ blood, blood, blood” letter, was closely behind Hicks that they | recalled for further examination, must have almost walked on his and was on the stand for more In-els. I watched them until they than an hour. The epistle was re got out o f sight.” ceived at the Phoenix Iron works during September, 1911. The w rit Saw Hicks W ith Crowd. er signs himself Lu\ Enderson, and Mrs. Rildred llil.varil. who lives represents that In- is ¡i union man opposite the Iiieks shop, was called just leaving the city for San Fran- by the defense to testify further I cisco, lie names the various ma as to the activities o f tin- pickets chine shops in the city, including about the Hicks shop. Mrs. Ilil 'Hicks’, and declares that there was yard told o f having seen every la plot on foot to dynamite them .evening and of having seen Wort- ¡all and murder the strikebreakers I man and one other picket follow in their employ. Mr. Morrow test I I licks from his shop one afternoon. ified that lie had shown the l i t The pickets acted “ cross and an- ter to flicks and that the latter ] gry,” said Mrs. Hilyard. 1 had read it. STRIKE STOPS BIG BUILDING IN CHICAGO P n oto» by Am erican Press Association N consequence of the explosion in a Southern Pacific roundhouse at San Antonio. Tex., in which twenty-six nonunion workmen were killed, labor uuiona Identified with the road have offered a reward of *5.000 t or the Identification of the person or persons responsible for the disaster This was done to meet the accusation that the explosion was caused liv dyna mite planted to kill nonunionlsta. The union men have professed their In tentlon of prosecuting the guilty if evidence can be obtained even though auspteton should point to a union mao. The theory of the disaster which 1« now prettv generally held, however. Is that It was esused by the explosion of the holler of an oil burning mogul passenger engine The photographs repro duces! show the wrecked engine and the ruina o f the roundhouse. I lie demanded should employers ap pear obstinate in granting the de mand made. The f ’llieiigo downtown district probably was the most vitally a f fected. Several skyscrapers are in course of construction, at a cost Fourteen thousand carpenters in ranging from $1,000,000 to $3,000,- Chicago and its environs went on 000 each. | strike April 1. Union carpenters o f Dos Moines, Building operations involving | from .$40.1100,000 to $50.000.01 Ml Iowa went on strike also be ; were affected by the strike, t 'on cause of the master builders’ re tractors and carpenters estimated fusal to grant an increase in Praetieally every large that construction work on at least | wages. building in course of construction i 500 buildings came to a stop. The carpenter* are demanding is deserted there. I 65 cents an hour, and increase of The carpenters demand their five cents an hour. wages be raised from 50 rents, the The situation was given a more present rate, to 55 cents an hour, I serious aspect when union leaders giving the high cost o f livin g as said that a greater increase would the principal reason.