The Washington herald., 1911-10-28

Cumberland, Md, Oct. IA re-
markable case of peonage was uncov-
cred to-day by the arrest of John W.
George, at Green Ridge, the seat of the
100000 orchard proposition. of which
Frederick Mertens, of Washington, is
the head. The charge is assault with
intent to murder Wood Superintendent
Fred w. Vierling. and Andrew Sealor,
boarding boss of the Babcock Lumber
and Boom Company, Davis, w. Va.
Viering and Sealor told a story of
their treatment at the hands of George
and four or five others that almost
rivals fiction.
Viering, who is well-known member
of the Elks, states that Sealor, on Oc-
tobcr II, went to the Mertens orchards
at Green Ridge to collect S234 due him
from seven different men. These men
had worked for the Babcock Lumber
Company. and went to the orchards,
Sealor advancing them money to be
paid back after the first pay OF the
Mertens people.
BOUND TO TREE.
hon he reached the orchard where
the men were working. a policeman
seized him and shackled him. with his
hands behind his back, o a tree, and
then tied a mule to his left arm.
Sealor stood there for two hours. The
muFe fell to the ground. and Sealor let
himself down, so as to avoid breaking
his arm.
Then a policeman tied him, still hand
cuffed. to the mule. beside which he
Travelled six or eight miles, turning him
loose after dark in a dense woods, with
a warning mat if he came back he would
kill him.
SealOr made his way back to Davis and
reported his condition to Viering. who
took the matter up with George B.
Thompson. manager of the Babcock COM
pany. 1t was decided to take steps toward
Furnishing Sealor's prosecutors.
Viering and Sealor went to Green
Ridge over the Western Maryland Rail-
road. but did not get of the right Of way.
because 1t was seen all the surrounding
property was under the control of Mer-
tens and there was no chance for an
The two men were told
to move on by a policeman, and they
crossed the river into West Virginia.
They were proceeding along the West
ooTrs ,,-1,1 n
peared, one of whom thrust a revolver
against VierinG's back. commanding
him to halt. The other man kicked and
abused Sealor. Finally Niering and
Sealor were turned around and ordered
to go back to the company's office in
Maryland.
Placed in Lookup.
The two men followed with drawn re-
Across the Maryland line, the two
men were ordered to get into an auto
mobile with three other men, and were
taken to the company's office, at Green
Ridge, and then placed in the company's !
lookup and shackled together with
handouts. After dark they were given |
some supper and taken in the automo- |
bile to the Commissary on top of the |
mountain, where. in the presence Of |
Supt. George, they were searched and |
their money and belongings taken. |
The two men were then blindfolded with |
towels, George saying:
This is the lesson we teach you ALL" |
It was ordered that they be taken TO |
the river and drowned OF they be hung
Or be put in the old house. The blind |
folded men were then taken to the river. |
started a-foot while still blindfolded and |
shackled. The bandages and shackles |
were not removed until the men almost |
collapsed from weakness. The party ar !
rived at an abandoned house, where the
two men were taken to a loft and bound |
together, head and foot. They were left |
there for about two hours. when their
placing a rope around Sealor's neck, and |
declared they would hang both.
The rope was tied to the rear spring
# the automobile after Sealor had been
ragged over the road with his head |
lown in a STOPPING position and one |
II the gang, known as slim Jim," tried |
o cut the rope with his revolver, firins
several times close to Sealors head. An
,ther of the gang, known as Red |
shot between the mans legs.
After a while the terrified men were
urned loose in the dense darkness. After
lome hours they found their way to
The orchard people insist
hat the object of the two men was to
.ntice away their laborers to work for
he lumber company at Davis.
George tonight swore out warrant
or the arrest of Viering, charging tres
,ass and malicious destruction of prop
.rty, and Vieriag was brought to Cum
,erland, where he gave bond.