The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-08-24
issues
Big Edition on
Shoaf Mystery
His Last Letter Promised To
Prone Oils Times Er-
plosion Conspirator

Giard, kans., Aug. 19-Follcwing
word from Los Angeles today thai
no trace had yet been found of Gee.
II. Shoaf, correspondent or the APP
Zeal to Reason, the fearless Social
list weekly today planned 20 issue Ia
sensational issue. The first bag
OF the paper as ii was intended to
be has been cast into the melting
pot and q front page carrying in big
letters the following caption:
"Shoaf SluG@ed and Probably Mur-
dercd"
mas been substituted in it's place.
The last word that was heard
from Shoaf himself" is in the form of
a letter e n c. L. Phifer, of the
Appeal editorial staff, under date of
August -. 1t is a remarkable docu
ment from the fact that it outlines
the matter which he had been able
TO dig up during six weeks efforts
IN Los Angeles.
The mere fact that he was ready
to "change Otis with the full respon-
Sibility of the Times explosion,
naming II man he hired to destroy
the building" and that he intended
to present "facts and circumstances
more than sufficient to warrant the
immediate Indictment of Otis by the
grand jury" gives n motive for the
murder of this intrepid investiga-
tor,
Perhaps the contents of this let
ter in some way got into the hands
OF Otis friends, and as a result
Shoaf was made away with. In the
letter Shoaf expresses his opinion
Una ne might fall a victim to slug
gers employed by Otis.
Ihe concluding paragraph of this
letter, the Appeal continues, will be-
come in time q revolutionary classic.
The letter follows:
Los Angeles, Cal, Aug. -, 1911
My dear Phifer: In another
cover am sending you some pho
~tographs and drawings of tho
Times" building. Two of the pho!
tographs MUST be returned to
(name withheld by the Appeal. Be
sure that he gets the two photo
graphs.
BY Monday night I expect to have. |
my story in shape to send it to Won. |
IL is a not one and will create con- |
nat from coast to coast. In
1t charge Otis with the full respon-
sibility of "The Times" explosion
az maui ne HlTeu TO QeS- /
troy the building. The story will |
contain statements ana facts and |
features, and the relation OF cir |
cu!nstances, more thar sufficient to |
warrant the immediate Indictment
of Otis by the grand jury. AS the
story will shortly be with you I will
not discuss it here.
At II time | expected TO fall
victim to sluggers employed by Otis.
but believe now l have thrown
suspected ones completely off and
VIII emerge unscatched. OF course. |
after the publication of my story
there is no telling what these fell
lows may try to do. But I have a |
good revolver and I never 80 uni
armed. Besides, l am not afraid. |
and that is nine-tenths of the bait
tie. |
want to do the best T can AZ
All times. This fight with me is
the business of my life. All my life |
J have sacrificed and toiled for nv |
ideal. I am never with my family.
much as | would love to he, and |
more than once 1 nave incurred per- !
5onal danger in the performance of |
my work for the Appeal. All that |
! am and have. and hope to he. long |
ago dedicated to the work of bring
ing ABOUT the emancipation of those
who toll. I am satisfied. If | can edu-
cate my children and enable nv wife |
to lodge the potter's field will be |
cc:ltent. ! may not have lone much |
i don't ppos I have-but 7 am |
square and sincere and full of fight |
and ! am no gutter.
Yours for Socialism.
GEORGE H. SHOAF |
BY United Press. |
Los Angeles. Cal. Aug. 19-Baffed
in their search for George Shoaf. of
the staff of the Appeal to Reason, n |
socialist newspaper, the local police
today sent descriptions to all the
cltles on the Pacific coast. 1t is
thought that lie has been kidnapped
ana is being held prisoner until after
the Mcnamara trial. ,
In San Francisco. however. Detec-
tive William ]. Burns intimated thot
Shoaf would be found in Jail some
Where. charged with some minor Of
Tense.