The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-27
MOYER PRESIDENT OF
WESTERN FEDERATION
Continued From Page One.


strike. To combat this sentiment they
cutting attorney of Houghton county,
a statement that he was satisfied
from the progress of his investigation
that the man who cried the cry wore
no insignia Of any kind.
In most instances the offers Of relief
were refused without show of any
feeling other than confidence the
wants. Exceptions to this rule were
fairly numerous, however, and in one
case two m were elected from a
home where two children lay dead.
Mrs. John Vertin and Mrs. Marcus
Sterk met their rebuff and after being
shown the door gave UP their mission
and returned to report to relief head
quarters. Despite the evident deter
mination Of the stricken families not
to accept ~non-union aid, the commit
etc was not without hope of overCom-
ing the ~preiudices and held another
meeting last night to consider various
plans for getting rid of the money in
its hands. Fifty-four families We're
on the list as needing possible aid and
tees, each representing one Of the ma
tionalities to which the victims Of the
panic belonged.
The federation's members were not
less active, and in several cases the
unofficial visitors met union workers
in the houses which death had visited.
Always the proffers of union help
were accepted in preference to the
other. e..
Efforts to run down h Identity or
the mar who began the panic met
with some success yesterday. Several
persons gave lengthy aff1davits to
Prosecutor Lucas investigators and
from a description furnished by one
14-year-old boy, it was hoped an ar
rest may be made soon. More mpod-
tant in. the mind of the local com
munity was the explosion of the re-
port that the miscreant wore a Ctti-
zens' Alliance button. .
Mrs. Therese Sizzer denied she had
ever made a statement that she had
seen such a insignia when she grasp
ed the man by the shoulders. and
tried to force him into a seat. Mrs.
Louisa Lesh, who was m~arshalling
children across the stage in Italian
hall while they were receiving their
Christmas gifts, said he heard the
cry Of fire repeated thrice in Eng
lish from the center of the hall, fol-
lowed Immediately by the same voice
exclaiming the alarm in Croatian,
Hermann Bibber thought he saw
smoke issuing from the windows and
Mrs. Charles Meyers, repeated her
story Of seeing a boy with fire in his
wool cap as he was carried from the
building. These accounts were
embodied in statement and afidaVits
collected by the prosecuting attorneys
Office and the persons quoted will be
subpoenaed to appear as witnesses al
the coroner's inquest Monday.
Some significant evidence came
FROM n colnopjut whOSe plara 10 on
the first floor of the building in which
the catastrophe occurred. He tolo
the investigators that only children
possessing union cards issued to thei,
fathers were admitted to h hall ano
that several times he was called up
on to identify little ones who ha6
been turned back because they die
not present such credentials.
With the door thus guarded, it was
pointed out, it would have beef
virtually impossible for n one wear
ing the insignia Of an hostile organic,
alton to get in the hall. Several chill
dren said a man apparently intoxicat'
ed had pushed his way through The
crowd and it was largely upon these
accounts hat Prosecutor Lucas baset
his belief that the alarm did not com
from an intruder. Another fact O
which the prosecutor pronounced
himself certain that there were NJ
candles on the Christmas tree.
The relief committee at its meeting
last night decided to refuse offers o
all outside aid. kilograms proferrint
assistance came from Bishop John T
Cadroll, Butte, Mont, Mayor Oscar B
Marx of Detroit and others but the.
were told that no material aid wa
needed. from other than loca
sources. . +.