The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-11-20
LABOR FEDERATION GETS A
RESOLUTION DEMANDING
BIG BUSINESS CEASE IT'S
COSSACK EFFORTS TO
HANG TWO TOILERS.

Demand that California officers
cease their cossack and third degree
torture of the penniless workers fol
lowing the recent Wheatland riots, in
which two men were killed, is EN-.
bodied in a resolution Endorsed by the
American Federation of Labor.
The resolution also asks the fedora
tlon to invoke the aid of newspapers
throughout the country in keeping the
public informed of conditions through.
out the trial of the men arrested
Here is what has happened at
Marysville, Cal, where the arrested
men are held on a murder charge, and
where it is charged an attempt is be-
ing made to railroad them to the gal
lows
Herman d. Suhr tortured in prison
cell by Burns detectives until in de-
lirium he attempted suicide.
Another prisoner beaten by a dep
uty sheriff after arrest.
Five hoppickers held incommunica-
do for weeks
Eleven more incarcerated and their
whereabouts a secret.
Six accused men charged only after
protest to the appellant court.
Impending of their defense by au-
thorities, even to curb of constitu-
tional rights.
Herman Suhr swears that while in
the Alameda county Jail, where he
was not permitted to see friends or
an attorney, he was forcibly kept
awake for four days and nights. He
then attempted suicide while in de-
lirium and made a confession" which
he now repudiates.
District Attorney e. T. Stanwood of
Yuba county is charged by Attorneys
Austin Lewis and r. M. Royce, coun-
sci for the indicted men, with being
chiefly responsible for these official
abuses.
Suit Is Threatened.
Suit had to be threatened, they as
sert, before Attorney Royce was per-
mitted to see Suhr, even after he had
asked for counsel in conformity with
his rights. And then it was only per-
mitted in the presence of Mrs. Suhr
after Stanwood had challenged her
wifehood, says Lewis.
Threat of a second suit was neces-
sary to have a Burns detective re-
moved from the cell.
Over 100000 working men in Cali
fornia have protested against these
methods.
Every effort has been made to pre-
Judge and force a verdict against poor,
helpless migratory workers, gathered
by police and detective authority,
thrown into dungeons and exposed to
the agsravating abuse of Burns de-
tectives with the hope of forcing them
to give lying evidence at the farcical
trials soon to be staged"
Richard Ford, Herman Suhr, Nels
Nelson, Harry Bagan, Edward Maluof
and J. Beck are charged with the
murder of E. B. Maxwell, then dis
trict attorney, and Deputy Sheriff Eu-
gene Reardon, killed in the battle of
the burst rancho. The other two
men slain were unidentified hop
pickers.
Protests; Is Slapped.
On August 8, Wheatland's "Red
Sabbath" two hundred hop pickers,
men, women and children of every
race and creed, protested peaceably
against the low wages and unsanitary
conditions maintained on the burst
ranch.
Ralph burst invited a committee OF
hop pickers to meet him. When they
came to his office HE DISCHARGED
THE LEADERS BEFORE THEY
HAD SPOKEN, THEN SLAPPED
RICHARD FORD, SPOKESMAN, IN
THE FACE WITH GLOVES.
That was his answer to his own in
vitation to a peaceful conference.
He jumped behind his armed guard
and sent a call for a sheriff's posse.
Deputy Fires First.
When they arrived, burst and the
commanded the peaceful gath
ering to dispense and one of the depu-
ties fired his revolver. Might az
swered might, and in Is minutes four
men were dead and half dozen were
wounded.
That is the sinister background Of
the forthcoming trials Of the six &C
cused men.
In Yuba county the burst brothers
and other big ranchers of their per
suasion are clamoring for convictions
at any price, for more blood.
The first of these prosecutions will
begin December 2, when Richard Ford
goes to trial
Shyloeks are not the creators Of in
terest, but interest the creator Of Shy
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