The Calumet news., 1913-08-20
FAILS TO GIVE
ANY EVIDENCE
J. n. Walker Asked for Substanti-
alton of Serious Charge

| 50 N'lN'ls H'i' WI
the mining department of the Amcri-
can Federation of Labor has failed 70
furnish evidence to substantiate his
charge that members of the Michigan
National Guard had mistreatcd young
girls.
Mr.. Walker was asked for evidence
yesterday by General Abbey. I'm com
mand of the troops in the strike zone.
and Judge Advocate Pepper of the At
torney Generals office. lie replied that
he was going away for week and on
his return probably would submit evil
dencc. When pressed for Just n clue
50 that an investigation might he
started Mr.. Walker replied he could not
supply it.
Walkers charge, ana several other
ALLEGATIONS involving alleged shocking
actions of the militia, appeared i'm a
telegram he sent recently to President
Gompcrs of the American Federation
of Labor, at Washington. The tclc-
gram was given to news agencies by
Secretary Morrison of the Federation
VI 'f'''l anu u dI'l'dith III Hl@lilN VI
the leading newspapers OF the country.
General Abbey took up the matter
Immediately upon his return from a
business mission To the lower part of
the state. lie desired to make thor
ough investigation of the most serious
charge so the guilty parties, if any.
could bc turned over TO the civil au-
thorties and prosecuted. But the evil
dence was not forthcoming.
In regard to the charges General ABB
hey last night issued the following
statement:
MY desire To refrain from getting
into a controversy with the Western
Federation headquarters has kept me
from paying attention to statements
coming from there. However. one of
the charges made by Walker is Of such
serious nature that it is my duty 10
investigate same. | believe that the
officers and enlisted men of the Michi-
gan National Guard are entitled to
know if men guilty of such acts are
in the organization. The governor,
who is commander inc chief. mothers,
fathers and friends at home arc on
titled to know if the charges made by
Walker are true.
Personally, give little credulancc to
them, because of the four touching on
the National Guard | know that three
of them are not true. The National
Guard has not ridden down defeuseless
persons on sidewalks, They have not
assaulted and abused strikers and
their families They have not shot
man in the back while peacefully on his
way home on a country road
II have no evidence on the other
charge, so cannot assert as to its falls
itY or truth. However, with "A view of
getting some evidence So that | might
start the investigation, Major Pepper
Judge Advocate, who is from the At
torney Generals Office, and /, called on
Mr.. Walker. | advised him of my de-
sire to start an investigation and
asked that he give me such evidence as
he had i'm order that the guilty party
might be arrested and turned over To
civil authorities. The evidence was
not Forthcoming. however. MIR. Walker
stated that il was not in shape yet;
that he was going away. To be gone
about a week. and on his return he
would probably submit ii to me. Upon
being urged to give me n clue or two
So that | might at least get started nc
advised me that he could not do so.
Now | ask fair minded people If a
charge SO serious can be given crcdul-
anco when there is no evidence ready
io stbstantiatc it. \ man knowing that
q crime has been committed has to oh
tain a warrant IN order to approheud
the guilty party. To do this he has 10
have evidence that may convict him.
Mr.. Walker has seen fit to publish
Ia the world Il most serious charge. but
the evidence may be ready ia n week.
| Isn't this sufficient for me to ask the
public to- withhold their verdict until
the evidence is in"