South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-10
DENIES MILITIA
ATTACKED WEAK
Commander of Michigan Ma
tionaI Guard Asserts Clashes
in Upper Strike Region Due
to AggreSSiveneSs of Strikers

CHICAGO, March 10.-Charges made
by striking copper miners that the
militia had attacked women and
children and strikers during the strike
in the upper Michigan peninsula were
fatty denied Monday before the con-
gressional investigation committee by
Brig. Gen. Perly l.. Abbey, in COM
msnd of the Michigan national guard,
and several other Officers and pr1-
Yates The charge of drunkenness as
made by the miners was also denied.
Instead of committing the overt acts
charged 1t was said that every clash
that occurred, had been caused by the
aggressive tactics of the strikers in
their assaults on miners who were be-
ing escorted to work.
1t was declared by the militiamen
that there had been TO attack on the
American flag on Sept. 13, as testified
at the hearing at Houghton; that the
American flag was carried by the
strikers to gain sympathy from the
public and that ii was also used as
weapon in attacking the soldiers or
strike breakers.
Congressman Taylor OF Colorado, is
chairman Of the congressional COM
mittee. which met in the Lasalle hotel
The other members of the committee
and congressman Case, Howell and
Sweitzer.
THE clash between my company
and the strikers that occurred near
Continental Heights was caused by
women and men throwing stones at
the soldiers while escorting miners to
work" said Capt Frank Blackman.
There were no women injured, as has
been charged and only one man COM
planned at the time of being assault ed.
During the trouble my watch was
taken while a crowd surrounded us
and endeavoring to capture the strike
breakers. The charge that I hit a
woman with a sabre is positively I'M
true. My sabre was in the armory.
NV only weapon was a pistol"
Cant BIackman then told of the al
legged riot during which it was charg
ed the American flag was taken away
from a parader by soldiers and tram
pied in the dust.
Struck With Flag.
TONY Slavonasoh was carrying the
flag when L appeared at the head OF
the strikers parade" said Capt
Rlackman. Gle had it outstretched
horizontally and he struck me pow
erful blow in the breast. Then he
flung the flag to the ground ana
walked over it. My idea is that the
flag was carried to be used as
weapon"
Clarence L. Miller. of the signal
CORPS. said that he was riding at the
side of the same parade when some
one who picked up the discarded flag
attacked him.
HE tried to spear me with the staff
Of the flag" said he.
why did they carry flag ?" asked
Atty. O. n. Hilton, who is representing
simply to gain the sympathy of
the public" replied Miller.
Frank Horton. a militiaman, said he
had been attacked by women with
brooms.
John w. Dunnewind, a Detroit
newspaper man. said that during his
stay in the strike region he had seen
only four soldiers under the influence
of LIQUOR; that he saw one soldier. but
no strikers attacked and that every
report of assaults made by soldlerS
upon strikers that he had investigated
were found untrue. :,
trouble in the strike region was caus-
ed by strikers and sympathizers throw
ing stones and attacking men on their
way to work. -
my policy was to not interfere with
parades," said he. Il never told any
one that the morning parades OF the
strikers should not be held. We never
paid any attention TO meetings of the
strikers. After the flag incident we
had a court of inquiry investigate the
charges made and found them TO be
as stated here"
The proceedings OF the court or IN
o11irv and a picture of the flaG incl
dent were submitted as evidence. Ere
Quent objections 10 the testimony. were
made by the miners attorney and they
gave the witnesses a grilling cross-eX-
animation without changing their tes-
timony. -,
Charles II. Mover president OF the
Western Federation of Miners, will
.er,pear before the committee tomorrow
nnd tell of his deportation from the