The menace., 1914-11-28
Free Speech Triumphs
at Red Wing, Mimi.

On Friday, November l3, BILLY"
Parker. who is lecturing under the aus.
pices OF the American Federation, OF
Patriotic Societies and \ Jters, was
billed 20 open a series OF lectures al
Red Wing, MINI. II. r. Fowler. who
was distributing circulars advertising
the lectures, was Interrupted by the
chief Of police on the charge OF VIC.
lating the law and taken 10 the city
attorneys once. The city attorney,
II not a paplst himself, was doubtless
influenced by his Catholic wife, TO in.
form Mr.. Fowler that II be did not
stop distributing bills advertising the
lectures. he would be placed In fall.
Thereupon Mr.. Fowler notified f. b.
Jordan, the national secretary OF the
A. r. p. 8. OF the situation over the
telephone. But in the meantime Mr..
Jordan had received a telegram from
BILLY" Parker statiAg that he had
missed a train and would not be able
TO reach Red Wing In time for the frst
lecture; so Mr.. Jordan engaged c. w.
Blbb, former national secretary, TO MI
the first date.
Upon receiving the call from Fowler,
Jordan, together with c. w. Bibb, i'm.
mediately started for Red Wing, fifty
miles from Minneapolis,
Al Red Wing. the men were met nj
the train by Fowler and the chief of
police, the latter Immediately inform.
ing Jordan that the city attorney
wanted 70 see him; so Jordan and
Fowler went with the chief OF police
TO the city attorneys office. There the
proposition was put TO Jordan that the
Catholic mayor OF Red Wing would not
allow the lectures to be delivered, and
that they must Immediately cancel
their dates and leave the city Jordan,
who had spent his boyhood days in
Red Wing, grew indignant at this in.
tolerant papal frame-up to supprer.
free speech, and informed the attorney
with no timidity that there was no in.
tention OF cancelling the dates, but
that they would 20 ahead with the
lectures a. advertised. Fowler was
placed under arrest. and the Catholic
mayor and two others retired for a
private consultation. Returning in
about five minutes. the mayor tried to
make q settlement with Jordan and
Fowler by saying. ''If you people will
drop this and gun. We will drop the
whole thing"
Remember this statement was made
after Fowler had been legally placed
under arrest. showing that the mayor
did not hesitate to offer 10 compound
a felony BY dismlssing a criminal ao-
ton II he could only prevent an ex.
posure OF Romish corruption. Jordan
answered that that was just the state
ment he had been waiting for and I'm.
mediately wrote Il down verbatim for
future reference. Then Fowler was
taken TO jail and Jordan returned to
the hotel
At the hotel Jordan found a note
from Bibb stating that the chief OF
police had been 10 the hotel and ar.
rested him. and 70 call at the city fail
Immediately. Jordan went Bibbs and
Fowler's ball. At the hearing the next
morning. Blbb and Fowler were placed
under bonds and the trial set for De-
cember II.
The lecture proceeded and the people
became very much aroused to think
that such things could happen IN their
city. About an hour before the time
for the lecture to men only, the chief
OF police Informed Jordan that be had
en- order 10 prevent anyone attending
the lecture. Jordan asked TO see the
order In writing. but was told only a
verbal order had been given By the
city attorney 20 prevent anyone At
tending the lecture Thea Jordan