The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-02-13
M0LDER AWAKES
IN COLD WATER
after ASSAULT
Clarence Gagen Says Four
Men Attacked Him on Gov
cred Bridge and Hurled
Him Into River.
FIRM MAKES PROTEST
Icy Water Runs Over Limbs
and Lower Part of Body
When Strike e-breaker Re-
gains Consciousness.

gains Consciousness.
Conditions growing out OF the mold.
ers' strike or lockout" at the Reli-
ance foundry are becoming worse. At
police headquarters today it was frank
ly admitted that a clash between the
strikers and Strike-breakers is feared.
Yesterdays develolI cnts in the Re-
lance strike included Il assault upon
Clarence Gagen, 1910 Bridge avenue, a
strike-hreaker in the old covered
bridge below the Rumely factory, af.
ter which he was thrown into the riv-
er, and the stoning Of the foundry auto
truck after 1t had taken a number of
non-union men to their homes in the
afternoon. The target Of the men who
stoned the truck was the driver. who
was alone, but he escaped uninjured.
The men who attacked the truck es-
capped by running down N alley. The
attack was made on South Fifth street
between Main and South A streets,
close to police headquarters.
Make No Arrests.
No arrests have been made in con-
nection with the assault upon Gagen
and the police express doubt as to
whether they will be able to appre-
hend any Of the men who attacked Ga
gen. So far as known there we're no
witnesses to the assault upon him. Ga
gen said today that he might be abb,
to identify three OF the six men wi
beat him and then threw him in t,
river
James E. Jones. vice president c.
the Reliance company, told reporters
today that he did not believe the po
lice had made very good record in
handling the strike situation.
Five OF our men have been assault
ed by the strikers and five attacks
have been made on our truck. The
other night stones were thrown
through windows at the factory and
the watchman was almost hit, but only
one arrest has been made and that
man was acquitted" Jones said Some
Of the men In the crowds which hang
about the factory carry guns and some
one is gotng to be killed yet"
Police Offer Protection 'S'~V
We have given every protection
possible to the Reliance management"
Chief Goodwin says. "One officer Is
almost constantly on duty at the fac
tor yduring the day an another Off
Ger spends most of his time at the fac
tory during the day and another Off
machine escorted the Reliance truck
when 1t was bringing strike-breakers
to and from work. but lately an Off
Ger has been detailed to ride on the
truck. Every complaint made by Mr..
Jones has been thoroughly investi-
gated but evidence in only one case
justified an arrest. as both Mr.. Jones
and Mr.. Hunt admitted to Prosecutor
Keller and myself. The man who was
arrested was found not guilty and
from the statements made by wit
nesses at that time the mayor decided
that no case had been made against
the accused striker. Following that
trial Mr.. Jones said the mayor was a
sympathizer of the strikers.
Unless we find some one who wit
messed the attack on Gagen we will
have but little evidence which would
Justify arrests Jones admits that him
self"
Suffers From Blow.
Gagen said today that he was re-
turning to his home late yesterday.
before twilight. and when he entered
the covered bridge, which was quite
dark, two men jumped out on him,
Yelling. Now We have got you, you
damned scab." Two men entered the
west end OF the bridge and two the
east end OF the bridge at the same
time and they all rushed upon him,
Gagen said. Some one hit him, he
said. and that was tho last he knew
until he wolfe un with most of his
body in the icy cold waters Of the riv-
er end his head aud shoulders resting
on the bank. II don't know how long
was unconscious" he said. but when
came to it was quite dark, SO I sup
pose was In dreamland for some
time"
"The attack on Gagen was q very
brutal one and it is wonder to me
that he was not killed." Prosecutor
Keller said.
week or two ago Gagen was ar
rested while intoxicated and hunting
for trouble in the north end. He was
convicted and fined He is we'll over
six feet tall and weighs over two hun
dred pounds.
Union Denies Attack.
Officers of the Molders' union today
emphatically denied that members Of
the union were implicated in the at
tack upon Gagen.
Patrolman Lawler accompanied the
Reliance truck yesterday. getting off
OF it at Sixth and Main. The truck
then went south to the home of one or
two men and was going to the barn
when two or three men standing on
South Fifth street began to stone it.
A few weeks ago a ke-breaker
while standing on the truck had his
arm broken with a brick thrown by
some man standing in the crowd near
the factory. A few days later strike
breaker was assaulted near the fac
tory, his head being cut
pPOE REA SPEAKS