The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-09-15
WILLIS GOODNESS
SAVES SITUATION
Keeps His Head in Moment OF Ex-
citenent Attending Street Car
Strike Rioting.
The State.

In Camp With the South Carolina
National Guard in the Ell Paso Patrol
District on the Border, Sept. IL
Lieut.. A. D. Willis Of Columbia, Sec
ond lieutenant of the Governors
Guards of the Second regiment, has
been a witness before the FL Paso
county grand jury which is investigat-
ing the incidents in connection with
the rioting by the striking employees
OF the FL Paso street railway system
On Labor day. Lieut.. Willis was in
M Paso on Labor day when the riot
broke out and was passing through
San Antonio street when crowd was
nobbing a motorman and conductor
and was engaged generally in throw
ing rocks and other available matter
through the street car windows, cut
ting the trolley poles and cutting UP as
only a mob can. The story of that riot
has already been printed but every
ore says that the police turned their
backs while the rioters beat up the
'scabs" motormen and conductors
and destroyed the street cars. All
this was going on when Lieut.. Willis
walked through the street. On his
way down and in trying to get out
OF the mob he was struck on the shin
by q beer bottle thrown through the
other side of street car. Just at this
$ime some Texas rangers ran up and
ordered the crowd back and leveled
their guns, ready to back up their
commands. There was crowd OF
soldiers on the streets and some OF
the rangers or police called to any
officers in the crowd to make the
soldiers get out of the way. Lieut..
Willis, who was jammed in the bunch,
Happened to be the only officer and
he commanded the soldiers to fall
back which they promptly did. At
this moment two mounted policemen
came galloping up and arrested Lieut..
Willis. The Texas rangers and the
foot police called to the mounted po-
lice to let the lieutenant alone as he
was assisting in quieting the dstur-
barce The soldiers who had fallen
back on orders of Lieut. Willis, seeing
him under arrest and noting the dis
pute between the mounted and dis
mounted police started to crowd
arosnd, whereupon Lieut.. Willis told
the officers to come with him out OF
the crowd. They went down the
street and turned corner and on un-
Restraining the situation promptly
released the lieutenant with profuse
apologies to him.
Saved the Situation.
There was much Indignation among
other officers who witnessed the in
eident and Il viii undoubtedly result
in a shaking up of the police depart
ment. A Michigan lieutenant looked
Lieut.. Willis up and told him that 1t
was outrageous that he should have
been arrested and that but for his &C
ton in ordering the soldiers back
from where the mob was beating up
the motorman there might have been
bloodshed. He offered to do anything
in his power. This same position Was
ts&en by scores OF others and the
Texas rangers, It is said, said that
Lieut.. Willis was assisting in restor-
ing order when the mouated police
came up. Col. Holmes B. Springs has
taken the matter up and if Lieut..
Willis is not accorded the proper treat
menG and full justice done in the mat
ter he will probably take the incident
TO the attention of Gen. Bell and ask
Sor an investigation.
There has been a street car strike
in M Paso for some time and the cars
have been operated by imported men.
The strikers seized Labr day to vent
their indignation and stoned cars full
of people, cut trolley poles, beat the
raotormen and conductors, while the
police stood idly by and looked on.
The affair has caused great indignation
and both the local papers have been
unsparing in their condemnation. A
grand jury is investigating. Several
participants of the rioting are held
in iail. The strikers appeared to
have gone too far and public sym
pathy, formerly largely with them, has
4,r,o6 ond ic demanding that those