The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-11-03
ADVOCATE
IN CINCINNATI
HoRSEWH|PPED
Socialist Leader Of Peoples
Council Abducted While on
Way to Meeting.

CINCINNATI, o., Nov 1.-Herbert
S. Bigelow, head Of the Peoples
church of this city, one of the lead
ers Of the People Council for Dem
ocracy and Terms Of Peace, Socialist
and pacifist, was taken into a dense
wood near Florence, KY, shortly be-
fore midnight last Sunday, tied to a
tree and horsewhipped by men "who
wore long robes and hoods, similar
to those described as worn by the re-
moved Ku Klux Klan," according to
report received from Florence.
This report stated that the party,
with Bigelow as prisoner, gagged
and handcuffed. worked it's way to
the center of the wood. Here they
removed the handouts long enough to
disrobe him, and then tied him to a.
tree. One IF the leaders of the party
then read from a piece Of paper by
the light of a lantern held by one Of
his associates. The reader said:
"In the name of the poor women
and children Of Belgium this man
should be whipped"
At given signal another man, clad
from head to foot in white, stepped
out Of circle that had been formed,
and, with a "blacksnake" whip, de-
livered ~ lashes upon the back of
Bigelow. The ropes were then cut,
Bigelow was warned to stay away
from Cincinnati and he was released
while the party made their way back
to their waiting automobiles and dis
appeared.
Writes of Experiences.
Bigelow wandered an hour inP the
! woods and seeing a church spire in
the distance, he made his way toward
it and found himself in Florence, KY,
about 20 miles from this city. He
was taken to the home Of DR.. H. K.
Grant where he received medical at
tention, and then, according to his
own statement he stayed up the re-
mainder of the night writing in de-
tail his experiences Of the evening. II
was not until late in the morning
that he notified his friends in this
city where he was.
| Bigelow was taken into custody by
five men as he was entering a hall in
! Newport, KY, shortly before o'clock
! Sunday night. He was scheduled tt
address a meeting Of Socialists. Al
the time Of his apprehension hand.
cuffs were put on him and he was
hurriedly thrust into a. waiting auto.
mobile and spirited away.
Recently federal authorities con
| Quoted a raid on Bigelow's office II
Cincinnati. where documents con.
corning the activities Of the local PEG.
pies council were seized. Sunday
afternoon at his Peoples church serv.
|
of the soul of Emperor William anG
the pround men surrounding him.
! Bigelow's own statement, written a,
Florence, KY, bears out the earle,
story of the abduction and whipping
He added, however, that oil wa.
poured over his head after the lashes
were administered.
No Recognition.
In a statement Bigelow stated that
| owing to the men wearing long white
, robes" he was unable to recognize
any of his abductors, and that because
| of darkness, he could not give an &C.
| curate guess as to how many made VI
| the party.
Residents along the Lexington pike
state that they noticed line of 2:
automobiles pass on the way to Flor
ence, KY, Sunday night some were
carrying men upon the running
/ boards.
Bigelow was Democratic candidate
| for secretary Of state of Ohio in 1902
and was delegate from Hamilton
county to the constitutional conven-
ton in 1912. He was elected by this
convention as it's president. For the
last several years, however. he has
| been actively associated with the So.