Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-10
bAREDbACKS
BEATEN; GET
COAT OF TAR
Tulsa Vigilantes Drive I. w.
w. Band From Oil
City.

Tulsa, Okla, Nov. 10.-The
whereabouts early today of IL
half naked, severity beaten men,
bers of the Industrial Workers OF
the World, seized from policemen,
logged with eat-o'-nine tails, tar
red and feathered here last night
by band of 80 hlack.robed and
hooded "Knights Of Liberty was
unknown.
With the warning. Never return to
Tulsa" the |. W. VS. were started
through the brush away from the city,
followed by fusillade Of shots. In
the name Of the outraged women and
children Of Belgium" the man in
charge Of the ceremony uttered as he
applied the hot pitch to the bleeding
backs
Eleven Of the l. W. WIS were ar
rested in a recent raid on state head
quarters here The other six had tes-
titled last hight at the trials in city
court # their fellows. All were be-
ing taken by a roundabout route to 1.
w W headquarters in three touring
cars by city policemen, when they
were halted by the black-shrouded
figures who pointed rifles and pistols.
The policemen had intended to exact
from the T. W VS. a promise to leave
the city and not to return, whereupon
the prison sentences would have been
suspended.
Police Watch Beating.
The policemen were forced to drive
the motor cars to the rendezvous in
a wild Tayine at the edge Of the city
and watch the work Of the knights,
none Of whom were recognized be
cause Of the Disgusting robes. Later
/ in the night the streets of Tulsa were
placarded with printed signs bearing
I this legend:
Notice to l. W. VS.: Don't let The
sun set on you in Tulsa Vigilance
Committee"
Arriving at the ravine. a circle Of
imotor ears was drawn about a huge
tree, and in the glare of the headlight.
man after man was stripped, tied VI
and dashed on the back until the blood
ran. Boiling hot tar then was ap
piled and handsful Of feathers thrown
/ into the tar.
| The l. w WIS talked but little, &C
cording to one of the policemen wht
was forced TO witness the ceremon,
with an armed guard on either side
Some boldly proclaimed their allegi
ance TO the l. w W, but a knight
declared he had been arrested in tn
raid on The state headquarters and h
took his turn at the whipping post
Bomb Plot Cause.
/ When the residence of ]. Edga
Pew. vice president of the Carter OF
company, was blown up here Oct 2
by a nitroglycerine bomb, city, coun
ty and federal officials asserted it wa
the premature breaking of a giganti
H. w W. plot to terrorize the oil in
dustry of which Tulsa is a center
The reign of terror, it was said, SEIZED
uled to launch Nov. J. Extensiv
plans were made to combat the a.
legged aims of the l. W w. and Their
were no serious developments.
The state headquarters Of the Indus
trial Workers OF the World here wer
recently raided twice by city police
men and once by federal officers.
Doubtful of Action.
Just what action, if any, will h
: taken by the county authorities, rels
| tive to the fiogging. tarring and featt
ering of II l. W " leaders here las
| night by knights OF Liberty" coul
not be learned today, as County A
t torney George Reeves is out of th
= city. City Attorney John b. Mesery
said the city was poweriess to act 3
= the city ordinances provide no pei
g atty for such an offense.