The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1918-03-15

A near riot ensued this morn
ing at 1880 when the l. w. w.
gathered on a vacant lot on First
street and took a vote on the
question of whether or not the
Jail should be raided and Nelson
liberated. 1t is stated that the
vote carried in favor of raiding
the Jail. Sheriff E. B. holland at
tempted to dispense the meeting
and was set upon and beaten by
some of the l. w. w. The officer
was knocked down and struck a
number of times. The siren fire
whistle sounded the riot call and
in a few minutes about ont hun
dred citizens, about half of whom
were armed with rifles, shotguns
and revolvers, assembled at the
corner of Second and College.
The l. w. W., about 300 strong,
were gathered on the lot on First
street between College and Jeffer-
son, about two blocks from where
the citizens were gathered, all of
them wearing red badges. One
of the l. w. w. leaders, George
Taylor of Tyson, asked the citi-
zens to defer action until he could
speak with the members of the
organization in an attempt to
avert a clash between the citizens
and the "wobblies." After a con-
sultation it was decided that the
d&W. w. should remove their red
ladges and dispense, which was
done. An effort is being made by
the authorities to locate and
place under arrest the men who
assaulted the sheriff.
Nelson was removed from the
county jail and taken to Occur
d'Alene on the afternoon boat.
A meeting of the citizens, county
and city authorities, is being held
this afternoon to decide whether
an appeal shall be made to the
governor to declare martial law
and send troops here. A meet
ing Of citizens will be held this
evening at the Grand Theatre for
the purpose of organizing a home
guard company for the pritectiOn
of the city.
Judge John M. Flynn, in the
district court this morning,
granted the change of venue
asked by the state in the case Of
William M. Nelson, ex-secretary
OF the I. w. w. in this city, who
is charged with criminal syndi-
calism. The case will be heard
III Kootenai county. No date was
set for the trial. A motion and
anidavits in support of the same
were filed in court Wednesday
morning and at that time w. J.
Costello of Standpoint and J l.,
Wallace of Missoula, attorneys
fOI the defendant, asked for time
in which to prepare and file afl-
davits in cOntravention The afi1-
y davits were filed with the court
last evening and arguments on
them were heard this morning
Eleven afndavits, alleging the
impossibility of fair trial in
this county because of methods
OF intimidation and terrorism
said to be practiced by the I. w
W. organization, we're filed by
the state in support Of the mo-
ton for a change Of venue
Attorney Robert H. Elder Of CoeuI
d'Alene, who has been retained tC
prosecute the case, made a shOrl
argument in favor of the change
He made a point of the number
of l. w. w. in this city at the
present time, which is estimated
at frr $500 to 500, asking the
purp' bf these men in attend
ing theY Yfrial here. He also men,
ts92Gd( the stickers with which
this section has been flooded fol
the past few days terming tn
I. w. w. prosecution "persecu,
tiOn by the lumber companies
and "class war" and asking tn
members to assist.
Attorneys Wallace and Costell,
for the defendant attempted Il