East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-04-23
BAD FEELING
ROUSED BY
RUSSELL|TES
Freewater Crowd Almost
MObbed Clifford Metz
Yesterday, is Now in Jail.
CIRCULARS SPREAD
THROUGH THE MAIL
Pendleton Residents Are
Given Copies Of King
dom News.


Clifford Metz, Weston farmer and
Russellite who narrowly escaped mob
violence yesterday afternoon at Mil
ton and F'reewater for circulating cir
culars in defense OF "The Finished
Mystery" Is still being held in the
county jail today pending instructions
from the u. S. district attorney Dis
trict Attorney Keator fears to release
him lest the feeling aroused against
him cvystaliize again into action.
This feeling was intensified locally
this morning when 1t was found that
during the night the mails had been
flooded with copiles of the Kingdom
News" the same as Nets had been
circulating in Milton and Freewater.
Almost every person in the city re-
ceived through the mail this morning
one of the circulars. They had been
mailed I'm the local office last even-
ing. those responsible presumably taxi
Ing this means Of defeating the re-
cent censorship ordinance passed by
the council.
crowd Had Ropes.
Metz. according 10 his story ana
that Of his father, A. t. Metz, who Is
Eere today trying 10 secure the re-
lease OF his son. had gone. to Milton
on business and had eaten dinner
with members OF "the faith in that
city and had been asked to assist in
distributing the circulars.
After the two towns had been pret-
ty well covered, and the public be-
came aware OF what was going on.
popular indignation became intense
and the fire bell was sounded and the
short time two dozen automobiles
were chasing about the towns hunt
ing for the distributors. Metz was
found at the depot just as he was
leaving by train for Weston. He was
seized by the crowd. ropes made their
appearance and, the crowd of 500 or
more being in an ugly mood. vio-
lence would undoubtedly have been
done to him had not the officers and
some of the cooler heads intervened
Metz was hustled into an automo-
bile and, accompanied by ID. c. SAN
derson and number of other citi-
zens. was brought to Pendleton and
turned over to District Attorney Kea-
tor. Upon learning OF the nature of
the offense. the district attorney
turned him over to, the sheriff and
authorities in Portland.
THE Kingdom News" which title
the circular carries is a defense of
THE Finished Mystery recently
suppressed by the United States and
Canadin governments as having a
flavor of German propaganda. Il
charges that the clergy is responsible
for the suppression OF the book and
contains a blank petition TO the pres
ident to lift the ban. Apparently
there has been a concerted move on
the part OF the International Bible
Students Association to fleod the
country with. these circulars stimuli
taneously.
Il is said that Metz refusal to
promise not to circulate any moro
such propaganda innamed the east
end crowd.
The father OF Metz, A. T. Metz, Is
his son, who is 46, have lived about
his on. who Is 4s, have lived about
Weston for a long time. The father
is a follower OF the late Pastor Rus
sell and defends his son though de-
claring that both are loyal Americans
They are opposed to any and all war
and profess to believe that the end
OF the world is at hand. The arrest
OF his son and the threat OF mob VIC.
lence he accepts he says, as a test
Of their faith and intlmates that they
are willing to endure any persecution
rather than be curbed in the expires
sion OF their religious beliefs. He Is
trying to secure the release OF his
son on the grounds that labor is
scarce and his farm on Weston noun.
tain needs immediate attention.
This morning he asked that
meeting OF the loyalty committee Of
the Umatilla County Patriotic Service
League be called 20 hear his side OF
the controversy. II was impossible to
call such meeting today but he was
told that a hearing would be grant
ed him tomorrow evening az a meet
ing which had already been called.