Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-04
labor RIOT CLOSES
OVERLAND PLANT
2 Killed, 19 Wounded in Dis
turbance at Toledo Auto
mobile Factory.
GOVERNOR APPEALED TO

By the Associated Press.
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 4.-The situation
is at high tension here today following
sons were killed and nineteen others In
jured near the WHY'S Overland plant.
With the plant again shut down at
the request of city officials. Mayor
Schneider frankly admits that the situa-
ton is beyond his control. despite the
large number Of returned soldiers and
citizen police who hass been sworn IN.
No word has come from Columbus as
to the sssaln6ssf troops hers in lines
with the mayors appeal to Gov. Cox
Immediately following the rioting.
Workers Jeered at Gates-
Crowds again gathered at the plant
this morning, but found a sign giving no
tice of the shutdown. Several workers
who sought to enter the plant were
jeered by former employees, but there Is
no report OF further violence.
In the section of the city near the
plant and populated largely by former
Overland workers feeling against the
the latter today claimed that they shot
into the crowd last night only after a
score OF shots had first been directed at
them. The shots by the soldiers were
declared to be in self-defense.
Clarence A. Earl, vice president and
general manager of the company.
authorized the announcement that no
attempt would be made to operate
the plant, which has been affected by
labor disturbances. involving 10000
employees, pending word from Gov.
Cox regarding the appeal from Mayor
Schneider. ! Coroner Walter Hartung
has promised an investigation into
the deaths in an effort to establish
responsibility for the rioting.
Dead Men Not Overland Workers.
The dead men, it is said. were not
involved in the labor~dispute, and
were never employed at the Overland
plant. They were in the crowd which
congregated about a fire station
when discharged soldiers guarding
riot call.
The neighborhood where the deaths
occurred is a settlement Of Poles This
nationality suffered the most serious
thorities are apprehensive of further
outbreaks today. aimed at the for
mer soldiers doing emergency police
duty. These emergency policemen
are armed with automatic pistols and
rifles. They still wear the uniform
the direction Of Col. L. w. Howard.
who receives his instructions from
Mayor Schneider.
Mayor Schneider had received no
word from Gov. Cox concerning his
plea for troops, and, fearing that an
terht he do 70 Ln~ LII.
spent the night in a hotel instead of
his home. The house adjoining the
mayors was stoned and its windows
smashed last night by sympathizers
of the idle automobile workers, who
apparently mistook the residence for
lice were placed on guard around the
house.
Crowd Of 5000 Attack Workers.
The labor unrest at the automobile
plant, which has been smoldering for
several weeks, blazed into a pitched
night as the day force was leaving.
A crowd estimated at 5000 idle work
ers attacked the loyal employees with
a shower of bricks, stones, clubs and
other missiles.
The emergency police charged them,
firing more than a hundred shots
over the heads Of the rioters. Eleven
persons were injured in this clash,
two probably fatally.
Two Killed, Six Wounded.
After this disturbance had been
ouelled, one of the discharged soldier
guards with a girl companion was
seen in the Polish neighborhood near
the automobile plant. He was carry
ing sidearms and wearing his uni
form. A crowd gathered about him,
hooted and threatened him, and he
took refuge In fire engine house. A
summons for help was sent to the
commanding officer of the emergency
police force and two automobile
trucks filled with men in uniform re-
sponded. These men formed a half
circle about the fire station and fred
a volley over the heads of the crowd
When this failed to dispense the as
semblage the order was given to shoot
low and this charge killed two men
and wounded six others.
This trouble caused Mayor Schneider
to Issue his appeal for troops, and to
ask the sheriff of Lucas county to
lend his deputies to auell the riotine.