Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-12-04

Sheriff Eller and his deputies conducted
an investigation and learned !. w. w.
were in the road camps. On November
"a, Sheriff Eller wired Mr. Jones:
"There are several l. w. W. here
working on the highway. We have
searched and found membership cards
and literature. Shall we arrest them!
TOLD TO GO AHEAD
On November %, the Idaho county
sheriff received this telegram from
Commissioner jones'
"Please arrest Immediately all |. w.
w. Over fifty taken in north Idaho I'M
der syndicalism law. Wire me of all
arrests and if you need assistance from
constabulary.
The sheriff, his deputies and members
of the American legion, acting on the
foregoing telegram, raided the road
camps, arrested twelve men, eleven of
whom developed to be wObblies, and
brought them to Grangeville. Owing to
the fact that the Idaho county jail was
being removed from the quarters near
the courthouse to the building south of
the old school house, where the sheriff S
office is soon to be located, the sheriff
had no Jail room for his prisoners. He
herded them in the Grangeville hotel,
and on November 81 Sent this telegram
to commissioner Jones:
eve have twelve l. w. w. in Gus
tody, and no Jail. Are holding them at
hotel What can we do with them
Wire answer at once.
TAKE EN- TO LEWISTON
To this telegram, Sheriff Eller, on
November 2S, received the following
telegram from Commissioner Jones:
Refer you to Sections 942l and
9422, compiled statutes, providing pro
eedure for transferring prisoners to the
county Jail in contiguous county. Be
ileve you can arrange 10 send these pri-
soners to Lewiston. Idaho county
would be responsible for expenses.
On November 2S, Sheriff Eller sent
this telegram to J. II. McClear, U. S.
attorney, ut Boise:
u have taken twelve /. w. w.
Only evidence against them is member |
ship cards and some literature. County !
attorney does not think it advisable |
to try to prosecute under syndicalism |
law, as all these men were peaceably |
on state highway, and none |
we're organizers or agitatOrs. All are |
foreigners and only two have first pa |
Ders. Do you want me to hold them for |
government to take proceedings to de-
port? All have surrendered their cards
20 ME and signed statements of renun-
cation on the ground that they were
to take membership in camps
controlled by agitators.
In reply to the foregoing telegram,
he sheriff received a wire under date
If December l, from Assistant L. S.
District Attorney Smead at Boise as fol
ows:
"'Your wire concerning twelve l. w.
". received. Deportation up to immi-
.ration department. Our office has
lothing to say about this feature of the
natter Suggest you wire Charles X.
Andrews, inspector in charge, Helena,
IOnt. -
I. w. w. LIBERATED
In the meantime the sheriff 5 forces
nd Prosecuting Attorney Anger, after
conference, decided, If the state com
missioner of law enforcement did not
intend to take up the persecution, the
len should be liberated, and the men
we're given their freedom.
On the afternoon Of November ",
fter the men had leen freed, Sheriff
lller received thi' telegram from f. Nj.
,reshears, superintendent Of the state
at Boise;
"Wire Immediately to bureau of con
tabularv number of aliens held as l.
Y. w. in your county.
Local officials feel, in view of the
implications resulting from the ar
ests, that they were Justified IN re-
,asing the prisoners. !