The Topeka state journal., 1919-09-24
". TO BLAME
Reds Behind Drumright Riots,
Mayor Charges.
Troops Patrol City Today With
Orders To Shoot.
ELEVEN RIOTERS NOW IN JAIL
IHclude Two Germans-MOre
81 Arrests Expected.
Recurrence of Disturbances Is
- Not Looked For.
ELEVEN RIOTERS NOW IN jail

Drumright, Okla, Sept 24.-With
state troops walking post in the streets
of this city and others standing guard
in most downtoYn .buildings, the riot
situation that arose out of the strike
o. eighteen telephone operators has
lessened in intensity. The troops ar
rived in Drumright last night and
were sent out to guard the city before
daybreak this morning. Mai. Orval
johnson, Of oklahoma City, is in COM
fland OF the detachment of ESQ men,
while Adtutant Barrett is in charge
81 shpation. .-... ~.
Eleven, alleged leaders of the riot
Hg oil field workers are in Jail today
among them Ed Welch, business agent
for that union. Other arrests are ex-
pected today.
Mayor Ben Nicodemus made a
statement last night in which he de-
clared the Bolshevist and L. w. W.
element among the oil field workers
and not his stand on the telephone
strike was responsible for the rioting
OF Monday night.
There is little chance for a recur-
renee of rioting here now. The troops
have all been issued steel bullets and
have been given orders to shoot.
Occasional street fights and several
arrests were the only incidents in an
otheFWtse. quiet night.
Two Germans who are said to have
cunte3 70 TINS country since cessation
OF hostilties were among the captures
late yesterday when five men were re-
moved to Sapulpa for safe keeping
They gave their names as Carl Web
Der AID j. NJ. Fitzgerald. Late last
night Ed Welch. agent for an oil field
union, was arrested with others.
An advertisements over the sigma
ture of the Central Trades union and
telephone operators union denying re-
spqnsibility for Monday nights vio-
lence appeared in a local newspaper.
ga To Send Troops Back.
Z With the situation here entirely
quiet since late yesterday Afternoon.
Acknowledgement Barrett announced
early today that the Oklahoma City
guard units sent here upon the request
OF Mayor NicOdemus and District
Judge Wilcox, would probably begin the
return trip to Oklahoma City this eve-
ming. It has been impossible to sub
stantiate many OF the highly colored
reports Of Monday nights rioting and
many Drumright citizens expressed
surprise today upon reading OF the
disorders.
A handful Of alleged I. w. w. agita-
tors. more generally characterized in
Drumright as the "rowdy element" of
oil workers. held a, meeting Monday
in front OF a motion picture house and
a speaker denounced Mayor Nicode-
mus and the city administration. Aft
the crowd fired two shots. Policemen
coming to investigate the shooting
were dlsarmed. Mayor Nicodemus.
believing his presence might cause
trouble because of his stand against
the radical element of the oil fields,
left town in an automobile.
No Need for Troops.
This summarizes the extent of the
disorders. according to local authori-
ties, TO whom the arrival of state
troops last night came as surprise
in view of the fact that the city had
. been tquiet all day
More Troops Held in Readiness.
oklahoma City. Sept. 24.-Should it
Become necessary Adjutant General
\ Barrett OF Oklahoma was prepared
earIyt today to rush additional troops
to Drtinright, a small town in Creek
progress intermittently since Monday
night in connection with strike of
girl telephone operators.
Owing to impaired wire communica-
ton, the exact situation in Drumright
was uncertain this morning, but late
night reports that the streets had be-
come, crowded with armed men fol-
loving the arrival of four units OF
Rational guardsmen at Cushing. three
ndtes away prompted officials to con-
siderl taking further drastic steps to
cope with any emergency.
F.- Fear /. w. w. Outbreak.
Hast reports from the town said
that while there had been no general
resumption of rioting. individual
fights were in progress on all sides.
Threats to burn the telephone COM
pany's plant were being renewed. It
was said. One official was quoted as
saying further trouble was expected
upon the part of the members OF the
Industrial Workers of the World
among the oil field laborers.
orders for sending the troops to the
town were issued by Gov. ]. B. A. Rob