El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-16
War Is Murder, EUen In Defence Of Our
Country, Says l. W. W. Witness Who Lauds
And Lines Without Working

.DISBEE. Ariz., Aug. 1s.-Some OF the
ID most interesting testimony given
during the 40 preliminary hearings
in the Bisbee deportation cases com
peted several days ago. was that OF
William Curnow, an avowed member
Of the L W W, who occupied the
witness stand for the state for three
hours during the hearing Of Harry
Anderson. a shift boss in the Bisbee
mines, and one Of the 800 Douglas
and Bisbee citizens arrested on
charges Of kidnapping for their al
legged participation in the deporta-
tions that ended the I. ". W. troubles
in the Warren mining district two
years ago.
During cross examination by attor-
ney W H Burgess, Of FL Paso, coun-
sci for the defendants, Curnow freely
aired his views on various current
topics and gave some novel views on
plans for the betterment Of Industrial
conditions throughout the country,
from the standpoint of the /. ". ".
Radical, Untried IDEAS
The transcript Of Curnow's testi-
mony covers approximately IS pages.
filled with radical opinions and hith-
erto untried ideas. CurnOWs state
to mind, in many instances. the atti-
tude OF the I. W. ". during the
strike" called by that organization
in the Warren district. which finally
led to the deportation OF 100 L ".
W. strikers and sympathizers by dep
utized citizens under the leadership
Of sheriff Harry c. Wheeler.
At one time during cross eEamina-
ton CurnOw was questioned as to
what he did during the year 1916.
NJ G q n hn
Of his testimony. with the questions
put by attorney Burgess, for the de-
PENDANTS:
Q. Did you quit the Copper Queen
voluntarily or were you let out?
A. Well. I quit voluntarily.
Q. How long after you left there
before you entered the militia
A I don't know. few days. Now,
you understand me. I wanted TO keep
this away from this court about join
O. We don't object. I am asking
you-there is no discredit in belong
ing to the militia2
A Well. I don't know. changed
AbhorS the Militia.
Q. You think it is a discredit to
belong to the militia2
A I certainly do.
Q. You think 1t is just as discred-
liable TO belong to the army?
A No. that is different
Q. But it is wrong to belong to
the militia2
A why. certainly; I wouldn't do
it again
Q. Are you an I. W. W.
A I am; got a paid up card
Curnow was then questioned as 10
the strike called nv the ]. " ". at
Bisoee and the part he played in it.
O. Did you do any picket duty?
Q. You wern't out on the picket
~ a
A. No. docile slave in them days.
O. You were a dOcile slave, but
when the strike was called you went
cut on strike?
A Yes
Struck as a Protest.
O. For what reason did you striker
A. As a protest to Sherman tear
ing up the demands; it was an insult
to the laboring class.
Gerald Sherman. mine superinten-
dent for the CoDper Queen company.
in the Warren district. is said 70 have
torn VI the demands presented by +he
I. W ". when the strike was called,
and to have refused to deal in anv
Of the World. a small number Of whom
drew IN the der1ahds.l
Q. You think tearing ID the de-
nands was an insult to the laboring
class2
A Yes.
was purely on class grounds2
A Well. 7 don't see why a man
should make three OF four thousand
scabs because one man his acted az
Q. I am asiring Won whv Won str1t ,
you struck on account Of II being an
insult 70 the lahoring class2
A That is the reason.
Resented Objection ~ Demand.
o. Was that the only reason you
had2
A Well. I would like TO have seen
the demands granted or compromised
or something TO that effect I would
like to have seen II tried.
q. You answer that YOU struck be-
cause NJ the insult to the class2
A Yes
Q. Was that the real reason. OF
was II 70 ret the demands erarted2
A. Well its lust as ] told YOU.
struck because II was n Insult to the
laho-ing class I would also ike to
see the demands granted think they
were reasonable.
Q. You wouldn't have struck on