The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-12-20

i order that tney SnOuld De Irled Dy
the law they had tried to destroy.
Mr.. Thompsonson's Fine Speech.
| Mr.. Boom then introduced H. w.
! Thompson, who proved to be an
| orator of unusual ability, speaking
plainly, quietly, with no effort to
"wave the red flag and excite the
audience" as one ex-soldier put it,
but in a quiet, convincing tone, car
rying with it conviction that he was
speaking the plain truth, he told of
the crime In introducing Mr.. Thomp-
son Commander Boom said:
Mr.. Thompson was for eight years
and four months pastor Of the Cen
tralia Presbyterian church when he
retired from active duty as minister.
He then became mayor of Centralia,
city of twelve thousand inhabitants,
which office he held for four years.
He is now a member of the state leg
islature of Washington in which capa-
city he is serving his second term.
He was at one time member of the
Legislature Of the state of Michigan.
He is a member of the Grand Army
of the Republic, having enlisted in
the Civil war at the age of sixteen.
During the late war with Germany
and her allies he volunteered, passed
the physical examinations and was
mustered in as a private. He was
soon promoted to first sergeant and
then made first sergeant of his com
pany, which rank he held upon his
discharge from the service. He is
now 73 years old.
On Armistice Day, November II
last, he had been requested by Grant
Hodge Post No. II of the American
Legion at Centralia to deliver an ad-
dress on behalf of the Grand Army of
the Republic. This address was not
delivered by him and he is here in
Moscow today to tell us why it was
not delivered
Instead of having the privilege of
eulogizing his comrads in the late war
on. the anniversary Of the day on
which the armistice was declared, he
was, within a few days thereafter
called upon to deliver the funeral or
alton over the bodies of four of their
number who had been foully murder
ed by members of an organization
whose sole purpose is to tear down
the glorious stars and stripes for
which and under which they had
fought and freely offered their lives.
Mr.. Thompson told the people what
many of them had already read, but
he told it in way so convincing that
any doubt as to it's truth must have
been removed Seldom have the peo-
pie of Moscow had opportunity to
hear better, more convincing speech
or one delivered in better style than
the earnest address of this minister,
ex-mayor and veteran of the two
greatest wars in which the United
States has taken part.
Affidavits Tell of Crime.
In substantiation of the statements
made by the speakers affidavits signed
by Mayor Rogers, of Centralia, and
two of the commissioners, were given
to those present. The affidavits fol-
low:
County of Lewis, State of Washing
ton, SIS.
I, T. c. Rogers, Mayor, j. S. Saund
ers and w. w. Dickerson, Commits
sioners, each being duly sworn, each
for himself and not for the other, de-
poses and says: That we have read
the following statement and that the
facts therein contained are true.
Statement
Armistice Day, Tuesday, November
Il, 1919, the. people of Lewis county,
assembled at Centralia
to peacefully celebrate the first an
niversary of the ending of the World
War and to honor all service and ex-
service men, all members of the
American Legion, and especially
members of the Centralia and Chehal- !
is Posts of the American Legion.
The ex-service men were in uniform
and marching in military formation. !
THEY WERE UNARMED.
The line of march led past the l. w.
W. headquarters, located on the prin-
,iple business street of Centralia I
Here the work of the l. w. w. was
being, and had been actively carried /
On in defiance of general, but unor-
ganized, public protest.
AS the ex-service men in the parade
arrived opposite the I. w. W. head
quarters, they were fired upon, and