Arizona republican., 1920-03-30
DEPORTAT|ONHAD.
 PATRIOTISM FUR. MOTIVE. WHEELER.
Former Sheriff Tells Court That and Desire to Pre- vent Bloodshed Caused Him to Order Men De- ported
IRepubIican A. p. Leased wire1


 TOMBSTONE, Ariz., March 29.-Pa- triotism and the desire to prevent bloodShed on the streets of Bisbee, Ariz., prompted him to deport 1,1S6 striking copper miners and their sym pathiZerS from Bisbee to Columbus, W. MI, July 12, 1917. Captain Harry c. Wheeler, former sheriff of Cochise county, veteran of the Spanish- -Ameri- can war and of the recent war against Germany, today told the jury that is trying Harry E. Wootton on a charge of Kidnapping in connection with the > deporta tions.
 T feared that men, women and chill uren of both sides would be killed in the streets of the town" Captain Wheeler. who is the principal witness for the defense. testified. And I was thinking of my country, too"
 The witness repeated some of the expressions he said he heard from agi- tatorS during his investigation into the conditions in the Warren mining dis trict prior to the deportations. Much of the language quoted by him was un- printable. Judge Samuel l.. Pattee re- quested the women present to leave the court room when Captain Wheeler in troduced the nature of the quotations.
 Agitators Threatened Government
 ITO - with the draft" and the red button over the Liberty bond, were some of the expressions the wit ness testified he heard. Other agita- tors declared in obscene language that Just as the Russian government had been wrecked, so would the govern ment of the United States be wrecked by radical clements, Captain Wheeler said.
 The following proclamation, signed by Wheeler, issued July F. 1917, and urging all women and children to keep off the streets on that day, was intro duced in evidence and read to the jury by w H. Burges, chief of counsel for the defense, who conducted the di- rect examina ton of the witness:
 July 12. 1917.
 All women and children keep off the streets today.
 'I have formed a sheriff's posse of 1.200 men in Bisbee and l 1000 in Doug las, all loyal Americans for the l5Gr- pose Of arresting on charges of vag- rancy, treason, and of being disturb CTS of the peace of Cochise county all those strange men who have congre- i gated here from other parts and sec uons for the purpose of harassing and intimidating all men who desire to pursue their daily toll. I am continu- ally told of threats and insults heaped upon the working men of this district by so-called strikers who are strange to these parts. yet who presume to dic- tate the manner Of life of the people of this district.
 Proclamation Mentioned Threats
 Appeals to patriotism did not move them nor do appeals to reason. At q time when our country needs her every resource, these strangers persist in keeping from her the precious metal production of this district. Today heard threats to the effect that homes would be destroyed because the heads of families insisted upon their rights as Americans to work for themselves, their families, and their country.
 Other threats have and are being daily made. Men have been assaulted and brutally beaten and only today heard the mayor of Bisbee threatened and his requests ignored.
 We cannot longer stand or tolerate such conditions. This is no labor trou- ble-we are sure of that. but a direct attempt to e11barrass and injure the government of the United States "I, therefore, call upon all loyal Americans to aid me in peaceably ar resting these disturbers of our na- tional and local peace. Let no shot be 1 fired throughout this day unless in nec- 1 essary self-defense and I hereby give 1 warning that each and every leader of | the socalled strikers will be held per | sonally responsible for any injury in- i fEcted upon any of my deputies while | in the performance of their duties as | deputies of my posse for whose acts | l, in turn. assume full responsibiIity as | sheriff of this county.
 Promised Full Justice "Ai1 arrested persons will be treated 1