Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-02-09
LEGION ExONERATED OF
BLAME FOR PLOT CAUSING
ARMISTICE DAY MURDERS
Defense for Eleven Alleged Radicals on Trial to Answer for
Centraia OutrageSays Commercial Organizations Plan
ned Raid and Destruction Of |. W W. Hall from Which
Shots Were Fred ex-Solders involved Only as @Cats
naWs' Of Others r-.i !.

Montesano, Wash, Feb. 9.-The
American Legion today was complete
ly exonerated for any part in the plan
ming of an alleged plot to raid the I.
w. w. hal lat Centralia, by Attorney
George F. Vanderveer, counsel for the
eleven I. w. w. defendants on trial
here for their lives for the Centralia
Armistice day shootings.
In an opening statement to the Jury
in which he outlined what the defense
will offer during the trial vanderyeer
charged that the American Legion
members who might have participated
in what he alleged was pre-arranged
afafir. were catspaws of commercial
organizations of Centralia.
Legion ExOnerated.
II exonerate now, and forever after.
the American Legion as an organiza-
tion, for any responsibility for this at
tack on the I. w. w. hall, vandervccr
said in putting forth the defense's
claim that the hall was attacked be-
fore a shot was fired from the hall.
Those members of the American
Legion who did participate in this raid
were catspaws, without their knowI-
edge and consent he added.
Vanderveer outlined what the de-
ferse will offer to prove, alleging that
commercial organizations in Centralia
had planned to raid the hall, and cited
a previous destruction of former I.
w. w. hall in Centralia. He declared
the matter was discussed at meetings.
Of the Commercial club, held in sse
rooms of the Elks' club, and that the
plans of the raid were decided upon
despite the fact that the county attor-
ney and the city attorney brother of
Warren o. Grimm, for whose murder
tho elevend efendants are on trial, had
advised that the l. W. w. were not
doing anything wrong.
Prosecutions Cited.
Vanderveer cited alleged persecu-
tions of the l. w. w. throughout the
country over period Of years, mem
tioning specifically the Bisbee deporta-
tions, the lynching of Frank Little at
Butte in 1915 beatings at Aberdeen,
South Dakota; tarring and feathering
at Tulsa, OKLA. and other alleged Ill
treatment of l. w. w. at Red Lodge,
Mont,
However, because it does not be-
lieve in Violence" Vanverveer said, in
describing the previous destruction .,
an l. w. w hall in Centralia, "the
l. w. W., In circulars, appealed to the
citizens for protection These things
happened, Notwithstanding"
Shot to Protect Hall.
Counsel for the state said the
American Legion did not know there
waste be a raid on the l. w. w. hall
on Armistice day. He was right. But
there were some who knew it. Lieu
tenant Cormier, in the meeting held in
the Elks' club, said it would be good
ide to march down past the hall and
show them how strong we are.
Vanderveer charged that during the
raid Cormier rode up to section OF
the parade which had halted block
above the hall and asked them to go
back and help Finish the job"
'The l. w. w. had appealed for pro-
lection. They finally ceased to appeal:
The limit had been reached. They had
to shoot to protect their meeting
place." he declared.
Admitting that the trial would be
lengthy and tlresome, Vanderveer said
he did not believe the state would In
troduce the testimony of approximate
ly 900 witnesses, declaring that ne
knew they would not dare produce
their 300 witnesses"