Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-03-30
DEP0RTAT|0NS
At b|SbEE WERE
SHER|FF'SW WORK
Former Official Takes
Blame; Says He Feared
Bloodshed; Thought of
Country Also.

Tombstone, Ariz., March 29.-Patriot-
ism and the desire to prevent bloodshed
on the streets of Bisbee, Ariz, prompt
ed him to deport 1,1S6 striking copper
miners and their sympathizers from Bis
bee to Columbus, n. NJ, July Il. 1917,
Captain Harry c. Wheeler. former
sheriff of Cochise county, told the jury
that is trying Harry +. Wootton, on a
charge of kidnapping in connection with
! the deportations.
Il feared that men, women and chill
dren of both sides would be killed in the
streets of the town." Captain Wheeler,
who is the principal witness for the de-
fense, testified.
And l was thinking of my country
he added
The witness repeated some of the
expressions he said he heard, from agi-
tators during his investigation into the
conditions in the Warren district prior
to the deportations.
Remarks Were unprintabIe.
Much of the language used by him
was unprintable. Judge Samuel L. Pat
tee requested the women present to
leave the court room when Captain
Wheeler introduced the nature of the
quotations.
ITO with the draft and The
red button over the liberty bonds," were
some of the expressions the witness tes-
titled he heard. Other agitators de-
clared in obscene language that just as
the Russian government had been wreck
ed, SO would the government of the
United States, Captain Wheeler said.
The proclamation signed by Wheeler,
issued July II, 1917, the day Of the de-
portations. and urging all women and
children to keep off the streets on that
day, was introduced in evidence and read
to the jury by W. II. Burgess, chief
counsel for the defense, who conducted
the direct examination of the witness.
Sheriff Calls on Al Loyal Men.
Il have formed sheriffs posse of
l 200 men in Bisbee and ], 900 in Douglas
all loyal Americans. for the purpose of
arresting on charges Of vagrancy, thea-
son and of being disturbers of the peace
Of Cochise county, all those strange men
who have congrezated here from other
harrassing and intimidating all men who
desire to pursue their daily toll" the
proclamation said
I've cannot longer stand or tolerate
such conditions. This is no labor trouble
We are sure of that, but direct attempt
to embarrass and injure the government
of the United States.
therefore call upon al loyal Amer
leans to aid me in peaceably arrcsting
these disturbers Of our national and local
peace. Let no shot be fired throughout
this day unless in necessary self-defense,
and / hereby give warning that each and
every leader Of the so-called strikers will
be held personally responsible for any
injury inflicted 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 responsibility as
sheriff of this county.
Hadn't Jaii Enough.
"All arrested persons will be treated
humanely and their cases examined with
justice and care. hope no resistance
will be made. for desire no bloodshcd
l am determined. if resistance is made,
it shall be quickly and effectively over
come"
Questioned by Mr.. Burgess as to why
he did not confine his prisoners in some
part of the county instead Of deporting
them. Captain Wheeler replied:
'sThe jails of the county could not
have accommodated more than $50 men.
But even if had room for them all
/ know that other foreigners would have
poured on me from all parts of the
country. I knew that the /. w. w. had
a way of getting some Of their number
arrested SO as to fill the jails and pre-
vent the police from curbing other dis
tErbers"