Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-02-02
Over 200 Defendants Sum-
mOned to Answer for
Deportation Of l.
1856 People.
SHERIFF RESPONSIBLE
Charged They Sought to Re-
duce Production of
Copper.
YRy The Associated Press. J

Tombstone. Ariz., Feb. 2.-The Bis
bee deportation trials,' set to begin
here today, are expected to develop
the hardest fought legal battle in the
kAistory of Arizona The litigation re-
suited from the deportation of 1,1SA;
striking copper mine workers and their
|sympathizers from Bisbee, AriZ., to
New Mexico on July y, 1917.
More than 200 defendaDts, among
them many OF the most prominent citi-
zens Of Bisbee and vicinity have beer
summoned TO appear in the superior
court here to answer charges of kid
naping III connection with the depOrta-
ti0n. Harry s. Wheeler, former
Sheriff OF G0ohise county, who has
taken upon himself sole responsibility
for the deportation; mine managers,
stlperintendents and foreman; bank
ers, merchants and professional men
are among the defendants.
Judge Samuel l.. pattee. of Pima
county. who has been designated to
preside, first gained prominence by re-
vising and codifying the laws of AriZ-
ona after her admission to statehood.
Officials of the county attorneys
Office are understood to have Travelled
through many western states gathering
,IespositionS from the men who were
depOrted.
Taken to State Court.
Preliminary examinations were held
in Douglas last year. These were fol-
lowed by Il trial in the federal court ut
Tucson OF 70 leaders in the financial
and industrial lifciof Bisbee, Douglas
and Warren on indictments charging
conspiracy to deprive citizen OF his
rights in violation of the penal code.
The defense raised Il question OF the
courts jurisdiction in that case ana
it was sustained with the result that
the trial OF 200 or more. instead OF al
legged leaders,, was undertaken III the
state courts.
A third action is pending. 1t is Il
civil proceeding for damages alleged to
be sustained by the deported men by
reason of their deportation.
The deportation OF the l,lSO men
followed prolonged strike IN the cop
per mines III Bisbee. Accusations were
printed in the newspapers OF the south
west that the strike was fomented ny
Industrial Workers of the World for
the purpose OF cutting Off the prouuc.
tion of copper needed by the Allied
and associated powers In tne war
against Germany.
Sheriff Wheeler. who directed the
deportations, declared at the time that
ali of the men depOrted were known
TO be members of the l. w. W., but
an investigating committee under
Secretary of Labor Wilson reported
that some of the deported men were
not members of the |. w. w. but were
business men and property owners VINO
had lived in the district many years.
Fifteen hundred armed men under
Sheriff Wheeler herded the strikers
and sylnpathizers into the baseball
park ut Warren, examined each one,
released those who promised to return
TO work, loaded the remainder on a
train of cattle cars and box cars, put
guards on board and the train proceed
cd to a sidetrack at Hermanpas, n. M.'
where it was left. United States
troops on July IA removed the, exiles TO
n camp at Columbus. n. M, where
they remained for several weeks until
they finally drifted away. Two men,
one n deputy sheriff, were killed III
the roundup ut Bisbee.