Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1920-01-09
FALSE REPORTS OF
CENTRALIA REFUTED
I. w. w. Attack on American Legion
Was Unprovoked and Was
Planned in Advance

the Legion itself for the murder of
four members of the Legion in the
Armistice Day parade at Centralia,
Washington. The story as printed in
the Non-Partisan League papers is
that during a temporary halt of the
parade, someone suggested raid on
the "workingman's boarding house.
and that the raiders in forcing open
the door of the house were met with
a shower of bullets.
The national headquarters of the
American Legion are meeting this
canard by circulating the following
statement from the mayor and city
commissioners of Centralia. The orr
ginal affidavit is on file with the
Grant Hodge Post, No. II, Ameri-
can Legian at Centralia, Washing
ton:
City of Centralia, Washington.
County of Lewis, State of Washing
ton, IS.
I, T. C. Rogers, Mayor, John
Saunders and W. w. Dickerson, Com
mississioners, each being duly sworn,
each for himself and not for the
other, deposes and says: That we
have read the following statement
and that the facts therein contained
are true.
STATEMENT
Armistice Day, Tuesday, November
II, 1919, the people of Lewis County,
Washington, 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 Che
halls Posts of the American Legion.
The ex-service men we're in uni
form and marching in military
formation. They we're unarmed.
The line of march led past
the l. w. w. headquarters,
located on the principal bust
ness street of Centralia. Here
the work of the I. W. W. was being,
and had been actively carried on in
defiance of general, but unorganized,
public protest.
AS the eX-service men in the par
ade arrived opposite the I. w. W.
headquarters, they we're fired upon,
and three men then and there were
fatally shot, others wounded. The
attack was unprovoked and without
justification or excuse.
The unarmed ex-service men i'm
mediately overpOwered those assas-
sins within reach, jailed and safely
guarded them.
One murderer, armed with an aut-
omatic pistol, was pursued and over
taken by a recently returned, over
seas veteran. The assassin turned on
him, shot and mortally wounded him
then fired three shots into his body
as it lay PROSTATE on the ground
Other ex-service men OverpOwereo
the murderer of their comrade and
delivered him to Jail. That evening
he was taken from Jail and hanged
by persons unknown.
From evidence gathered, the fol
lowing facts have been established:
l. The plot to kill was laid two OF
three weeks before the tragedy.
2. High powered arms and am
munition, including split soft noset
bullets were collected to an extent
which made an arsenal Of the l. W
w. headquarters.
8. Conferences were held to lay
plans, in the I. w. w. Hall, for the
murder.
4. From the nature of the firing
it is evident there was precon
ceived plan to kill ex-service men o.
u. S. Army.
5. Volleys of shots we're fired b!
the l. w. W. into the paradin&
columns and into the American ReC
Cross in the parade, bringing immin
ent danger to women and children
and all the assembled people. Nor
than one hundred fifty shots Wer
fired into the crowd in reckless dis
regard of human life.
6. Previous to the parade the re
volutionists had been deliberatel!
stationed in the I. W. W. headquart
ers, at the upper story window
across the street therefrom, in hiding
along the street, and three on Sem
mary hill near by. All of said place
commanded a sweep of the line o
march. The assassins we're arme
and under agreement to fire on sign
al.
Thus is laid bare a treasonabl
plot conceived in hatred and venge
fulness which for diabolical plan an
execution is without parallel in tn
history of the United States.
When the enormity of this atroc
GUS, dastardly and traitOrous dee
became known, all patriotic people i
Of
Chehalis and vicinity arose as on
man and joined in a determination
bring the guilty parties to promo
trial at the bar of justice and
cleanse the community down to tt
last element of disloyalty and sed
fiOn