Arizona republican., 1920-03-11
SAY DEPORTERS ACTED TO SAVE
 L|FE-PROPERTY
Defense Expects to Show That Sheriff Wheeler Re garded Deportations As Only Sure Safeguard Against Trouble In Strikes of 1917
Republican A. P. Leased wireI

Republican A. P. Leased Wirel TOMBSTONE Ariz., March Doe portation of large number of strik- ing copper miners and their sympa- thizers from the Warren mining dis trict in July, 1917. was regarded by former Sheriff Harry C. Wheeler. of Cochise county, as the only means of protecting the lives and property Of the people of BiSbee and of thwartinS part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States, ac- cording to the opening statement made by Frank E. Curley, of counsel for the defense during the examination today of the first witness to be called in the trial of Harry L. Wootton of Bisbee, charged with Kidnapping in connection with the Geportations.
 The statement was made after tho jury had been excused, in the course of an argument over the admiSSibihty of testimony regarding the strike in the Warren mining district called June 26, 1917. Although no formal open ming statement was made by the state, Robert Napoleon French, county at torney, who today resumed charge of the prosecution after an absence from his office of three weeks, due to ill., ness, energetically denied that the de- portations Were justified, either by the law of the United States or by the law of Arizona, and contended that he had
 
 statements.
 Outlines Wootten's Defense
 In outlining for the first time since the trial began. the precise nature Of the defense planned by counsel for Wootton MT. Curley said in part:
 Tn the year 1908, William D. Hay wood, Vincent St. John, and many other persons throughout the United States, feloniously conspired to over throw the government of the United frat dr- themselves Industrial Workers of the World
 Tn furtherance of the object Of this conspiracy, they proceeded to appiY the axe at the roots of civilization in an effort first to rob those who could be reached by an insidious propaEan- da. of the committee forts Of a reli- zion. rendering them less immune ta the virus Of anti patriotism and anti government
 We expect to show that this SO called Risbee strike was not called for the purpose of securing better con ditions or higher wages but for inc sole purpose of embarrasSfnE and de feating the United States government in the prosecution of it's war against Germany"
 Denying that there was "one scin- tilla of evidence" to support the claims made by Mir. Curley, County Attorney French said:
 
 .If there were any force in the con tentions of the defense. there would be no trial today. Investigation by a commission headed by Secretary of Labor Wilson showed that the depor tations were not necessary. We have certified copies of those findings
 Judge Samuel L. Pattee sustained the states objection to admitting tes- timony regarding the strike.
 The greater part of the day was taken up with the examination of Fred W Brown. deputy sheriff of Cochise county, who gave the details of Woot- tons alleged participation in the de- portations.
 ''Wootton forced me. at the point of a gun, into a rig of armed guards. wearing white handkerchiefs around their right arms" Brown said. There were six or eight others in this rig They took us from the postoffice at Bisbee to the Warren baseball park. and there we were loaded into box cars and shipped to Columbus, New Mex ico.''
 Witnesses Called
 Brown described in detail the various stops made on the way to Columbus, declaring that armed guards were sta toned at the top of each car
 Freeman Crouch of Bisbee. the next witness. said he saw Wootton force Brown into the rig in front of the Bis bee postoffice He testified that the defendant gave as the reason for his action that Brown had said his place was unfair" Wootton owns a harc- ware store in BiSbee-
 Granard. a rancher of Bisbee, was next called to the stand by the state His testimony was brief and added scarcely any details to the account or the deportations given by previous wit nesses. He was not cross examined.
 Thomas Grady Green, 3 railroad fireman of Tombstone, commenced his testimony by bits of profanity he as cribed to an armed man who accOsted him as he was on his way. according to his testimony. to the navy recruiting Sta ton at Bisbee to enlist