The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-03
BISBEE TRIALS
START TODAY
THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 DE-
PENDANTS; CASE DATES BACK TO


- 1C1As
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 his
tory of Arizona. The litigation resulted
from the deportation of 1,1S6 striking
copper mine workers and their sympa-
thizers from Bisbee, Ariz, to New
Mexico on July u, 1917.
More than 200 defendants, among
them many of the most prominent Cit
liens OF Bisbee and vicinity, have
| been summoned to appear in the
superior court here to answer charges
I OF kldna piping in connection with the
/ deportation. Harry S. Wheeler, former
| sheriff of Cochise county, who has
taken upon himself sole responsibility
| for the deportation; mine managers,
| superintendent and foremen; bankers,
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
| revising and codifying the laws of
Arizona after her admission to state
hood.
| Officials of the county attorneys Of
flee are understood to have Travelled
| through many western states gather
ing dispositions from the man who were
deported.
| Preliminary examinations were held
in Douglas last year. They were fol-
! lowed by a trial in the federal court
at Tucson of twenty leaders in the
financial and industrial life of Bisbee
Douglas and Warren, on indictments
charging conspiracy to deprive a citi-
zen of his rights in violation of the
ipenal code The defense raised a.
question of the courts Jurisdiction in
| the case and it was sustained with
the result that the trial of 200 or.
more, instead of the twenty alleged
| leaders, was undertaken in the state
courts.
| a third action is. pending It is a
civil proceeding for damages alleged
to have been sustained by the de-
ported men by reason of their depor-
tation.
The deportation of the 1856 men
followed a prolonged strike in the cop
! Der mines at Bisbee. Accusations were
printed in the newspapers of the south
west that the strike was fomented by
Industrial Workers of the World for
the purpose of cutting off the produc-
ton of copper needed by the allied and
associated powers in the war against
Germany
Sheriff Wheeler, who directed the
importations, declared at the time that
all of the men deported were known
to be members of the T. w. w, but
an investigating committee under Sec
rotary Of Labor Wilson reported that
some of the deported men were no
members Of the I. w. w, but were
business men and property owner.
who had lived in the district many
years.
Fifteen hundred armed men under
Sheriff Wheeler herded the striker:
and sympathizers into the baseball
park at Warren, examined each one
released those who promised to re.
turn to work, loaded the remainder OF
train of cattle cars and box cars
put guards on board and the trair
proceeded to sidetracll at Hermanas
\. NJ, where it was left. United State
troops on July IA removed the exile.
to camp at Columbus. N NJ, wher,
they remained for several weeks un
til they finally drifted away. TIVE
men. one a deputy sheriff, were killed
in the roundup at Bisbee