Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-10-02
GALVESTON CITY
OFFICIALS TAKE
OVER AUTHORITY
Martial Law, Which Was
Declared on June 7 on
Account of the Long
shoremen'S Strike, Lifted

Galveston, Tex, Oct. 1.-Galves-
toms city officials this morning
wore the cloak of authority for the
first time since July 4. when May
or H. 0. Sappington, the city COM
missioners and the police force
were removed by order of Cover
nor w. p. Hobby for alleged inter-
ference with the enforcement of
martial law. At 1901 o'clock this
morning Capt. O'Brien Stevens,
provost marshal, representing Brig.
Gen. Jacob F. Wolters, command
ing the Texas National guard here,
relinquished the work of policing
the city to Chief of Police Sedge-
wick and his regular force.
Capt. Joe Brooks, veteran Texas
ranger, as a representative of the
governor, will supervise the police
activities, and under an agreement
reached between city officials and
the governor, will remain in this
capacity as long as the governor
deems it advisable to keep a per-
sonal representative in the city.
Martial law in Galveston, which
resulted from what Governor Hob
by construed as failure of the city
administration to properly protect
non-union longshoremen on the
Mallory and Morgan line docks, has
been in effect since June 7. Ac-
cording to the view of the COVER
nor the lack of protection for the
non-union workers was largely re-
sponsible for the decentralization of
coastwise shipping and the unpre-
cedented congestion of freight
along the waterfront here.
War on Bootlegging.
Alleged acts and statements by
members of the city commission,
tending to encourage the lawless
element Of the port" brought about
suspension of the police force and
the curtailing of the powers of the
mayor and city commissioners,
Military police assumed the duties
of the city police and under the
command of Col, w. A. Bloor, and
later Col. Billie Mayfield, began a
campaign against the Illicit manu-
facture and sale of liquor, and vice
conditions in general. AS the res
suit of this crusade scores of dis
reputable women are said to have
left the city and twenty or more
alleged bootleggers and manutac-
turers of liquor were taken IN Gus
tody and turned over to the federr-
al authorities. More than 1.50O gal
Ions of liquor were seized when
smugglers attempted to bring IL
ashore from vessels in the harbor'
The khaki-clad police also estab-
lished a record in running down all
classes of offenders. automobile
speeders, petty thieves and othei
| minor offenders appearing daily
before the provost court, which re-
placed the corporation court.
Strikers Ranks Intact.
Conditions necessitating the
sending of troops to Galveston grew
ont of the strike of coastwise long
shoremen, which began March 10
| for an increase in pay. According
to local union leaders, approx
mately 100 men walked out Whei
the strike order was given, and II
is declared the strikers ranks have
remained practically. intact since
that date. -
When the strike was less imam u
| month old agents of the Mallory
and Morgan lines attempted to util
ize non-union labor in handing
freight on the docks. Following
number of clashes in April and May
between strike sympathizers anc
small forces of non-union workers
the steamship agents declared Il
impossible to maintain an ADEQUATE
force on the docks and representa-
tions were made to the governor by
the Texas Chamber of Commerce
Martial law then was declared.
Within two weeks after Texas
troops shouldered the duty OF pro
tecting the waterfront steamship
agents announced that conditions
were approaching normal. Wher
the troops arrived on June z. thir'
ty-fiye men were at work on ths
Mallory line docks, compared WITH
a normal force of 500 men. The
Morgan docks had 10 men a
work the same day. Within week
the number of workers had reached
about half of normal and in fort.
night the companies announced
they had all the labor they coulo
use.