Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-07-11
Union Officials Issue Statement
Relative To Recent Disorder Here

- 80 ~ 4 ~, J uiy IL Ht ltlNeSl-
cation made by the committees re-
porting the clash between the strik-
ers who Withdrew from the A., B. &
A. Ry March 5th and strike breakers
who are now in the. service of said
railway at Fitzgerald indicates that
the trouble was foamented at a bar
becue given by the Officials of the
railway at the Fitzgerald shops July
4th. 1t seems that the speeches of
some parties at least had the effect
of melting the strike breakers to
strut around the streets Haunting de-
hances and making insulting remarks
to the strikers, declaring that they
would wipe out the strikers picket
posts which surrounds-the Shops and
been maintained since the strike
went on
About l o'clock the morning of
July 9Th Engine No. 1l2 in charge
OF Engineer r. Saunders and other
strike breakers when passing one OF
the picket posts opened fire upon the
men who were around the picket
post. In the neighborhood OF TWEEN
ty shots were fired at the picket
posts, and as the result it was pretty
well riddled with bullets. After the
shooting the strikers went to the
residence of Sheriff Dorminey, re-
porting the facts to him, furnishing
| the name of Engineer Strike Break
er Saunders and requested him to
make an investigation of the affair
which he positively refused - to do.
However, later in the day one of the
strikers swore out a warrant for
Engineer Saunders charging him
with attempt to murder, butmt was
not served until late in the afternoon
OF the said date. He was arrested
and placed under $4,000 bond to ap
pear for hearing.
During the entire day of July 5th
strike breakers circulated around the
town giving it out that they would
clean, out the picket lines that night
and from the observations of strik-
ers and others strike breakers were
going around the Nreets in a bellig-
erent attitude, and apparently we'll
armed which points to the fact that
it was their intentions to commit an
assault upon the strikers.
At 1000 o'clock the night of the
5th, when an Engine was proceeding
from the shops to the passenger sta
ton and was within Us feet of the
| picket posts the men on the Engine
| began shooting at the pickets. Sex-
eral shots were fired. Men at the
picket posts, seeing that their lives
were in danger, made every possible
| effort to get away from the bullets of
the striker breakers The Engine
stopped at the picket posts for an
interval of a minute then moved
quickly away down towards the pas
senger station at which time it was
found that the Engineer was shot.
This incident spread quickly through
the town, and naturally men began
to congregate discussing the affair.
The Sheriff instead of placing citi-
zens as deputy Sheriffs swore in
number of strike breakers who were
thoroughly armed which did not do
the situation any good. However,
the Mayor of the city and others
succeeded in promptly restoring or
der
While this instant is very regret
table it On be charged to the failure
Of the County Officials to properly
enforce the law Strikers have been
arrested on trumped up charges and
IN some cases at least perjury and
fraud have been resorted to in order
to connect the strikers with the de-
struction of property and the court
records will fully substantiate this