The Washington times., 1922-07-13
MAY NOT PUNISH
DETECTIVE WHO.
KILLED STRIKER
6aldwin-FeIts Guard Likely to
Be Exonerated for Staying,
Innocent Boy.
By A. CLOYD GILL,
Time. staff Correspondent

ROANOKE, Va. July 49,
Exoneration of the Baldwin
Felts detective who shot and
killed one of the striking Norfolk
and Western employees at Crewe
station, near here, Tuesday night,
was expected today, following a
probe of the Staying by the
sheriff, Commonwealth attorney
and officials Of the detective
agency. EE.
Dead Striker Was Call Boy.
George Russell Virgins, the
striker, was chief call boy for the
railway and walked out Tuesday
morning at 10 o'clock along with
others classed as clerical workers.
Until the striking employees and
their sympathizers were convinced
that the staying was the result of
the accidental discharge of an army
rifle in the hands of a. detective,
there was bitter feeling between
them. w. II. Bell, the detective, is
an ex-service man and saw service
In France where he was several
times wounded. .. ......
He was rushed to Richmond early
yesterday and is held there pending
investigation and the inquest which
will probably be held today.
According to the detective agency,
which, for more than twenty-five
years has represented the Norfolk
and Western, Bell was in his room
at the Y. M. c. A. 500 yards from the
railway station when a passenger
train pulled in. ... .' =,
Several hundred persons congrc.
gated about the train some of them
haino Gfrilnyu ond ftffAan
detectives. Bell was cleaning his
rifle at the time.
A. M. Richardson, manager for the
Baldwin agency at Crewe. heard
shot and saw a man fall dead while
another staggered. He examined sew
eral revolvers that were carried by
his men at the station. None had
been fired.
Same Bullet Hit Two.
The bullet that killed Virgins out.
right penetrated the face of J. W.
Burress. a painter, and lodged in a
box car.
Tracing the movement OF the buI.
let from the car, it led to the Y. NJ.
c. A., where Bell explained the rifle
had been accidently discharged.
Bell is prostrated over the affair
and it was said today he would be
given his freedom.
Detectives guarding property Of
the railway during the strike are
using army rifles.
The principal development in the
strike along the Norfolk and Western
is the withdrawal Of a number
of freight trains during the past
twentyfour hours. This writer
spent all of last night making a
tour of inspection of the three
local yards and roundhouses here,
and learned that only two trains
passed through Roanoke in a
period of twelve hours.
.. 1t was admitted at the general
offices Of the company after these
facts were laid before them, that
freight traffic had fallen off as
much as 40 per cent. 1t also was
stated that all special and excur.
sions trains would be abandoned
for the time being.
d, Allows Gun Carrying.
There Is much dissatisfaction here
over q ruling in the local courts that
negro workers at the. shops may
carry revofvers so long as they do
not conceal them. The Virginia
law merely states that a revolver
must mot be hid about the person"
ne COutl WhCIt lOul
were made Monday morning that the
strikebreakers could carry guns so
long as they were not concealed.
Seven arrests were made Tuesday
at the direction of Superintendent Of
Police Frank Taylor for guntoting,
but the cases were dismissed.
Eight negroes were taken by the
police when they attempted to go in
10 the shop with revoNers in their
hands. They, too, were dismissed
by the court.
Strike Is Mast Orderly.
The strike is still regarded as the
most orderly that Roanoke has ever
known and no trouble Of any kind
has been reported, More than 5000
men are out here.
Women strikers yesterday began
70 take q more active part in the
strike and women speakers address
ed gatherings of men in various sec
tions of the city.
A mass meeting for the women of
Roanoke at which women speakers
will tell what principles are involved
and how they are affected is being
planned. It will probably be held
Sunday.
The strike has already cost the
Norfolk and Western fabulous sum
D1OIlty, II was duIhlllCu IOuhys IL
the men returned to work immediate
~ II would be several months before
the rolling stock could be placed in
commission and repairs made.
Major Frank Taylor, superi 1tend-
ent of police, today said:
"I have never seen a more order.
" strike. The leaders seem to have
the situation in hand and they have
given us no trouble whatever. /
have issued orders to the police to
molest no one unless an extreme
case Is found"
The question Of wages is not the
big issue in the present controversy
It is made plain by union officials
here. While the reduction orders
did not meet with the approval of
the men, they are more vitality con-
cerned with the railroad wage boards
order affecting working conditions,
overtime pay, physical examinations
and contracting out Of shop work
that has in the past has been done
by union men. Thousands of dollars
in overtime will be lost to the union
men II the boards ruling on over
time prevails.
Hinder tho neu milling the railroad