The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-08-21
Wrecking of Michigan
Central Express Train
Is Thought To Be Part
of "a General Plan To
Start Something After
Order of the Russian
Soviet Movement

QIeago, August 21-Early morning
q nation of papers and CORE
ence seized in a raid last night
le offices of the Trades Union
Educational League, which is headed
by William T. Foster. who led the last
steel strike and who recently was de-
ported from Colorado as one of the
foremost radical leaders of America
barred a widespread lone big union
propaganda among railroad workers
and gave valuable information con-
cerning a systematic search of rad
ical meetings in railroad centers, ac-
cording to States Attorney Grove.
No arrests were made, but a long
list of names of radical leaders was
unearthed, Mr.. Grove said
The states attorneys investigation
began Immediately after receipt there
of the Michigan Central wreck al
Gary, Ind, in which two men were
killed and two injured and the finding
of two sticks of dynamite on the
Pennsylvania railroad tracks.
Foster was said to be in Joliet.
where it was said he spent several
days after he was ordered out of Col
orado by state authorities.
Railroad officials said that the
Michigan Central express train had
been deliberately ditched by plotters
Spikes were removed from ties and
rails loosened, they said.
The express train was running five
lof 70 oh %
ssof the fastest New York Chicago lin
iteds. 1t was believed the plotters
planned to wreck the passenger train.
The raid of Fosters headquarters
was planned after a hurried COM
munication with authorities in other
rail centers where disorders have oc-
Cured and where meetings of rail-
road men have been addressed by
radical leaders.
dressed by Foster in cities of the
middle West were received, the
states attorney said.
Detectives battered down the door
of the leagues offices. Inside they
seized the letter files, card indexes.
books, pamphlets and pictures of Le-
nine and Trotzky, soviet leaders of
Russia. The evidence filled truck
1t contained complete list Of meet
ings held by Foster, the raiders said;
Foster is said to have come to Chi
cago following his expulsion from
Colorado. From here, it was said, he
went to Joliet, where Sheriff New
kirk was wounded and two men killed
in rail strike riot two weeks ago.
"Adjutant General Hamrock, of Col
orado, is on record with the state
ment that he considers Foster one of
the most dangerous radicals in ex-
istence,' States Attorney Grove said.
I'VE raided his Office following re-
ceipt of reports Of a premeditated
train wreck and the murder of two
union workmen on the Michigan Cen
tral railway at Gary.
"These two workmen, an engineer
d fireman, members of their
,perhoods, were murdered. Yes
JsSay two sticks of dynamite were
found on, the Pennsylvania railroad
tracks in Chicago by a railroad guard
/ Twenty minutes after he picked up
the explosives a fast passenger train
flashed by on that same bit of track. >
Detectives questioned numerous
strikers today in the search for clues
One man was arrested when he is
alleged to have said: Its shame
they were not all killed"
A reward of $1,000 Immediately was
offered by Henry Shearer, general SUI
perintendent Of the road, for the ar
rest of persons responsible for the
wreck.
Investigation by States Attorney
Grove into the documents found in
Fosters Office disclosed a memoran.
dunn book labeled Credentials list
bearing more than 100 names of per
sons to whom credentials" had been
given.
Frequent allusion was made to the
work of the league among railroad
workers. Several letters were from
radical leaders in England and Ger
many.
"There will be more action" said
States Attorney Grove, investigating
the mass of evidence seized in the
raid.