Evening star., 1923-03-22
CITIZENS DEFEND
ARKANSAS RIOTS
Judge Compares Them to
Boston Tea Party Before
the Revolution.
BOMB MATERIALS F0ljND
BOMB MATERIALS FOUND
Legislative Probers Center Efforts
on Lynching Of E. c.
Gregor, Striker.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
HARRISON. Ark. March 22.-Testi-
mony Of residents Of this city today
occupied the legislative committee
which is here to investigate disor-
ders on the Missouri and North Ar
kansas railroad during the recent
shopmen's strike. Centering their ef-
forts about the scene Of the lynching
OF E. c. Gregor. striking railroad en-
ploye. and surrounding territory, the
committee was expected to delve into
the circumstances surrounding the
lynching and into the statements of
Red" Orr and Luther Wise, striking
shopmen. who confessed to burning
bridges. pleaded guilty to arson and
received sentences of seven years
each In the state penitentiary.
Twenty-Five Witnesses Examined.
More than twenty-five witnesses
were examined yesterday who pre-
sented the side Of citizens living along
the road. Strikers and strike sympa-
thizers were heard at Little Rock.
]. G. Murray. vice president and gen.
eral manager OF the railroad, was the
chief witness yesterday. He present.
dynamite bombs, which he said were
found in coal chutes; blue vitrol. dy-
Mantle caps, cans Of emory dust, am
munition and a horse shoe and bolts
found along the tracks where, he told
the committee. they had been placed
with intent to derail trains.
The witness explained the construc-
ton of the bombs and said that "a
man who placed these bombs in a
coal chute cared less for the lives Of
women and children than he did for
his desires to kill the engineer Of
the train
Found in Leaders Home.
Mr.. Murray, exhibiting the emery
dust. vitrol, caps and fuses, said they
had been found in the home Of J. p.
Venable, strike leader. and local head
OF the Order of Railway Conductors,
under due process Of law. He said
the finding of these articles resulted
in Venable's conviction on charges Of
conspiracy.
In reply to the committee questions
he said seventeen bridges on the road
had been burned since February, 1921.
eight of which occurred on three
night. from January 3 to IL Of this
year.
Representative Paul McKinnon, who
conducted most OF the questioning.
zens' committee" from various points
and directed his efforts toward ascer-
tanning IL any person. organization
or particular interests were RESPONSE
BILE for the movement of the citizens.
Judge w. Wood of Marshall, a mem
Der of the citizens committee at Mar
shall. Heber Springs and Leslie. and
member Of the COMMITTEE of
twelve" responded that the move
ment was similar to the Boston
tea party. and that the people acted
under the same authority as the
Americans who conducted the Boston
tea party: they had none"
Formed to Uphold Law.
Judge Wood placed part of the
blame for the uprising on citizens in
the section where railroad unions
voted to continue the strike and citi-
zens voted against its continuation.
He said the committees were formed.
not to overthrow the law, but to hnd
out about the strike.
When the hearing was resumed to-
day 1t was believed some effort would
be made to inquire into the confess
sions Of Orr and Wise. as testimony
among the strikers at Little Rock
was to the effect that the two men
confessed to burning the bridges un-
der threat of death and that Circuit
Judge Shinn, before whom they con-
fessed, told them II would be best
for them to confess whether they
were guilty or not: