The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-06-15

Paul Crouch, also representing the
union.
The N. T. W. was demanding of
thru these three, the release of their
of ehese three, the release of their
headquarters, the newly erected
union building, next door to the tent
colony which was shot up by the
police and deputies headed by AL
derholt.
Since Alderholt's death, the head
quarters has been held by the dep
uties, and union members are
barred.
See Prisoners.
Tom Jimison, attorney for the In
ternational Labor Defense, appeared
before Superior Court Judge Hard
ing today and demanded on order to
permit attorneys and Alfred Wagon
knecht, secretary of the Workers
International Relief, to see the Gas
tonia relief committee of the w. l.
R., which is in Jail. Eventually the
Gastonia city solicitor gave consent
and Wagenknecht was allowed in.
William F. Dunno, also represent
ing the W. I. R., was not permitted
TO enter.
The imprisoned relief committee
turned over valuable information
and details Of its work, and arrange
ments with various people for col
lecting food and maintaining the
tent colony and relief station. The
interview was with Bertha Craw-
ford, Robert Allen, K. Y. Hendricks,
Amy Schechter and Caroline Drew
of the W. I. R. committee, but Wa
genknecht saw also some of the
strike leaders, including Clarence
Miller, Melvin Sanders and Vera
Bush, the latter woman n. 7, W,
organizer charged with murder.
Horrible Jail Conditions.
These prisoners were formerly
held in the city Jail, but are now
removed to the county jail. In the
city Jail conditions are unbearable.
Six in one cell were forced to sleep
on the concrete floor, with only
three blankets among them. The
prisoners are fed a couple of sand
witches a day. Bush, Drew, Schech-
ter and others were in cell which
was filled with tear gas, said to
have resulted when the police were
experimenting with tear gas bombs
to throw at union meetings. One
bomb exploded, and even the police
were gassed.
Many of the prisoners were given
a severe third degree, and the
clothes of one prisoner are soaked
in blood from the tortures inflicted
upon him by Gastonia police. The
prisoners had no opportunity to
wash for four days.
Lynch Mob HOwls.
Released prisoners report that a
lynch mob gathered outside the jail
Friday and Saturday, and that cries
of Lynch them" were heard by the
prisoners through the Jail windows.
Some of the strikers arrested
days after the raid on the tent col
ony and the shooting were rail
roaded on minor charges of va
grancy, etc, and sentenced. They
are now in the chain gang. Two
women strikers were among those
given 30-day sentences. The Inter
national Labor Defense is appealing
oil these cases.
Among the prisoners are Jane
Hartness, sick with pellagra "a dis
case caused by insufficient variety
Of food), and the striker, Gardner,
who is very i'll with tuberculosis
The confinement in the jail irritates
his lungs and has made the disease
worse.
Two pregnant women, one in her
seventh month, were forced to sleep
on the concrete floor of the city jail.
Distribution of cigarettes, to-
bacco, tooth brushes, soap and maya
zines has been arranged by the w.
I. r. for the prisoners in the Jail.
Starting New Colony.
Wagenknecht was informed today
that the deputies recognized the
right Of the workers guard at the
tent colony to bear arms because
they wanted to offer them, as a
bride, deputy sheriff's stars for
liquor raids.
An attempt is being made by the
w. !. r. to secure new lot and
start new tent colony for the
evicted strikers. The deputies in
possession of the w. l. r. relief
tent are consuming the soft drinks
and other supplies. A ransacking
of the w. /. r. medicine chest re-
suited in deputies declaring they dis
covered bottle of paregoric. The
police are trying to make big
scare about it.
The city manager yesterday flatly
refused to restore this relief tent
to the W. I. R. The policy of the
city is to starve the strikers into
submission to slavery in the Loray
mill.
Food Distributed.
A big distribution of food was
made by the W. ]. r. yesterday