The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-09-10
LABOR AGENT
IS beaten BY
GASTON|A MOB
Union Organizer Threatened
With Death; Mates
.. Also Kidnapped.
STRIKE MEETING SPARK
Anti Communists IncenSed
by Report of Talks by
Murder Defendants.
BIZ United Press

BIZ United Press
CHARLOTTE, N. c.. Sept. TO-
After night of terror in which they
were threatened with lynching and
death, organizers Of the National
Textile Workers Union and one
striking worker, slipped into Char
lotte today and told graphic story
of their kidnapping by an anti
communist mob in Gastonia Mon
day night
G. D. Saylors, one of the kid
naped organizers. said he recognized
five members of the mob. He named
persons prominent on the other side
of the recent abor-capttal struggle
in the local textile mills as his
assailants.
Ben Wells, 27, an organizer, lay
in bed in downtown hotel ana
exhibited his legs which. were COW
cred with cuts, bruises and welts
from his hips down as he told his
story. Despite the pain, he was
cheerful and after relating how the
mobsmen had beaten him with
sticks and whips, said smiling: 1T
was hell of night"
Tired and haggard after walk
ing eight miles from the scene
where they were thrown from auto
mobiles and where the mobsmen at
tempted to force G. D. Saylors, d
another organizer, and G. M. Lei
50, a striker, to beat Wells, the tri
told their story simply.
Tell of Lynching Threats.
They described how the autonlo
bile loads of men shouted "Lyncl
the Red" and Kill them," as the.
whisked them from Gastonia int
Charlotte. Pistols were poked in
their ribs, they said.
The anti-communist demonstra-
ton started when it was reported
that Amy Schechter and Vera Bush,
two of the sixteen defendants wait
ing retrial Sept. 80 on murder
charges growing out of the fatal
shooting of Police Chief Aderholt
in Gastonia during riot at strikers
headquarters there on June Z, were
to address a strikers meeting.
The meeting was postponed when
the union organizers learned Of a
plan to spirit away the speakers.
Night of Terror
The night of terror spread from
Gastonia to Charlotte shortly before
IL p. n. when the mob was reported
to have visited the home here of
Tom JiniSon, defense attorney
and ex-preacher, shouting:
Lynch him." lynch Jillison."
When it failed to locate Unison,
the crowd Stormed the Offices of the
International Labor Defense and
visited hotel in search of Hugh
Oehler, organizer, who was beaten
in South Gastonia Saturday night
by mob while en- route to
strikers meeting.
Oehler was eating in restaurant
nearby with Leon Josephson, an
other defense attorney. They es-
capped in an automobile.
DR.. John r. Neal of Tennessee,
defense attorney and former de-
fender Of John T. Scopes in the
evolution trial, sat in the lobby Of
a hotel with Jimison. Both were
nervous.
Sought Protection
Neal asked for police protection
Both men spent the remainder OF
the night in seclusion.
The uprising began In Gastonis
nine hours after the dramatic trial
of the sixteen strikers had been
brought to an abrupt end by the
mental collapse of Juror Campbell.
He was carried screaming and cry.
ing into a cell at police head
quarters.
Deputy Sheriff E. johnson, who
was in charge OF the jurors, denied
reports afterward that the efigy Of
Police Chief Aderholt which was
brought into court to assist the
state in proving the means Of Ader-
holt's death had been responsible In
any way for Campbell's mental
collapse.
HE was acting queer three or
four days before that" Johnson
told the United Press. 81 doubt If
he paid any attention to IT,"
Campbell was removed to the
state hospital for the insane today.
He Uas historical most of the night.