Evening star., 1929-10-06
SHER|FF'S FORCE
GIVEN ALL BLAME
Riot Witnesses Describe
Death of Five Strikers
at Marion, N. c.

BY the Associated Press
MARION. NC. october 5.-Testi-
mony that all the shooting in the riot
at the Marion Manufacturing CO.. plant
Wednesday night resulted in the death
of five strikers had come from Sheriff
o. D. Adkins and his deputies was
heard today by Judge Harding of the
North Carolina Superior Court. who is
conducting the inquiry under orders
from Gov. Gardner.
The preponderance of evidence
against the sheriff and his deputies
was rue largely to the fact that only
strikers for their SympathiZers were
called to tell of the violence which
followed an unexpected strike at the
mill. Five witnesses, two of them
women. were heard during the short
session today. Judge Harding adjourned
the inquiry at noon in order to allow
officials to attend to other pressing
court business. 1t will be resumed at
2 pm. Monday.
Crowd Ordered Back.
Mrs. Leila Hyam. sister OF a mill
worker and a union member. the first
witness called. could testify only to the
fact that she had heard Sheriff Adkins
order the crowd back and then explode
the gas and while she was running
heard the gun fire. She was unable to
say from where the firing came
AL Stuart, one of the strikers from
TIE night shift. which had picketed the
mill to try tc keep the day force from
going to work, was more definite. He
declared he had seen Sheriff Adkins,
after a tussie with John Jonas, one
Of the dead men, fire his pistol along
with number of deputies. He eX
planned that the stick he was carrying
at the time the fight started had been
used merely to knock the dew off the
weeds and that it had got bloody when
Knocked from his hands during the
melee.
Claims Four Wives.
On crosse examination Stuart caused
the only laughter heard since the in
quiry started when he testified that lie
had had four wives. Judge Harding
rcprimanded the crowd sharply. tell
ing them the court was no vaudeville
show"
Tom Patton. a Clinchfield mill work.
or told the hearing that he remembered
Sheriff Adkins yelling clean EN- up.
Boys" as the firing started. He said a
deputy named Allie Steppe had shot 1T
him three times from about four feet
F,
however. he said. had burned his face
Sam Vickers one of the dead men. was
scot by Sheriff Adkins. Patton said
after Jonas whose Scuffle with the
sheriff started the fight, had been
thrown aside and was lying by fence
wounded and wearing handouts. Jonas
later died at the hospital, where he
was taken still wearing handouts.
Man and Wife Heard.
The last two of the day We're John
Hollar and his wife. Mrs. Addie Hollar
both of whom went out with the Strik-
ing night shift Holar said that two
shots had struck his car parked near
the scene How many officers did you
see Shooting?" asked D. F. GILES, for
the strikers.
Well, it looked like all of them were,'
he replied. "One waved his gun at me
and 1 ducked in my car" Hollar said
he had heard the sheriff order the
crowd to get back, but said that it had
not moved. Mrs Hollar testified that
one of the bullets had gone through her
raincoat and one had struck and
scratched her hand. A bullet which
she had saved was placed in evidence
but she could not say whether it was
the one which had gone through her
clothing or the one which had scratched
her hand.
Who did the shooting?" she was
asked. Il don't know" she replied. Il
was nearly scared to death and don't
remember thing" In spite of the
rapidity with which Judge Harding be-
gan his inquiry into the circumstances
surrounding the riot officials here to-
day expressed the opinion that it would
take several more days to complete
testimony. In the meantime the sheriff
and ID of his deputies are free on So, 600
bonds, charged with murder and con-
splracy to murder. Between so and 60
OF the strikers involved in the fight are
free under $500 bonds charged with re-
belllon and resisting an officer.
Ioday's session was cut short bv an
adlournment to allow court officials to
attend to other pressing duties.