New Britain herald., 1929-09-14
COMMUNISTS PLAN
 GASTON|A MEETING
Strike Leaders Insist They Will
 Gather Despite Threat

Charlotte. N. C.. Sept. II CPA-A
 rally Of members of the communist
 party and textile labor organiza
 lions this afternoon in Gastonia.
 which union sympathizArs said
 would be held despite purported
 threats Of self-styled 'anti-com-
 munists" 10 lynch the speakers.
 overshadowed two court hearings
 here one involving alleged anti
 communist and the other commun-
 st and union leaders and workers.
 The mass meeting was described
 yesterday in a warrant against eight
 men active in the union movement
 IS an incident in conspiracy to
 overthrow the government Of North Carolina. The men were arrested After finding Thursday night of riot HUnS shot guns and ammunition in boarding house occupied by union leaders and workers. The alleged
 'anti-communist" Were taken into custody in connection with mob kid naDIngs and fogging last Monday night.
 Prior to the rally. the case Of the communist and union workers among whom were the two kidnap- ing victims Of the mob, was ID for hearing, The warrant against them charged that they in fuYtheranco of said unlawful and feIonious con tedoracy, armed themselves for the purpose "of teIoniously a&saultina and killing any or all persons" who iateffered with todays meeting anl other rallies called,
 Judge Thomas !. Shaw. veteran jurist who is hearing the case Of the 1 ''anti-commun.st' on charges of kidnapping, attempted kidnaniar and false arrests, growing out Of activities Of the mob. brought about the warrants for the eight njon men. He informed Sheriff John R. Irwin, Jr., that unless charges were preferred against the eight, who were held for investigation" hv noon yesterday they would he freed The charges were made and all the prisoners were remanded 10 jail. for hearing i'll recorders court today.
 While they were given a hearing on the conspiracy charges. Judgc Shaw said he would continue to hear evidence in the invastication into last Monday nights mob actiyi- ties Five witnesses testified vostnr- day and all 14 of the defendants were named as members Of tho mob hy one or moro of those tes- .itying.
 Three of the principal witnesses in . the mob inquiry remained 10 be | heard today. Ben Wells. British sub joct and textile organizer. who was 'losged by the mob was unable to -estlfE yesterday and his counsel an- . nouncod there was little likelihood of his physical condition permitting nm to appear in court today. The . other two witnesses. regarded aa haNlng what the state terms "yit9l 5tories.' are R. B. Mcdonald and F. i F. Leigh. They were reported to have . come upon members of the mob while Wells was being flogGod on a onely spot in Cabarr,:- county M0n- lay night.
 D. D. Saylor and C. N. LoH. the ildnaping victims in custody with h" eight unionists in connection With finding Of the guns are Wit lesses in the inquiry into the actiyi- les of the mob and the case in- 'olVing conspiracy against the gov rnment charges, LelI and Savior were with Wells. when the latter was oshod, Saylor testified at the mob Inquiry that he recognized Solicitor ohn G. Carpenter and Major 4, l.. attorney for Manyille ehckes mill. as members of the . 1ob. Governor o. Max Gardner has lspatched his personal representa- we and counsellor. A. Townsend. 10 'astonia to attend todays rally.
 On the eve of the mass meeting, iugo OchIer. southern district rganizer of the National Textile EorNers Union. issued statement trough liston NJ. Oahs. publicity di- actor, in which it was stated the ( 2heduled meeting in Gastonia will Q held" f