Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-05

mob OF alleged leading citizens, William
Green, president OF the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, issued the following
statement:
Authentic information reached Amer
lean Federation Of Labor headquarters
today that committee of alleged
Southern business men OF Ellzabethton,
Tenn, perpetrated an outrage upon rep
reSentativeS of the American Federation
of Labor on the night of April 3. This
committee of alleged leading citizens of
Elizabethton entered the Lynnwood
Hotel, seized two representatives of
labor, escorted them to the edge OF the
city. terrorized and outraged them and
then threatened them with death II they
ever returned.
Serious Threats Charged.
Shortly after midnight Is members
Of this so-called reputable business
mems committee entered the room of
Edward =. McGrady, who is the legis-
lative representative of the American
Federation of Labor at Washington, and
told him that he had to take e ride.
| Against his protest they packed his va
liSe, escorted him to the entrance of the
to the edge Of the town. There addi-
tional members of the business mems
committee awaited, and they proceeded
to make serious threats against the life
of McGfady If he ever returned TO Eilz-
abethton. Then they ordered the taxi
driver to take him 10 Bristol, Tenn.
| Another business mems committee,
composed of at least 20 men, approached
| A. Hoffman, representative OF the
| United Textile Workers of America. in
! the main lobby of the hotel, showed a
gun in his back, took him to back
room and then cut of the hotel blind
| folded. He was placed in car with
| four men, carried below the North Caro-
lima line, escorted by six cars. taken out
| and the blindfold removed.
THE mob then ordered Hoffman out
| of the State under pain of death. All
| his papers and personal records were
| stolen and he was threatened with tar
| and feathers. This business mems
committee was composed of realty men.
| business men. police officers and others.
THE business mems committee then
returned to Elizabethton and 300 OF
| them went to the home of j. B. Penix.
| Penix was told that they wanted to
| talk to him about the union. When he
opened the door he was seized around
the neck and dragged to the ground. At
his call for help his sister came to his
| rescue with q rife. There were many
| shots fired and the mob in its haste left
one auto, which was taken by the
| sheriff. State warrants are being issued,
| 1t is said, for several members OF the
alleged business mems committee.
whose names are known. Threats were
also made that the same medicine would
] ha 7 fSilpQo 1tn11S Il n White
and F. S. Stubs.
Claimed Anxious TO Organize.
"All the men attacked were told that
no one would be permitted to organize
| the workers in the rayon mills. which
are said to be owned by German cor
| poration. The underpaid employees of
| the mills are anxious to organize and
| at their request several representatives
Of labor we're sent to Elizabethton.
Il have appealed 10 the Governor of
/ Tennessee and other public officials.
have told them that 1 intend to send
Mr.. McGrady back to Elizabethton, and
| if any harm comes to him the author
tiles will be held responsible. II neces-
sary will visit Elizabethton as chal-
lenge to this gunman lawleSsneSs.
| After explaining what had occurred
my telegram to the Governor of Ten
nessee concluded as follows:
In the name of the American Fed
| Grafton of Labor / protest this outrage
and call upon you as the Governor OF
| the State of Tennessee to bring these
criminals to justice and to extend pro-
lection to the lives and persons of Mr..
McGrady and Mr. Hoffman. I cannot
believe that you will permit such an
outrage as this to which I am referring
| to go unnoticed and the perpetrators OF
| it to go unpublished.
81 am planning to instruct Mr.. Nc
Grady to return to Elizabethton for the
purpose of completing the peaceful mis-
| sion upon which I sent him and / ask
| you to advise me If you will guarantee
| him protection to his life and person.
For the information OF the millions
| Of working men and women identffled
with the American Federation OF Labor
and for millions OF others who are loyal
friends, ask will you exercise all power
vested in you by the State of Tennessee
in bringing the guilty who perpetrated
this outrage upon Mr.. McGrady and Mr.
Hoffman to account, and will you guar
antee protection to the lives and per-
sons of Mr. McGrady and Mr.. Hoffman
| ~ than, rofitr.1 RI Fli1ohethtnr