The Washington times., 1929-07-29
Is ON Trial
IN DEATH
PLOT

COURTROOM, GASTONIA,
N. c., July 29.-The way was
opened today for the trial of
Is alleged Red" conspirators
in the strike disturbance kill
ing of Police Chief 0. F. Alder
holt of Gastonia.
Shortly before noon present
ments charging the five labor
organizers and 10 Loray Mill
textile workers with con-
spiracy in the assassination Of
the. police officer were given
to the CASTOR county grand
jury for indictment.
Long before the opening Of court
several hundred people niIled around
the Castor county courthouse. in
which will be held one Of the most
complex murder trials in the history
of American Jurisprudence.
Because the trial comes In the
midst OF labor disturbances and be-
cause sentiment has been tanned
into fever heat In this section by
voluminous propaganda, mass meet
ings, sabotage and demonstrations,
extra deputies were on hand to
thwart possible violence.
A Spectacular Fight
A last minute statement by the
prosecution staff said every effort
would be directed toward keeping
references to communism and re-
ligion out of the proceedings. but 1t
remained obvious that the trial OF
the IL men and three women would
swerve into a spectacular labor reap
italistic fight.
The grim, pallid-faced prisoners
who have been held in the jail be-
hind the courthouse since the police
officer was slain during a strike
meeting the night of June z, prob
ably win not be arraigned until late
this afternoon or tomorrow. for the
greater part of today will be taken
up by the grand jury in hearing
witnesses.
Immediately after court convenes.
Judge M. ". Barnhill. of Rocky
mount, will charge the jury, and
they will retire to return the In
dictments. If precedent is followed.
they will bring in collective indict-
ments against the Is prisoners
charged with murder and the eight
others charged with assault and
conspiracy and then return separate
bills against the entire lot.
Change of Venue
After the arraignment, the de-
tense intends to file a lengthy petit
ton for a change of venue. con-
tending that the strikers cannot
obtain an impartial trial in Gas
tonia, the center of recent textile
strikes in the South.
In event the motion is denied. it
is possible Judge Barnhill will order
venire from an adjoining county.
AS the arguments on the motion
may take up many hours and the
drawing of the talesmen many more,
court officials were Of the opinion
that selection OF a jury may not
begin until late in the week, con-
sequently. they believe 1t may be
next week before any testimony is
presented.
Neither the State nor the defense
has revealed plans. They merely
say their cases are ready.
Tom Unison. of Charlotte, chief
OF the defense staff. has fntimated
that several trump cards are being
held which possibly may reveal
'the actual slayer" of Chief Alder,
holt.
Seven Lead Defense
There are seven attorneys In the
dafansa haffaYev f41c11idiu<p Johu =
Neal who defended John T. Scopes
in the Tennessee evolution trial. the
state has thirteen, headed by
Solicitor John G. Carpenter.
The alleged slayers who claim
they have been framed by capital.
istic Justice are Fred Erwin Bea1,
50, affiliated with many strikes, and
until his Incarceration southern
organizer for the National Textile
workers Union; Amy Schechter, q
native OF Cambridge, England, and
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