Evening star., 1930-12-15
VIRGINIA JUDGES
HOME IS BOMBED
Three Explosions Occur Over
night in Textile Strike
Area.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DANVILLE, Va, December 15-Three
explosions, one of which at o'clock
this morning wrecked the front Of the
home of Magistrate r. S. Fits Of
Schoolheld, occurred overnight. One did
severe damage at the Cabin Filling Sta
ton, a mile and one-half away, across
the line in North Carolina, while the
location of the third had not been as
certained early today. So far as known
no one was injured.
Shock Felt in DanviIIe.
The strike situation otherwise was
peaceful at the opening of the mills
this morning, with non-union labor at
work.
Civil and military authorities had
made elaborate preparations after re-
ports over the week end that efforts
would be made to prevent an anti
cipated influx of workers into the mills
following the invitation Saturday of H.
r. Fitzgerald, president, to workers to
return. This influx, however, failed to
materialize. Although picketS were at
their posts, no crowds congregated
All three dynamite blasts shook the
village of Schoolf1eld and were felt in
DanYille.
Occupants Are Uninjured.
Magistrate Fits, his wife and two
grandchildren, Philip, age 10, and
Patricia, age 6, were in their home when
the explosion occurred, but all escaped
uninjured, due to the fact that they
were sleeping in the rear.
The front door and adjacent panels
were blown to bits and debris scattered
about the front rooms. Pieces of wood
and glass penetrated French doors, pep
pering the bed room of the children,
neither of whom were awakened. A
section of the porch flooring was ripped
up, all windows shattered and the roof
of the porch lifted three inches from
the joists. The magistrate was getting
up when the blast occurred.
Mrs. r. S. Fits, jr, wife Of the mag
iStrate's son, who lives next door, re-
ported that Immediately following the
blast she saw two cars drive off toward
Schoolfleld.
The magistrate stated that the out
rage was probably perpetrated because
Of his recent telegram to Gov. Pollard
urging that troops be kept at School
field during the strike. He stated that
he had been warned by an anonymous
telephone caller that you had better
have the militia guard your home" He
has tried none of the cases incident to
the strike, however.
The official expressed the opinion
that the explosive, believed to have
been dynamite, had been planted by
men in the two cars 1t was evident
that the explosive had been placed di-
rectly against the door.
Third Blast Location Sought.
The explosion at the filing station
late last night damaged the rear, but
four persons who stayed there were un-
injured. Among the occupants was
Ted Campbell, a non-union mill work.
er. Officers today were seeking the
location of the third blast which also
shook the section.
The day was expected to determine
the real strength of the strike with
the invitation before the idle workers
to return. Police and militia were pre-
pared for any eventuality this morning,
but there was no attempt at mass de-
monstration such as took place a week
ago when tear gas bombs were used to
disperse the crowds.
A Gordon of militia was placed across
the street at Ballou Park over the line
IN Danyille and inspected all cars going
to Schoolfeld, only those giving salts
factory explanations being permitted
to pass. Others were turned back.