The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-11
MOB SLUGGING
IS CHARGED BY
TWO AUTHORS
KentuCkianS Escorted Them
to State. Line, Beat
Them, Pair Say.
ASKS CONGRESS ACTION
Waldo Frank, N. Y. Novel
iSt, Says Thugs Halted
Errand of Mercy.
By United Press

By United Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Feb. H.
Congressional investiation of alleged
official terrorism in the coal fields
Of southeastern Kentucky will be
demanded at once, Waldo Frank,
New York novelist, announced here
today.
Frank made the announcement in
connection with a detailed account
Of asserted indignities to which, he
charged, he and members of a COM
mittee of New York writer's were
subjected at the hands of a mob at
Pineville, KY, early today.
Frank arrived here before dawn
with Allen Taub, New York novel;
ist.
They told similar stories, charging
they were beaten by a mob after
being escorted to the Tennessee
state line. This incident, they said,
eliminated their efforts to supply
striking miners with truck loads of
food they left here with Wednes-
day.
Nose Is Broken
Frank was taken to the Farragut
hotel and ordered to bed by a ply
sician. Taub said he suffered q
broken nose during the asserted
beatings.
Frank said that when the COM
mittee reached Pineville with the
three truckloads of food, it was re-
fused permission to make distribu-
ton in the town and was conducted
outside the city limits.
The committee then conferred at
Pineville hotel and decided to
make an inspection tour of Bell and
Harlan county mining camps today.
At 1890 p. M, however, Frank
said, deputies came to the hotel and
arrested the committee members on
disorderly conduct charges. They
were taken to the courthouse,
where the charges were dismissed,
he said, on motion of Common
wealth Attorney Walter Smith,
who said there was not sufficient
evidence against us"
Ordered Out of State
Frank said the committee was
granted safe escort back to the
hotel and prepared to retire for the
night, when group of men" came
in and ordered Taub and Frank
"out of Pineville-out of Kentucky
altogether"
The two said they were taken in
one automobile of group, all
manned by armed men, to Cum
berland gap. In other motor cars
were the other committee members.
"On reaching the gap and the
line, several men gave the order
lights OUT Frank said.
THE lights went out" Frank said.
"Taub and I were ordered from the
car. I heard Taub cry out in pain.
He had been hit.
Some one then hit me, several
blows, one behind the head, which
stunned me.
warned by CaptOr
zone of the men in the party
was from Harlan county, and told
us, You had better not attempt to
come into our county
"The lights we're ordered on again
soon. We we're told to cross the
line into Tennessee and not come
back"
The two and other committee
members, were assisted by motor
list returning home from a dance.
Only Taub and Frank were injured.
An entirely different version of
the Pineville incident, however, was
given out at Pineville by authorities
there and by Herndon Evans. Pine
vile editor, who said he accom-
panied the group of men which ex-
PEELED the committee members from
the state.
Frame-Up Is Charged
Frank and Taub, Evans said, be-
gan fighting each other on alight-
ing from the cars at the state line
ito give the appearance of being
attacked, according to other Pine
vile residents" Evans said he did
not see the incident himself.
Members of the Pineville party
emphatically denied that an attack
by them had taken place." Evans
said.