Evening star., 1932-09-07
100 Armed Officers Battle
Picketers in Attempt to
Run Blockade.
BRICKS AND STONES FLY
IN IOWA HIGHWAY FIGHT
Several of Sheriff's Force Are In
jured, Although Not Seriously.
20 Vehicles Turned Back.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa, September T.
Nearly 100 Plymouth County deputy
sheriffs, armed with shotguns, pistol.
and clubs, were turned back by a Grove
OF 500 Farm Holiday strikers today
WHEN the officers made an attempt te
escort % truckloads Of live stock
through the picket lines at James, Iowa
near here.
The cattle truckers, from Northwest
ern Iowa assembled at the Lemars Bal
Park and asked Sheriff Ralph Rippey
to provide an escort through the picket
lines.
Rippey swore in all available mer
as deputies and started for James.
Deputies Precede Caravan.
The deputies, in four trucks, preceded
the caravan of % live stock trucks
When they reached James they were
halted by the group of farmers who
had placed heavy timbers on the high.
way. The farmers, members of the Ma.
tional Farmers Holiday Association
seek higher prices by keeping produce
from markets.
Sheriff Rippey alighted from the frs,
truck and ordered his men to remove
the barriers, at the same time threat
ening to shoot any one who interfered
Disregarding the threat, the strikers
surrounded the deputies and forced them
back into the trucks.
Fist Fights Occur.
The strikers then turned the trucks
around and ordered the officers to re-
turn to Lemars. No shots were fired
but there were fist fights between
strikers and deputies.
As the trucks proceeded back toward
Lemars, the strikers hurled stones
bricks and other missiles, and several
Of the deputies, struck on the head, fell
to the floor of the rear truck. They
were reported not seriously injured
After proceeding a short distance
Sheriff Rippey stopped his truck
climbed on top, and shouted to the
farmers a request to refrain from vio-
lerlce and open defiance Of the law. In
reply, the strikers said they intended
TO remain peaceful as long as no at.
tempts were made to run the blockade
Sheriff Rippey had modified deputie.
upon reports that farmers holiday
adherents were massing at James with
the expressed intention Of preventing
the trucks of live stock from reaching
markets here.
They were sent to the place
where Monday several hundred farmers
who seek higher agricultural prices
by keeping produce from the mar
kets, attacked drivers Of II trucks
and threw scrap iron. clubs, timbers
and stones at the machines, -Four
drivers were hurt.
Fire Plot Reported.
One report Sheriff Rippey received
was that the pickets had poured gaso-
line over the highway and planned to
ignite 1t at the approach of the trucks
James is little town just over the
woodbury. Plymouth County line, not
far from Sioux City. Yesterday sheriff
Rippey and his men escorted q feet OF
trucks through this latest trouble zone
With the exception of this highway,
No. rs, all other roads into Sioux City
were clear of strikers
Previously Rippey had warned the
holiday workers that any attempts at
violence would result in wholesale ar
rests.
Meanwhile plans were going forward
for Governors Conference Friday.
Produce was moving into the city at
a normal rate today following with
drawal of farm picketers on all other
roads, apparently to await the Governors
conference.
Plan New Hostilities.
County leaders of the Farmers Holi-
day Association are preparing mean
while for resumption Of "hostilities''
should such action appear necessary ia
further their plans for higher prices for
farm products. They adopted a resolu-
ton yesterday calling upon members of
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