Evening star., 1933-06-27
TEAR GAS SUbDUES
WASHINGTON MEN
NFORESTRY CAMP
Virginia Sheriff and Four
Deputies Clash With 125
Near Woodstock.
DONOVAN LAYS TROUBLE
TO REFUSAL TO WORK
Official Says Workers Threatened
to Burn Conservation
Center.
By STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.

BY STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.
WOODSTOCK, Va, June 27.-A
formal investigation was expected to
be launched today into the circum-
stances surrounding the outbreak late
yesterday CT District Conservation Corps
members quartered at Camp Roosevelt,
which was quelled only after the sheriff
and four deputies of Shenandoah Coun-
ty fired tear gas into the mob.
The trouble started. according to
Capt Leo Donovan OF Fort Washington,
Md, their commander. when he dis
charged four of the forestry workers,
who, he said. refused to work
One of the four. William H. Weaver,
refused to leave the camp, according to
Donovan. and he summoned Sheriff
Luther G.. Sheetz.
Surrounded by Men.
Sheriff Sheetz said this morning that
when he arrived at the camp his car
was surrounded by angry conservation
corps workers, who threatened to burn
down this damned camp and fix all the
officers in it." He said Capt. Donovan
urged him to send for reinforcements
and ammunition, and he summoned
Deputies Louis Morrison, Rodney Sager,
Henry Phillips and his brother, Jacob
Sheetz.
In the meantime, according to Dono-
van, committee of the workers ap-
pealed to him on behalf of the four
men, who, in addition to Weaver, are
Charles C. Sacrey, Eugene G. Marshall
and Kenneth Rule, all of Washington.
IL a cnyd hnf nf% + 3,
mittee, which had complained continu-
ally about the food, he agreed to REIN
state Marshall and Rule, but insisted
the other two leave
Il told them If they didn't like what
they are getting, they could get out"
Capt. Donovan said. Il eat the same
chow they do and pay more, for it. I
don't get any extras. If I did. I know
there would be something to kick about" T"
He blamed the outbreak on "a few
agitators."
Says He Was Threatened.
Sheriff Sheetz said he had been
forced to fire the tear gas into a crowd
of about 125 workers after they had
picked up rocks and threatened to
stone the officers.
After had talked with Capt. Dono-
van," he said, the men went down
on the base ball diamond to hold their
meeting. AS we were driving back to
Woodstock, and when we passed the
field, Jake, my brother, fired a shot into
the air.
Then the crowd began hollering at
us, calling us yellow-so I decided I
had about enough Of them, turned tr =
car around and went back to see what
1t was all about
las We drove the car down the field.
the men all jumped for a rock pile and
started to advance toward us. They
were calling US names, saying we were
yellow. 1t was then the tear gas was
fired They scattered like rabbits"
Very Lenient, He Says.
The sheriff said he had been very
lenlent" with the men since the camp
was opened about two months ago. He
said after every pay day large groups
would come into Edinburgh, about 9
miles from the camp, and start dis
turbances.
I ran two or three Of them in. but
never put them in Jail, figuring things
would straighten themselves out, But
warned them last night that if they
ever get drunk in this county again,
I'll put them in jail"
He said he was looking for more
trouble tonight and hoped the Army
would send military police to the camp
to enforce discipline.