Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1933-10-11
Continued From Page u

established scale, and no more, they
insisted.
Say Strikers Favored
"Wty should we mediate with
any of Governor Rolph's agents."
one grower demanded. Every one
of them is on the side of the sLrik-
ers. They can't see our side Of it
at all. All they want is to get
something for the strikers. We can't
and won't buck that combination.
eve can afford to pay only go
cents a hundred. We can get all
the pickers we want from Texas
and the southeast for that sum, and
we'll get them unless these Califor-
ria pickers go back to work at once
or get out. Well protect the pick
ers we get, too"
Growers named in murder COM
plants signed by E. v. Ward, Pix
ley, husband of the injured woman,
we're:
John Allen, PiXley; E. G. Kru-
ger, Earlimart; Henry Santen, Earl
|
and John Doe Stark, all of Tip
ton; Smokey" Nichols, Pixley; Hi
ram May, Clarence Murray and Row
Macabee, Earlimart, and Robert
Culpepper, Upton.
Accounts of how the fatal affray
began differed. Billy Thomas, %,
Los Angeles, and j. j. Murray, SIS,
Pixley, told the United Press the
growers fired without warning as
strikers entered their meeting hall
on the Pixley main street.
George Lutz, Earlimart, also a
striker, gave a slightly different
version of the affair.
I'VE were just going into the
hail." he said. 1.-TWO rancEers left
their cars on the other side of tt e
highway and walked toward us. One
of them carried pistol and the
other a rifle. Hiram May had the
pistol Someone of our group
grabbed Kim. The other man,
named Stark, slugged him over the
head. He dropped. Then May fired
several shots into him as he lay on
the ground.
"1'hen the other ranchers started
shooting"
State highway patrolmen picked
up more than 20 er1pty rifle and
pistol shells where the ranchers
automobiles were said to have been
parked.
Denies Firing Shot
May, interviewed at the Tulare
county Jail, denied ne fired any
shots or that he sew any of the
farmers shooting. Il heard several
shots. 1 don't know who fired
them" he told the United Press. He
refused to discuss the matter fur
tier.
Kruger, a Kern county special
deputy sheriff, said the growers
were called to Pixlcy because there
was trouble at the judges office, y
where II strike pickets were under
arrest on misdemeanor charges.
The Arvin clash was precipitated
when Hugh S. Jewett, prominent
Kern grower, attempted to leave
the ranch in mis- automobile, eye
witnesses said.
A group of pickets approached
the car, dragged Jewett out and
Immediately group of other grow
ers, who had been summoned to
the ranch by Mitchell, entered the
fray.
Heavy grape stakes, used to train
vines, were swung. A shot was
fired and Subia dropped. Carter
and other officers, Who were pa
trolling the district. hurled tear
gas and the mob was dispersed
Jewett, severely beaten, was I'M
conscious fol three hours Others
injured were Lloyd Prick, president
of the California Cotton Growers
association; Harry Thompson, grow
er; Bid Ledbetter, Alvin farmer.
All were beaten severely. MERGED
Velo, striker was shot through
his arm.
Later Capt. Toy Galen of the
highway patrol and Deputy Sheriff
William Young arrested Alonzo An
drews, 81, described a; a strike lead
er, on suspicion Of murder charges
Andrews, they claimed, was hid
den in a tree when Garter APP
preached the fight from the road
way. They said Andrews, aiming at
Carter, shot Subia VIXEN the latter
unwittingly jumped into the line OF
fire.
BAKERSFIELD, Cal, Oct. IL
U.P)-Four hundred cotton growers
met at Arvin early today to discuss
the fatal shooting there late yes