The Washington times., 1934-07-19
WAGNER SILENT
OVER GUARD
SHOOTING
Special Police Who Fired on
Party Jailed in Hospital
For "Safe Keeping" '.-

For "Sate Keeping" Pc
PORTLAND, Ore, July 10 GIN.
S0.-Portland strike wounds were
torn open afresh today by an
untoward incident at municipal
terminal Number 4, where four
special policemen last night fired
nearly a dozen shots at party Of
nine, including Senator Robert F.
Wagner Of New York, and prom
inent labor leaders.
Alleged infringement Of a dock
policing rule prompted the shoot
ing. No one was injured.
Jailed for "Safe Keeping"
Officers involved in the shoot
ing were Immediately taken to the
county Jail for an investigation by
District Attorney Lotus Lang
ley, Detective Captain Harvey
Thatcher and Sheriff Martin
Pratt. They were later removed
to the city jail hospital for safe
keeping" No charges were filed:
All shots fired were directed at
a car driven by Fred Ross, attor-
ney, when, according to the ter
minal guards, he failed to heed q
command to halt as the car was
leaving the terminal. One shot
lodged high in the left side Of Mr..
Ross car cushion, Captain
Thatcher was told.
The car containing Senator
Wagner had complied with the
regulations upon leaving the ter
minal and had gone ON ahead. 1t
was well out Of danger when the
shorts were fired.
Wagner Refuses Comment
Officers held for Investigation
were Myrle Wilson, ex-army man,
in charge Of the post number one
squad on. the guard line about the
terminal; r. e. Schuette, s. M.
Frank, and A. r. Thomas. Captain
Thatcher said they deemed IL ad-
visable to lodge the men in the
Jail hospital for the night to pro-
tect them from possible violence.
The shooting caused consider
able unrest among strikers as re-
ports of the assault upon their
leaders spread like wildfire.
Senator Wagner, located In his
hotel room late Wednesday night.
refused to make any comment on
the shooting due to the critical
strike situation now confronting
Portland.
Those riding with Mr.. Ross in
the car subjected to gunfire were
D. E. Nickerson, chairman OF the
central labor strategy committee;
P. Marsh, United States Depart.
ment of Labor representative. and
Roscoe Craycroft, longshoremen
representative of the Marine In
duStrial Workers Union.
Fire Order q Mystery
Senator Wagner was accompa'
MED by Max Stearns, New York ;
Matt eehan. longShoreman
leader; C. L. Vines, of the Sea
mems Union, and B. A. Green,
attorney for Portland Labor Coun'
Gil, who was driving the car.
Mr.. Wilson told officers at the
county jail that most Of the shots
were fired after someone had
shouted the command "fire" as
Mr.. Ross car drove through the
guard line and failed to heed a
command to halt. He said he
fired one shot in the air before
he heard the supposed command
to fire. He was at q loss to ex-
plain the source of the command
which. sent bullets rafting after
the labor executives. Z.
The Senator and his party had
gone to the terminal to inspect the
docks, where strikebreakerS were
loading vessels, and to view scenes
of previous strike riots.
Mr.. Wilson said the cars were
stopped when they approached the
guard line. Permit cards were de-
manded, but were not forthcom-
ing. However, guards were as.
signed to ride with the machines
after the Senator's mission was ex.
planned. When the tour of inSpec'
ton was completed, the cars
headed away from the dock, Mr..
Wilson said. Mr.. Green stopped
his car and discharged his guard.
Guard BOwIed Over
Mr.. Ross was said to have failed
| to Slacken in speed and carried his
guard about 800 feet past the ter.
minal guard line. The guard, &C.
cording to Mr.. Wilson'S story
leaped from the car and was
bowled over. It was then, Mr.,
Wilson said, that he fired in the
air in an effort to halt Ross.
Mr.. Schuette told investigators
he was just returning to the ter.
minal after checking a complaint
from a woman that her home had
been robbed.