Imperial Valley press., 1935-02-21
FRIENDS PAY
TRIBUTE To
SLAIN MEN
Continued from Page y

had worked lu = CeutrO for several
years. both In the packing sheds
and local firms and had q vide CIR
Gle 81 friends here.
Both Knight and Hamaker bore
coed regulations and we're held IN
respect and esteem b. their friends. +
The latter and many who cid not
personally know the young man,
rightly feel that both men we're the :
victims Of unfortunate Circumstance
q and lost their lives rot through
any glciougnegs in their characters. f
but rather were caught in the web
Of a badly advised venture.
Services were held al the Pres
hyterian church. because Of lack
q sufficient seating capacity n
local funeral Darlors. TO accommo-
date the many friends ana sympa-
thizers who wished 70 attend the
funerals.
10 reports Of outbreaks or dIs-
turbances which could be directly
traced 70 the strike we're received
al either the sheriff s office or po-
Ice headquarters here last night OF
today. Police and other officers,
however, are maintaining their Wig
lance and viii be prepared TO cope
with whatever unexpected emergen-
cy might arise
Il was learned that Joseph Casey,
state representative Of the American
Federation Of Labor and +. II. Fitz-
gerald, federal conciliator might
leave the valley tomorrow.
Investigators for the sheriff 's off
Ice are investigating the burning OF
two piles Of shook and lettuce crates
near Brawley last night. While the
Investigations have not been con-
cluded it was said this morning
that evidence has been found which
indicates the fire was Of incendiary
origin, a gasoline bomb in all prob
ability having caused the blaze.
Responsibility for the fire had not
been determined by the inyeStlga-
tors early this afternoon.
That Paul Knight and Eldredge
Hamaker came to their deaths from
gun shot wounds received during
a disturbance at the Martin c.
Wahl shed on February II, 1885, -
vas the verdict reached late yester-
day afternoon by a coroner s jury
which investigated the shootings. |
The verdict added: We recon-
mend further investigation by the |
Imperial County grand jury" Judge /
John E. Simpson. local justice OF |
the peace, presided with Elmer |
Heald, district attorney conducting |
the questioning OF witnesses.
Taking testimony in the case +
started yesterday morning when
several striking workers presented
their evidence TO the jury. A recess /
was taken at noon and the inquest
was resumed at 2 O'Clock yester-
day afternoon. Those appearing
before the jury during the after
noon session were. Clyde Jones, /
Brawley. Alton Anthony. CaleXico,
Walter Thompson, BraWley, Jack
Gordon, FL Centro, Jack Sheenan, !
FL Centro and Travis Simmons, al |
so of El Centro, VINO testified that
they had been sent out on peaceful
picketing and saw no striker armed |
either with guns or other Weapons. |
Gordon who had been shed fore
man at the time of the disturbance
testified that he was not in the
shed at the time OF the actual
shooting but came in shortly after
wards. he stated that the grounds
were not posted and that he saw
no armed men outside the shed.
In the shed five men carrying guns
who had been deputized by the
county sheriff. When questioned
concerning rocks having been
thrown he stated that he had seen
none thrown outside or in the shed.
Fred Edwards Of Imperial t15ti-
fled that he had been working on
the Simmons shed, nearby at the
time of the disturbance and stated !
that he had seen a large number OF |
strikers storm the north end of the |
Wahl shed and that he had seen |
many rocks and stones thrown by |
the strikers.
VIM. L. Apple, seeretary-treasur-
er of the Wahl company testified |
regarding the attack made on the |
shed He stated that he saw the |
crowd Of strikers running toward |
the shed from the north and went |
into the office TO call for police as
sistance. He heard someone shout |
% here they come. - and then rocks |
banged against The shed, and were |
thrown through the office windows. |
Heard Shots Fired
Apple testified that he heard sew |
eral shots fired from the south end |
of the shed but did not see anyone |
shot or carried out OF the grounds. |
Three or four workers in the shed |
were frmed. he said, having been |
deputized by the sheriff. He said |
that he had noticed several Of the |
strikers armed with clubs and that |
about $50 Of them made their way |
up on the shed floor before police |
arrived and broke up the disturb
ance. He told of several workers |
being injured by thrown rocks.
He testified further that the |
grounds had been posted with signs |
trespassing and that /
this was done at his orders. Several |
large rocks we're found in the office, |
he said, after the trouble had been |
uuieted and these we're marked by |
him and identified at the inquest.
other workers who testified that |
the strikers had thrown rocks and |
other articles during the raiding OF
the shed were Peter Encinas, Fred !
Iaurer. w. l.. Tyler. Z. r. Ferris, |
-. 80 Ts.-ff,.ay4 T.t.at,f llasa