The Washington times., 1935-09-12
I DIE, % HURT
WHEN POLICE
CURB STRIKE

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Sept. IL
'U.N.SO Two dead and more
than a score wounded or beaten
were counted today as the toll Of
last nights pitched battle between
police and nearly 5000 strike SYM
pathizers at the Flour City Orna.
mental Iron Works.
Hundreds of police reserves pa
trolled the strike district to pre-
vent further disorder. 1t was the
third successive night that riot
ing has broken out in the area.
Tear Gas Bombs Defied
Sympathizers and strikers
gathered at the plant shortly be.
fore 10 o'clock last night, hurting
bricks and insults at the small
crew Of besieged workers who
have kept the business going on
a sketchy basis for the past two
months. For six days, company
officials have kept the workers in
side, fearing for their safety if
allowed to leave the grounds.
The rumbling mob was sudden
~ inflamed and started to invade
the fenced-off grounds. Police
loosed a barrage of tear gas bombs
and at first fired into the air, but
failed to halt the onrush.
AS the throng's temper rose to
a frenzy and the leaders turned
on police. riot guns we're leveled
and slugs tore into the packed
mass of struggling strikers.
Residents Quit Homes
The heavy tear gas clung to the
ground and rolled over the area in
such dense clouds that residents
for blocks around were forced to
vacate their homes. Shops were
shut down as the proprietors fled
to safety and the entire section
took on the appearance Of a battle
field.
Even six armored police cars
were abandoned by their crews
when the pungent fumes swept
inside.
It was two hours before a semb
lance of rseace could be restored
and the crowd dispersed, as am
balances cleared away the
wounded and injured.
The two fatally wounded with
slugs believed to be from police
guns were Melvin Bjorkland, 81
who died in the hospital about
midnight and Eugene Casper, 18
who Succumbed to st o m act
wounds several hours later.
Bjorkland q Bystander
Bjorkland was said to have beer
an innocent witness of the affray
who was walking home from
church when struck by a stray
charge.
Near death, according to hos
pital officials were Fred Walter
Hoger, so, and Miss Frances Oh
son, IS, both wounded with shot
gun slugs.
Officials of the firm, who have
charged repeatedly that the strike
had been engineered by Com
munists, indicated they would ap
peal to Governor Olson for mill
tary protection.
When the disorder began las
night police patrolling the plan
in armored cars Immediately callec
for aid. A few minutes later
general order ito let 'em have it
was issued. The six armored cars
a dozen squad cars and scores OF
patrolmen on foot advanced OF
the yelling. milling throng calling
orders to disperse.
They were greeted with shove,
Of stones.
From the armored cars came
volley after volley of tear ga
thrown Unfortunately into tht
ranks of both strikers and spec
tatorS.
Conflicting reports were giver
of how the fatal gunfire started
but it was known that immedi
ately before more than a dozer
strikers, sympathizers and lockers
on had been clubbed by police.
Either from the strikers or from
Isolated policemen. a shot wa
fired, apparently into the rank
of patrolmen, and an order t.
"use your shotguns" was given.