Evening star., 1937-06-25
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

police dispersed ptcketS, killed 10
Gad ,counded many.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.
An accusation that Chicago police
we're trying to kill" rather than try
ing to stop steel strike pickets fee
ing before burst of police gunfire
In front of the Republic Steel plant
IN Chicago on Memorial day is con-
tained in an affidavit sworn to by the
pastor of the South Shore Com
munity Church of that city and now
IN possession of agents of the Senate
Civil Liberties Committee.
The minister, who was on the scene
when 10 Of the pickets were fatally
wounded and nearly hundred 9TH
ers less seriously hurt, is Rev. Chester
B. Fisk. In addition to his pastorate
DR.. Fisk Is chairman of the Council
Tor Social Action Of the Congrega-
Oonal-Christian Churches of Illinois
Attending what was intended as q
mass picketing demonstration by the
strikers, but turned into mass kill
ing instead, DR.. Fisk was armed with
q motion picture camera, with which
he took a full strip OF films OF the
actual violence.
Film Confiscated.
Taken into custody by the police
after the killings had taken place, DR.
Fisk was held in jail overnight and
his camera and film confscated
Later the camera was returned but
the film was held by police until OBJ
tanned by agents of the La Toilette
Committee, who have been in the
Chicago area since the steel strike
violence began. 1t will be shown here
OF the occurrence during hearings
which are scheduled to open next
Wednesday,
Explaining he was not at a spot
where he could tell what directly
precipitated the shooting, Fisk says
In his affidavit that:
Almost simultaneously, it seemed
70 me, the front of the line of strikers
began to give way a little, a shower
OF stones and other missiles flew from
the center and rear of the column in
the direction of the police, and a
volley of explosions rang out.
Whether these explosions were gun
IRE or teargas bombs I could not
tell. but through the view finder on
my camera I saw scores of people go
down. There was no second
volley Of stones; at the sound Of the
explosions those who could turned
and ran back.
The first shooting I heard
was a volley from the police. I did
not actually see at what time the
police drew their guns, and I did not
actually see any policeman fire his
gun, but I saw the results Of police
shooting few minutes later, and even
where I was standing police bullets
vhistled over my head. One of them
brought down a young man standing
near me. I later took picture of
him as he lay face down in the
grass, 80
Police Ready to Shoot.
by this time the police were ad-
vanclng across the field, each end Of
their line moving inward in the So
llceman that I could see had his gun
out Of his holster and ready to shoot.
So far as I could see. every striker
on my side of the field was in full
flight; in fact, from the beginning
to the end of the riot I did not hap
pen to see a single striker actually
lighting with the police It was then
that many of the police broke from
the formation, running after the flee
ting men and striking them down
from behind. I watched nu-
merous instances of what I can only
describe as unrestrained and un-
necessary brutality.
I saw several unarmed and un-
resisting men, trying to get away,
Knocked down and beaten unmerci-
fully by two and even three police
men.
II got one series OF pictures =
OF two policemen chasing young
man who was shouting to them over
his shoulder: I'm going. I'm doing
what you told me to do. I'm going
as fast as L can Trying to get across
ditch the young man stumbled.
falling on the other side, and in a
moment both policemen were stand
Ing over him, taking turns at slugging
him with their clubs as hard as thev
could. did not count how MANY
times they struck him, but it must
nave been at least six or eight times;
49,. I was close enough to hear the
terrible impact of each blow as 1t
landed on his head"
Describes Own Arrest.
Dr. Fisk goes on to describe how an
officer had ordered him to get out.
but as he attempted to leave the field
he was arrested along with many Of
the wounded and dying strikers. The
ministers affidavit continues to say
he protested to Capt. Tobin, one of
ehe officers in charge of the police
detail, but that he was loaded into
q patrol wagon with nine other men
and one woman.
OF that number, he continues
three men in particular were in des-
perate need of medical attention
=" Only one besides himself
was uninjured.
Placed in two-man cell With four
other prisoners, DR.. Fisk was held
Until the next day at noon, a period
Of 19 hours. when he was released
with appropriate apologies" by Capt.
James Mooney, supervisory captain of
t1e second division.