Evening star., 1938-08-02
BY JOHN C. HENRY,

BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Pink-faced Jesse Fisher, police chief
OF Monroe, Mich, described for the
Senate Civil Liberties Committee to-
day how his force of some 400 special
deputies, armed with gas guns and
projectiles. clubs and baseball bats.
routed a picket line in front OF a Re-
public Steel plant on the afternoon Of
June 10, 1887.
Although the police chief testified
he had received a personal request
from Gov. Frank Murphy not to loose
gas on the pickets. he admitted with
out hesitation today that the dispersal
of the pickets was accomplished by
this means.
I'VE started to unload the gas and it
wasn't long before those fellows were
leaving" he said after describing
events leading to this climax
Did you order release of the gas?"
Senator La Toilette asked.
YES" the chief replied
simultaneously, it was disclosed, gas
had been released in the rear of the
pickets. According to Monroe news
paper account, this attack from the
rear was launched by concealed Re-
public guards.
Trapping Born Out.
This version of trapping the pickets
was born out later by James Torbic.
Republic police captain. who told of
placing his gas-armed guards in the
rear of the pickets.
Il told them that after city police
had started firing gas, they should dis
charge theirs" he explained.
Are you accustomed to ordering
company police to fire gas at people
standing on the public highway"
Chairman La Toilette asked sharply.
That was the first time ever gave
such orders"
Did you feel that the pickets might
as we'll get good dose of gas while
they were at it?"
That might be the answer" Tor
bic admitted.
The late afternoon assault upon the
pickets followed a series of telephone
conferences between Gov Murphy and
Chief Fisher, a strike leader named
Andy Hrabscak and man identified
only as "Mayberry," who apparently
assumed some leadership in the picket
line but was unknown to the strikers.
Get Them Moving"
Were all through stalling Get
them men moving or we'll move them
Chief Fisher said he told Mayberry
after one of the calls to the Governor.
As the latter said he wanted to make
another call to Gov. Murphy, Chief
Fisher said he warned him:
Go ahead, but you won't any more
than be through talking with the Gov
ernor than those fellows (the pickets)
will be picking themselves off the
road"
First witness of the day was County
Sheriff Joseph Barley, who said a
Picket Committee had tlegraphed to
allow wo-kmen to pass through the
picket lines without violence. When
vigilantes beat up Leonidas Mcdonald.
c. !. o. organized, on the morning Of
June 10, however, the sheriff said the
picket leaders advised him they felt
the non-violence agreement broken.
Pickets Unarmed Before.
"Prior to the Mcdonald beating,
were the pickets armed?" Senator
La Toilette asked Hrabscak.
"They were not" was the reply,
Hrabscak adding that they collected
rocks and sticks from a nearby dump
when feeling mounted over the treat
ment of Mcdonald.
As Chairman La Toilette read an
excerpt from a Monroe paper telling
how arms had been delivered to the
pickets by truck, Hrabscak said he
hoped ito die right here in my seat"
If any weapons were brought to the
pickets.
ITO hell with you and to hell with
the Governor" Hrabscak quoted Chief
Fisher when the latter informed him
he was going to open the picket lines
and Hrabscak countered by suggesting
Q telephone conference with Murphy.
I'll give you two minutes to open
the line" he quoted Fisher further.
adding that he warned the police
chief that any killings would be his
responsibility.
Firing of gas shells by Fishers off,
GERS followed almost Immediately.
Hrabscak said, and the line broke and
fled.
Deputies Given Clubs.
Chief Fisher testified he had mobil-
lied his force of nearly 400 special
deputies at City Hall during the day.
planning no sortie on the pickets until
about 4 pm.
Fisher said all firearms were taken
from the deputies and they were given
clubs, baseball bats and gas equip
ment procured by the city.
The gas squad was composed Of
four men with gums and four with gas
projectiles. the chief explained
The deputies were instructed. he
said, that protection Of the pickets"
was part Of their duty.
After he viewed the picket line,
Fisher said he had telephone con-
versation with Gov Murphy, in which
the Governor told him their workers
must be allowed to return to work."
Fisher testified that the Governor
qualified this request by warning that
he didn't want any gas used and thas
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