The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-03-02
PUERTO RICANS SHOW
CONTINUED From Page One)

plight of Puerto Rico. 1t is d coun-
try that is not free"
Those held are members of the
Nationalist party, the same group
represented by the two men who
tried in 1850 to aSsassinate the
then President Harry Truman. =.
The party is only a small minor
ity in the island commonwealth.
Most Puerto Ricans have ex-
pressed preference to remain I'm.
der US. authority, although they
have been offered independence
any time they want it.
Anti-independence forces have
contended the islanders would lose
heavily in American aid if sep
arated from this country, and that
the islands are not yet capable Of
complete self government.
The woman and two men were
diSarmed and taken into custody
in riotous scene just outside the
House visitors gallery. The third
man was arrested later at bus
terminal.
Stunned congressional leaders
took immediate steps to tighten
security regulations and prevent a
recurrence of such a tragedy-the
first known instance of bloodShed
during an actual session of the
House or Senate.
That more lawmakers and spec.
tators weren't hurt appeared moth.
ing short of miraculous.
An estimated 20 to 80 heavy cal.
iber bullets fired from Luger-type
pistols blazed into the House cham
Der, nicking seats and walls, pierc.
ing the new ceiling, chipping plas.
ter and causing everyone to duck
for cover.
Several bullets crashed into the
wall just a few inches above the
seats in the rear of the chamber
occupied by page boys. The boys
scrambled under seats or darted
out the nearest doors.
Two pellets burrowed into the
heavy table at which Republican
leaders sit. Seated there at the
time were Majority Leader Hal
leck of Indiana and his assistant.
Rep. Arends of Illinois. Neither
was hurt, although Arends was
nicked by flying splintefs. So was
Rep. Holmes (R-Wash), who was
standing nearby.
About $50 House members were
on hand at the time, about 2:3O
pm, having been summoned to
the chamber only a short time
earlier to debate a bill dealing with
importation of Mexican farm work
ers. The visitors galleries were
less than half filled. About a dozen
newsmen sat in the press seats
In the same general section, but
50 feet or more away from where
the Puerto Ricans sat.
Speaker Martin (R-Mass) ad.
journed the House in short order
while doctors and police took over.
The shooting lasted only about
a minute.
Martin was counting a standing
vote when it started. He never
finished.
From a corner of the public gal.
ley to his extreme left and be.
hind him, volley of shots rang
out. Almost everyone at first
thought prankSters had tossed a
string of firecrackers. Even Rep.
Roberts said he thought it was
firecrackers until I saw blood on
my leg"
The grim seriousness of the sit.
uation became apparent when the
Puerto RicanS were spotted spew,
ing lead from pistols firmly
gripped between both hands.
One of the gunman had time to
reload his weapon with 10-bullet
clip before being Subdued.
Mrs. Lolita Lebron, "a, of New
York City, admitted leader of the
group, appeared to be having diff.
ficulty controlling her pistol. II
spouted flame and bullets toward
the ceiling, punctuating the WON.
ans cries of ''My country is moi
free; free Puerto Ricol"
AS she half ran and was hall
dragged from the gallery, she
tossed into the air the flag Of
Puerto Rico and shouted again.
Police, door keepers and others
rushed for the gallery and the door
leading from it. Quickly they
grabbed three of the assailants and
either held them firmly or pinned
them to the marble floor in gen.
eral scrimmage.
One of the gunner had time tt
William Belcher, an assistant door,
keeper who suffered a heart at.
tack after the excitement died
down, and was taken to hospital.
The three assailants were hus.
tied off to police headquarters
along with a fourth captured short.
ly afterwards. Police said the quar-
tet carried extra ammunition.