372 THE CLASS STRUGGLE DOCUMENTS 373 home incident, an explosion followed by a fire partially destroyed an oil refinery that is located at Norfolk, Okla. This property was under the Carter Oil Co. management. Two men lost their lives in this accident. The news agencies without exception (so far as know)
exploited this as another outrage.
From this point we take up the story in a sworn statement made by the secretary of the Tulsa local. On the night of November 5, 1917, while sitting in the hall at No. W. Brady Street, Tulsa, Okla. the room leased and occupied by the Industrial Workers of the World, and used as a union meeting room. at about 45 five men entered the hall, to whom at first paid no attention, as was busy putting a monthly stamp in a member union card book. After had finished with the member, walked back to where these five men had congregated at the baggage room at the back of the hall, and spoke to them, asking if there was any.
thing could do for them, One who appeared to be the leader, answered No, we re just looking the place over. Two of them went into the baggage room flashing an electric flash light around the room. The other three walked toward the front end of the hall. stayed at the baggageroom door, and one of the men came out and followed the other three up to the front end of the hall. The one who stayed in the baggage room asked me if was afraid he would steal something. told him we vere paying rent for the hall, and did not think anyone had a right to search this place without a warrant. He replied that he did not give a damn if we were paying rent for our places, they would search them whenever they felt like it. Presently he came out and walked toward the front end of the hall, and followed a few steps behind him. In the meantime the other men, who proved to be officers, appeared to be asking some of our members questions. Shortly after, the patrol wagon came and all the members in the hall 10 menwere ordered into the wagon. turned out the light in the back end of the hall, closed the desk, put the key in the door and told the officer to turn out the one light. We stepped out, and locked the door, and at the request of the leader of the officers, handed him the keys. He told me to get in the wagon, being the 11th man taken from the hall, and we were taken to the police station. November 6th, after staying that night in jail, put up 100. 00 cash bond so that could attend to the outside business, and the trial was set for o clock November 6th. Our lawyer, Chas.
Richardson, asked for a continuance and it was granted.
charge of vagrancy was set for November 7th, at P. by Police Court Judge Evans. After some argument by both sides the cases were continued until the next night, November 8th, and the case against Gunnard Johnson, one of our men, was called. After four and a half hours session the case was again adjourned until November 9th, at P. when we agreed to let the decision in Johnson case stand for all of us. Johnson said he had come into town Saturday, November 3rd, to get his money from the Sinclair Oil Gas Co. and could not get it until Monday, the 5th, and was shipping out Tuesday, the 6th, and that he had 08 when arrested. He was reprimanded by the judge for not having a Liberty Bond, and as near as anyone could judge from the closing remarks of Judge Evans, he was found guilty and fined 100 for not having a Liberty Bond. Our lawyer made a motion to appeal the case and the bonds were then fixed at 200 each. was immediately arrested, as were also five spectators in the open court room, for being One arrested was not a member of ours, but a property owner and citizen. was searched and 30. 87 taken from me, as also was the receipt for the 100 bond, and we then were all packed in the cells. In about forty minutes, as near as we could judge, about 11 the turnkey came and called Get ready to go out you men. We dressed as rapidly as possible, were taken out of the cells, and the officer gave us back our possessions, Ingersoll watches, pocketknives and money, with the exception of in silver of mine which they kept, giving me back 27. 87. handed the receipt for the 100 bond had put up to the desk sergeant, and he told me he did not know anything about it, and handed the receipt back to me, which put in my trousers pocket with the 87 cents. Twenty seven dollars in bills was in my coat pocket. We were immediately ordered into automobiles waiting in the alley. Then we proceeded one plock north to 1st Street, west one half block to Boulder Street, north across the Frisco tracks and stopped. Then the masked mob came up and ordered everybody to throw up their hands. Just here wish to state never thought any man could reach so high as those policemen did. We were then bound, some with hands in front, some with hands behind, and others bound with arms hanging down their sides, the rope being wrapped around the body. Then the police were ordered to beat it, which they did, running, and we started for the place of execution. When we arrived there, a company of gowned and masked gunmen were there to meet us standing at present arms. We were ordered out of the autos, told to get in line in front of these gunmen Trial on a