Hellraisers Journal: From The Butte Daily Bulletin: “Vanderveer Proves Centralia IWW Killed Grimm in Self Defense”

Quote Wesley Everest, Died for my class. Chaplin Part 15 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday February 29, 1920
Montesano, Washington – Centralia I. W. W. Defended by Attorney Vanderveer

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of February 28, 1920:

LEGIONAIRES ATTACKED HALL
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Witness Testifies Paraders Broke Ranks and
Smashed Windows Before a Shot Was Fired.
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(Special United Press Wire.)

Montesano, Feb. 28.-Forrest Cameron, 19, witness in the Centralia trial, today testified the soldiers and paraders broke ranks and started toward the Centralia I. W. W. hall before there was any shooting. Several witnesses told of the movement toward the hall, but more were uncertain whether it preceded or followed the shooting from the hall.

“I heard the crash of glass and saw them breaking in the door,” Cameron said. “After a short interval shooting followed.”

Mrs. Mary Sherman testified she saw the soldiers make a break for the hall, but did not know whether the shooting was before or after they smashed the door.

During cross-examination by Prosecutor Abel, Mrs. Sherman admitted she did not think the defendants were guilty.

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ADMIT STORY OF THREATS.

(Special United Press Wire.)

Montesano, Wash., Feb. 28.-Over the protest of the prosecution, Judge Wilson yesterday afternoon allowed the defense to introduce testimony regarding threats to raid the Industrialists’ hall. The judge ruled, however, that this testimony would be eliminated if the defense failed to show that Grimm was implicated in the proposal to raid the hall, or in the actual raid the defense claims to have preceded the fatal shooting.

“We will show that Grimm was shot within a few feet of the hall while leading the attack of the American legion paraders,” was Attorney a Vanderveer’s startling claim.

The sale of hundreds of high-powered rifles in this county during the last few months is one of the reasons given for the call of regular troops, it was learned. County Prosecutor Stewart was informed the sale of these guns had increased several hundred per cent over the usual demand, he said.

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ALLEN EMULATES CLAM.

(By the Federated Press.)

Montesano, Feb. 28.-Prosecuting Attorney, Herman Allen of Lewis county last night refused to disclose to the members of the labor jury the reason for the presence of the federal troops in Montesano. The labor jurors who are viewing the case in the interest of organized labor are: John O. Craft, Metal Trades council, Seattle; Paul Mohr, Central Labor council, Seattle; W. J. Beard, Tacoma Labor council; E. W. Thrall, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, Centralia.

The labor representatives early in the day called on Allen and were informed that later in the day they would he given the reason for the presence of the troops to “guard” the trial of the 10 men charged with the Armistice day killings at Centralia. The later conference, however, found Allen non-committal.

Efforts by the defense to prove an “overt act of hostility” on the part of Lieutenant Grimm, who was slain at Centralia, were expected to feature today’s session at the trial.

[Photographs and emphasis added.]