BULLETS FLY

Southland Times, Issue 21773, 30 July 1932, Page 5

BULLETS FLY

WASHINGTON CITY “BONUS” ARMY EVICTED TROOPS ORDERED OUT WAR VETERAN KILLED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Washington, July 28. A group of bonus-seeking United States war veterans to-day resorted to violence. After being evicted from the building they were occupying in Lower Pennsylvania Avenue they chased the police some distance, throwing bricks. A later message states that shooting broke out between the police and the veterans encamped on Pennsylvania Avenue, two blocks from the Capitol. One unidentified veteran was shot dead, while another • was severely wounded. Troops were ordered out at the direction of President Hoover.

From Fort Myer squadrons of cavalry rushed from Virginia into the city and headed for the White House. Meanwhile, down near the Capitol the police strove to keep order among the veterans, who were in an ugly mood after having been fired upon by the officers.

A bullet through the heart killed one when the police opened fire upon the veterans who were advancing towards them. A group of comrades took the man to hospital in a patrol waggon, accompanied by two policemen. He was dead when they reached there and had no marks of identification. Another marcher is in a serious condition with bullet wounds in the neck and lower abdomen. His recovery is doubtful. Several other marchers were treated for lesser injuries. Colonel Patrick Hurley, Secretary for War, ordered cavalry from Fort Myer to be rushed into the city at a fast pace, saying he had been informed by the President that “the civil government of the district of Columbia has reported to him that it is unable to maintain law and order.”

After hearing the report from Officer George Shinault, who said he fired the first shot, Pelham D. Glassford, the Chief of Police, said the shooting which killed was justified as several police were injured, one, Private Scott, being reported as having died from a blow by a flying brick. This report, which could not be verified, immediately aroused the police to anger in a few minutes before the rioting that led to the shooting. All the prisoners will be turned over to the civil authorities, Colonel Hurley saying: “This brushes aside the question of martial law.” White House officials said the information had come to them from secret service agents that the veterans who led the attack upon the policemen were an entirely Communist group. This statement was made without amplification by one of the President’s secretaries. The troops arrived in the troubled area at 4.45 p.m. with orders to clear away the veterans. TROOPS IN CHARGE PRACTICALLY MARTIAL LAW. WAR VETERANS ROUTED. (Rec. 8.20 p.m.) Washington, July 28. For the first time since the Civil War the capital of the United States was to-night under virtual martial law with 500 regular army troops, including infantry, cavalry, machine-gun, tank and engineering detachments patrolling the city apparently prepared to continue the offensive against the “bonus” expeditionary force, which to-day was evicted. A thousand of them were evicted from the Federal buildings in the down-town area after fighting throughout the day between police and veterans, in which one veteran was killed and two were seriously injured. One policeman was seriously injured and a score of policemen and veterans, including one woman attached to the army, were slightly injured or teargassed. When the veterans learned that the military were coming to take charge they greeted the news with . cheering, and predicted that “soldiers won’t molest soldiers.” Many looked forward to a good old-fashioned army food ration. Instead the soldiers, after donning steel helmets and gas masks, proceeded systematically to evict the veterans, using tear gas bombs freely on the slightest resistance. On the streets squadrons of cavalry repeatedly charged the veterans, slapping them with the flats of their sabres when not moving fast enough. Soon after dark as some 600 troop reinforcements from a nearby camp appeared, preparations were made to continue the offensive against a suburban camp at Anacostia, which was reported to be in complete chaos. All semblance of leadership had disappeared, although an effort was being made to evacuate women and children, who number more than 500. liter at midnight the military threw down a heavy barrage of tear gas. This was sufficient to effect a general evacuation of Anacostia by the light of burning shacks which had been their homes for the past two months. Weary and hungry, the veterans started streaming in all directions, apparently completely disorganized. Soldiers are heavily patrolling all the evacuated areas to prevent their return. A few small camps are still not visited, although it is understood the military will continue to-morrow and not stop till the last veteran has left Government property. It is feared that the presence of veterans will provoke a serious police problem in the immediate future in the neighbouring States as well as in Washington. MUCH CONFUSION ■ CAMP SET ON FIRE. (Rec. 8.55 p.m.) New York, July 28. Federal detachments with General Douglas Macarthur and an assistant occupying a staff-owned car moved in on Anacostia camp after some confusion over the alleged order which Mr Hoover issued to suspend operations in the morning. The soldiers surrounded the camp and unlimbered the equipment for any emergency. Meanwhile, the veterans evacuated all women and children, although some inflammatory speeches were made in which self-appointed leaders urged resistance. The general evacuation started with the utmost confusion, many catching freight trains, others starting walking along various highways. Those remaining as an act of defiance to the soldiers set fire to their own shacks, the blaze casting a red glow over the whole scene of disorder. ARMY CHIEF’S COMMENT “GOVERNMENT THREATENED.” (Rec. 8.55 p.m.) Washington, July 29. General Douglas Macarthur, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, who was in charge of the evacuation of the “bonus” veterans, expressed the belief on Friday morning that the “Government would have been threatened” had not President Hoover ordered the troops out on Thursday.