The Daily Worker

Police Attack Jobless In N.Y. Demonstration
Cops Slug Scores; Jail 13; Workers to Pack the Court Tuesday; Demonstrate Again Saturday

By Howard Boldt

NEW YORK.—Ten of the workers arrested at the demonstration of unemployed workers before the offices of the Welfare Department at 50 Lafayette St., were brought up at the First District Court at Franklin and Center Sts. Sunday morning, and ordered held in $1,500 bail by Magistrate McGee.

When McGee said: "Bail, $1,500 each," a boo rose from the packed court room. At a signal from the judge, police stationed in the court room descended upon the workers.

As the workers left the building the cops again attacked. Repeatedly the cops assaulted the workers. One woman, Myra Marini, was knocked to the ground, and slugged and kicked while on the ground. Attacks were made upon the workers blocks away from the court house. Cops slugged Mrs. Lechay, and jailed her and her husband.

Pack Court Tuesday

Workers are urged to pack the court room when the workers come up for trial at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 29, at the Tombs Court, Franklin and Center Sts.

In protest against the announced plans of the Welfare Department to cut 20,000 off Home Relief and an equal number on relief work by June 1, the jobless workers assembled shortly after 10 a.m. at the Department Building, 50 Lafayette St. Saturday, and started peaceful picketing. All during a continuous downpour of rain, the workers, carrying placards and shouting slogans, marched before the Welfare Department offices. At 11:15 a committee was elected to meet with Deputy Commissioner Stanley Howe, who had been previously informed by telegraph that a committee would call for a meeting.

Police barred the doors, and refused to admit the workers committee. After a short meeting in which Richard Sullivan, secretary of the New York Unemployed Councils, informed the workers of the refusal to meet with the committee, the committee marched to the door. Instantly the police slashed out with nightsticks, and scores of detectives, armed and carrying short lead-weighted blackjacks attacked the demonstrators. Mounted police rode into the solid packed ranks, twirling their horses in a circle, and slashing at the heads of the workers.

As the ranks of the workers broke, Ben Lapidus, organizer of the New York County Unemployment Councils, led the jobless into reforming their picket line. Deputy Inspector James A. Wall shouted to the police, "Clean them up. Treat them rough!" and again the police, now reinforced by two emergency squads and scores of patrolmen and detectives, launched another attack. As the workers rose to defend themselves, eight police went down.

About 5,000 sympathetic workers now lined the streets.

Forced to Run Gauntlet

As the workers retreated, the police continued to attack the workers. Three workers wrested his nightclub from Policeman Conway, and he whipped out his gun and fired at the retreating workers. One worker, knocked down by a rain of blows over his head, was clubbed and kicked by four policemen.

As those arrested were brought shackled between two cops into the hallway at 50 Lafayette St., they were made to run a gauntlet of detectives who slashed at them with lead-loaded blackjacks. Jeremiah Lynch, a young Irish worker, was beaten about the neck while handcuffed between two cops. A detective kicked another prisoner, Larry Crolson, in the groin, while the cops laughed. Sam Miller, a crippled Daily Worker agent, who was on the opposite side of the street, had his crutches seized, and when he could not hop on one leg fast enough, was attacked and jailed.

The 13 arrested workers were taken to the 5th Precinct. Workers who attempted to go to the police station found the way blocked by mounted cops. Most of the workers were charged with "felonious assault and rioting" charges, carrying sentences of from three to ten years in Sing Sing. When the arresting cops asked that some of the prisoners be booked with misdemeanors, Lieut. Simon Breen, who booked the prisoners, ordered that the charges be changed to "riot and felonious assault," over the protests of Louis Fleisher, I.L.D. attorney. Sam Miller and Harold Ketchline were so booked. Eight others, Jake Poliski, a veteran, David Jenkins, Jeremiah Lynch, Cecil Alexander, Larry Crolson, marine worker, Joe Schendler, iron worker, Core D'Amicis, and Charles Williams were charged with felonious assault and rioting. Joseph Ellwell, Joseph Shimrinsky and Michael Davidow were charged with disorderly conduct.

Pack Night Court

Two of those arrested, Ellwell and Davidoff, were tried at night court. Workers packed the court to overflowing, and 600, unable to get inside, held an overflow meeting outside. While the trial was in progress, a collection for the defense of the workers was taken. One woman sympathizer contributed $40, several donated dollar bills when the collection was stopped by the police. Davidow was sentenced to three days in jail.

After the trial in night court, the workers swung into orderly ranks and marched down Broadway. At 45th St. scores of cops, ten squad cars and two emergency trucks of cops attacked the march, and again the workers rose to defend themselves.

Call June 2 Demonstration

An emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the Committee of One Hundred with heads of participating organizations present was held Sunday morning. Many of the injured workers were present at the meeting. It was unanimously decided to mobilize all workers by concerted actions at the relief bureaus and in the neighborhoods during the coming week and to rally all workers for another demonstration on Saturday, June 2, at 10 a. m., at 50 Lafayette St.

The conference of the Committee of One Hundred will reconvene on June 10 at Stuyvesant Casino at 2 p.m. The Committee will be reconstituted at this fourth session and non-participating organizations are being urged to elect delegates and members to the Committee of One Hundred.