Intimidation is Charged in Strike Inquiry

Article taken from The Lima News, July 3, 1936

A grand jury investigating violence at the strike-closed Wheeling Steel Corp., plant ordered today the Scioto-co courthouse and streets in its vicinity cleared of srtike pickets.

Prosecutors Emory Smith asserted that pickets had taken places in halls and in the vicinity of the courthouse and intimidated witnesses.

Robert Riley, 32, of New Boston, a steel worker, was jailed for contempt of court when he refused to obey the grand jury's order to leave the courthouse.

Sheriff Arthur Oakes and Police and police Chief Harry Sheets led a squad of officers, who cleared the building and shoved and pushed men who were slow in leaving.

Pickets attempted to patrol streets in the vicinity of the courthouse in automobiles, but were ordered from the district by occupants of police squad cars.

The grand jury, called into special session yesterday, is investigating outbreaks of shooting, which killed one man and wounded four others, bombing and assaults since a strike closed the plant May 22.