◆ SpookStack

Ries ee ee Fires. After the troops arrived, fire broke out among the old shacks occupied by bonus marchers on the Pennsylvania Avenue tract where the rioting occurred, and later at the big camp kmown as Camp Marks on the Anacostia River, fram whieh the buik of the rioters had come to attack the police, The cause of the outbreak of the fire in the Pennsylvania Avenue area is not know. The trocps had no orders to act any fires. There was inflammable debris around, end the cause of tne arigin of the fire in the Pennsylvania Avenue area is variously given as having been set by cigarettes or hot tear fas bombs, The ‘avacuation of the large camp known as Camp Marks occurred later. At 7:00 o'cleck in the evening the bonus marchers at that camp were notified that they would have to evacuate and that the troops would sitive, Sometime later the troops arrived at Camp Marks and were asked hy the bonus marchers to delay an hour more to give the marchers time to evacuate comfortably. This request was granted, ary of the ronus marchers had already left, but the twoops waited until the remainder packed up and marbhed out. While the troops were waiting, fires set by the retiring honus marchers broke out in a number of localities’ among the shacks and debris in the camp, and the conflagration became general. Such action as the troops took at either of these places with ~~ . respect to fire was later to complete the work of the retiring bonus merchers by burning up the remainder of the debris, Photographs of soldiers setting fire to debris were evidently taken at this stage of the proceedings, The bomis marchers at these two sites, having evacuated their camps, then procceded to leave the city. Camp Bartlett, on private property, was not disturbed by the troops, but was later evacuated by the bonus marchers. Te Women and children. The principal group of women and children in the Bonus Army was lecated in the Comminist camp at 12th and 13th Streets, S. W., which Was not disturted »y the troops but was voluntarily evacuated ty the marchers. The Red Cross promptly offered and furnished assistance and transportation te all women and children in the Bonus Army and to their men-folks, and actually did furnish transportation to 221 women and 247.. children, There is no evidence whatever that any women or children were injured or ill-treatcd, The Veterans’ Bureau, under authority of Congress, issued transportation to 4344 veterans by railroad and 939 by automevile, Transportation by truck to their homes had heen offered by the Secretary of War to all remaining benus marchers, but was not furnished because the offer was refused. 8. Grand Jury. Indictments have been returned ty the Grand Jury of the District of Columbia against a number c* the alleged rioters. The results of this effu-. o bring to jm' * - ‘hs principals who incited this riot ‘have been + “isfe ‘ory. ..8 reason ls Shat om the Aay of the riot no detect. “.¢ . wert «i Camp "Marloes, where originated the lerse movement to rm. ‘ver and attack the police. The fuscvicn of having detectives end crime prevention agents in & position to observe and obtain evidence against those who at the lest moment incited the riotous mareh and attack, belonged to the District police, The inspector in ° charge of that branch of the poliees scrviga reports that he had no orders to place men for that purpose, and, on the contrary, on the day of the disturrance was directed to keep his iien out of the area. Con- sequently, in the confusion and absence of this detcctive service, it has been impossible toidentify and bring to justice some of the principal inciters of the disorder. It ia always tha case under such conditioms:, that the radicals and disorderly elements who incite such action @o so warily and somtimes fade from the scene when the trouble cOMmenoes . \ } !