◆ SpookStack

€. Fires, After the troops arrived, fire broke out among the old shacks occupied by bonus marchers on the Pennsylvania Avenuo tract where the rioting occurred, and leter at the big camp mown as Camp Marks on the Anacostia River, from whieh the bulk of the rioters had come to attack the police, The cause of the outbreak of the fire in the Pennsylvania Avenue area is not known. The troops had no orders to set sny fires. There was inflammable debris around, end the cause of the origin of the fire in the Pennsylvania Avenue area is variously Given as having been set by cigarettes or hot tear jas bombs. The + evacuation of the large camp known as Camp Marks occurred later. At 7:00 o'clock in the evening the bonus marchers at that camp were : notified that thoy would have to evacuate and that the troops would eirive, Sometime later the troops arrived at Camp Marks and were asked hy the bonus marchers to delay an hour more to give the marchers tine to evacuate comfortably. This request was granted. Mary of the ronus marchers hed already left, but the twoops waited until the remainder packed up and merbhed 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 bonus 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, tut vas later evacuated by the bonus marchers, Te Women and children. The principal group of women and children in the Bonus Amy was located in the Communist camp at 12th and 13th Streets, S. W%., which was not disturted by the troops but was voluntarily evacuated by the marchers. The Red Cross promptly offered and furnished assistance and tronsportation to all women and children in the Bonus Army and to their men-folks, and ectually did furnish transportation to 221 women and 247.. children, There is no evidence whatevor that any women or ~ children were injured or ill-treated. The Veterans’ Bureau, under authority of Congress, issued transportetion to 4344 veterans by railroad and 939 by eutomovile, Transportation by truck to their homes had been offered by the Secretary of War to all remaining bonus h marchers, but was not furnished because the offer was refused. ia 8. Grand Jury, Indictments heave been returned by the Grand Jury of the District of Colunbia against a number c* the alleged rioters. The results of this effu-. o hring to jv ° - ‘he principals who incited this riot have been “isfe ‘ory. .© reason is Shat om the day of the riot no detect “.¢ . were «: Camp*Marks, where originated the lerge ~ movement to cm. ‘ver and attack the police, The fiwcvien of having 7 detectives and crime prevention agents in @ position to observe and ; Obtain evidence against those who at the lest moment incited the riotous = | march and attack, belonged to the District police, The inspector in * charge of that branch of the poliee scrviee reporte 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 iaen out of the area. Con- sequently, in the confusion and absence of this detcctive service, it has been impossible to identify and bring to justice some of tho principal inciters of the disorder. It is always tha case under such conditions, that the radicals and disorderly elements who incite such action éo so warily and somtimes fade from the scene when the trouble commences. \