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Dodge grand jury hearing, March 25 (1)
When Dodge spoke to the press on Monday, he affirmed he was in fact following the path that the New York American reporter had raised. He mentioned charges of criminal anarchy, which carried a sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $5000, in connection with the disorder. However, newspaper stories differed on just what he said, with the New York American, Home News and New York Sun reporting such charges “might be returned,” the New York Herald Tribune that the DA had evidence that “would justify” such charges, the Daily News, Times Union and New York Post that indictments would be sought and the New York World-Telegram that indictments were being sought. The New York Times did not publish a story about Dodge or the grand jury. There is no evidence that Dodge actually presented such charges; certainly, the grand jury did not vote for any indictments for criminal anarchy.
In raising criminal anarchy, Dodge told reporters that his investigators had found “some good clues,” a phrase reported in the New York American, Daily News, New York Herald Tribune, New York Sun, Times Union and Home News. The New York World-Telegram substituted “splendid new leads.” As examples, he displayed pamphlets seized in the earlier raids on the offices of Communist Party organizations, saying although he could no reveal their content, they were “hot stuff.” His claim that the documents were advocating the overthrow of the government was widely reported, in the New York Post, New York Sun, Home News, Times Union, New York Herald Tribune and New York World-Telegram, as was the assertion that they had been "distributed to young school children.” Curiously given their anti-Communist focus, none of the Hearst newspapers, the New York Evening Journal, New York American and the Daily Mirror, mentioned the pamphlets.
Instead, the New York American (in a separate, earlier story) and New York Evening Journal, joined only by the New York Post, reported Dodge again speaking about the grand jury considering new legislation so “irresponsible agitators would be prevented from goading thoughtless people toward the overthrow of the American form of government, by violence,” as the New York American reported. The New York Evening Journal summarized its purpose as “designed to curb Communistic activities in the interests of the public safety.” The New York Post described the legislation as “defining” free speech, with all three stories reporting that he insisted it would not be a restriction on free speech. The two Hearst newspapers were also alone in including in their stories that Dodge had met with Federal officials and planned to turn his evidence over to them.
For all of Dodge’s bravado, the day’s grand jury hearing resulted in only one additional indictment related to the disorder. Unreported in the Home News, New York Sun, New York Times, New York Post, New York Herald Tribune and New York Evening Journal, the indictment charged [a man] with taking goods worth 15 cents. Only the Times Union reported the value of the goods. The New York American described the alleged offense as “theft of toilet articles,” the New York World-Telegram as “stealing several rolls of paper towels from a shop window,” and the Daily News simply identified the charge as burglary. Only the New York Post, continuing its criticism of Dodge’s anti-Communist focus, made a connection between the case and the DA’s rhetoric, describing the indictment as “for nothing spectacular.”
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This page references:
- "Plan To Indict For Anarchy In Harlem Riots," Daily News, March 26, 1935, 14.
- "Blamed for Riot, Harlem Girl Fined. Disorders Fatal to Three Laid to Her Screaming in Store Where Boy Stole Knife. 5 MEN GO TO WORKHOUSE. Dodge Expects Arrest of Red Leaders," New York Times, March 24, 1935, 19.
- "Mayor Blames Rioting Upon Need of Relief" New York American, March 26, 1935, 6.
- "Indictments Due For Riot Anarchy," New York Sun, March 25, 1925, 2.
- "Dodge Plans War on Reds," Daily News, March 24, 1935, 4.
- "Dodge to Ask Anarchy Indictments Against Leaders of Fatal Harlem Riot," Home News, March 26, 1935, 1.
- "Harlem Rioters Face Anarchy Indictments," New York Herald Tribune, March 26, 1935, 17.
- "Mayor Assailed by Clergymen in Riot Inquiry," New York World-Telegram, March 25, 1935, 3.
- "Dodge Declares War in Red Leaders; Harlem Girl, "Cause of Riot," is Fined," Home News, March 24, 1935, 3.
- "Riot Inquiry," New York American, March 25, 1935, 1.
- "Anarchy Charged in Harlem Riots," New York Post, March 25, 1935, 3.
- "Reds in Harlem Face Anarchists' Trial For Rioting," Times Union, March 25, 1935, 1.
- "Riot Jury Set Against Reds to Ask Laws," New York Evening Journal, March 25, 1935, 2.