Investigation and Protection reports

No. 37 Reports:

Salt Lake, Utah, Tuesday, November 17, 1915.

This afternoon at 5:20 I went to the I.W.W. Hall located in the Herald Bldg. on W. Temple St. and 1st South, where I inquired for Ed. Rowen, the Secretary. I was informed that he was not in and one of the I.W.W. members told me that if I was a reporter, Rowen would not talk to me, they having decided at one of their meetings that they would make no statements as the papers would not give them a square deal.

I returned to the hall again at 7:30 P.M., when I met Rowen and under a suitable pretext interviewed him. I then designated him to Opt. 129 and discontinued. Rowen is described as follows:

Age 40, height 5 ft. 9, weight 175 lbs., heavy short brown mustache, blue eyes, wears glasses, cloth cap.

Reported-M Salt Lake 11/17/15

No. 129 Reports: Salt Lake, Utah, Thursday, November 18, 1915

Today Rowan arrived at the I.W.W. Headquarters about 12:15 P.M. He left again at 1:00 P.M. and went to Sorensen's jewelry store on E. 2nd South. He left here in a few minutes and started back to Main St., meeting a fellow at the corner of Commercial and 2nd South, with whom he talked for about 20 minutes. He then returned to their headquarters.

He came out about 2:00 P.M. and walked to the saloon at West Temple and 1st South, then returned to the I.W.W. Hall.

He came out about 3:00 P.M. and walked east on 1st South to a small furniture repair shop between 2nd and 3rd east, which I understand is run by a Mr. Child. He came out in about five minutes with a short man who has a heavy black mustache and beard, and whom I later learned is Child. They walked down 2nd East St. very fast to an alley in the rear of house No. 234 S. 2nd East, entering the first small brick house in the alley. About ten minutes later they came out with three other men, one of whom was well dressed. The latter was a large man and he got into Franklin automobile No. 3486 ut. alone and drove east on 2nd South. Rowan, Child and the other two, one of whom I believe is Reader, walked west on 2nd South to a crowd which was standing in front of a store between Commercial and State Sts. I then left them in charge of two other operatives and reported at the office. When I returned to this place, they had left, and I was later informed that they boarded a 15th East car.

I returned to my room near the I.W.W. Headquarters. About 5:45 P.M. Rowan entered the place. He came out about 5:10 P.M. and got in Ford auto No. 7201 or 7281 ut. with a lady and two men. They drove south on W. Temple and I lost sight of them. I then went to 2nd South and Commercial, as I understood they would hold a street meeting there. About 8:00 P.M. Rowan and a number of others arrived at this place and started the meeting. Rowan did not speak, but stood in the crowd for a short time then left going to Sorensen's jewelry store with Child and another man. He came out of here in a short time and the three of them went to I.W.W. headquarters. A few minutes later a large man whom I was informed is Attorney Christensen and another man entered the hall. They remained there about 30 minutes, when Rowan and the attorney walked south on W. Temple to 2nd South, east to Main, south to 3rd South, east to State, then south to the County Jail. They left here in about 15 minutes and returned to 2nd South and Main, where they entered the Kenyon Bar. They then went to the Leon's Bar on Main. They came out of here at 10:00 P.M. and stood in front until 10:35 P.M. talking, then entered the bar again. At 10:40 P.M. they came out and went to the Kenyon Bar. They came out of here in about 5 minutes, and walked to the front of the Wilson Hotel, where Rowan left Atty. Christensen and walked east on 2nd South alone. At

6th East and 2nd South, he met two men and a woman and the four of them walked south on 6th East entering an alley between 2nd and 3rd South on 6th East. At 11:30 P.M. about four men and three ladies came out of the alley and walked to 3rd South and 6th East, where they boarded a car which was just coming along. I was unable to get near enough this car to board it, and as it was very dark I do not know whether Rowan was with the crowd. I remained in the vicinity until 1:30 A.M. and as no one else put in an appearance, I discontinued.

Reported-M Salt Lake 11/19/15

No. 6 Reports: Salt Lake, Utah, Thursday, November 18, 1915.

This morning I received instructions to designate to operatives for the purpose of surveillance, Messrs. Child and Ritter active members of the local I.W.W. organization.

Accordingly I went to their hall at 72 S. West Temple St. and after two or three calls, learned that both of these men are employed during the day, Child running a small furniture repair shop at 215 E. 1st South, and Ritter being an electrician working for himself, but no one seemed to know where.

I then went to Child's repair shop with Opt. 158 and after interviewing him under a suitable pretext, designated him to the Operative.

Later about 5:30 P.M. I received instructions to accompany Opt. 158 and look for Child, as the operative had lost him when Child took a car for the penitentiary. Accordingly we went to the vicinty of the I.W.W. Hall 72 S. West Temple St. About 6:00 P.M. we noticed Sec. Rowan and another man come out of the hall and enter Ford auto license No. 7201-U and drive south on W. Temple. As Child did not appear to be at the hall, we went to the vicinity of No. 45 S. 1st West St which is given in the directory as his residence, but did not see anything of him.

We then returned to the vicinty of the hall and about 7:30 P.M. Child came out and started north on W. Temple, for a short distance, crossed the street, then turned and went south to No. 227 S. West Temple St., O'Donnell & CO.'s undertaking parlors. After a few minutes he came out and returned to the hall, where he remained a short time. He then left and meeting a woman at the corner went south on W. Temple to 2nd South and over to Main, where he met a small party of people which the woman with Child joined, After these people had boarded a car, Child met a man and stood and talked with him for about ten minutes, then accompanied him to the I.W.W. hall. About 8:30 P.M. Child and this man left the hall and went over 1st South St. to Main, down to 2nd South, and over to the crowd who was listening to an I.W.W. speaker. Here Child suddenly left this man and hurried to Sorensen's Jewelry store a few doors west on 2nd. At the entrance he met Sec. Rowan, and they stood in front and talked excitedly a few minutes, then went inside and talked with Sorenson and another man. In about 20 minutes, Child, Rowan and another man left the store and went to the I.W.W. hall. A short time later two men, one of whom Opt. 158 informed me was Soren X. Christensen, attorney for Hillstrom, entered the hall. About 9:15 P.M. Child and the man who had accompanied he and Rowan from Sorenson's store, left the hall and went to the undertaking parlor at 227 S. West Temple. A few minutes later they came out and returned to the hall. About 9:30 P.M. Rowan with two other men, one apparently Atty. Christensen left the hall and went south on S. West Temple St. At the same time Child and the man who accompanied him to undertaking parlors left

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the hall and went over 1st South to Main, down Main to 2nd South and east to State, then up State to the Opera Bar, where they went in long enough to have a drink, then went north on State to 1st South, where the man with Child jumped on a Murray car that was just rounding the corner, and Child continued on east on 1st South. He went to about the middle of the block between 2nd and 3rd East, and apparently entered a short alley which leads to some houses or terraces in the rear, and runs north from 1st South.

Opt. 158 and I then remained in the vicinity for over an hour, and as Child did not come out, we returned to the vicinity of the I.W.W. hall. None of the leading members appeared to be there at this time, and after remaining about half an hour we went to the vicinity of Sorensen's store which was closed. As there did not appear to be any I.W.W. activity along 2nd South St. or in the vicinity of the hall, we discontinued about midnight.

Reported-M Salt Lake 11/19/15