A third theory was advanced by the defense counsel George Vanderveer in his opening statement: "I exonerate now and forever the American Legion from any responsibility for this. They were made catpaws." According to Vanderveer, as the Centralia contingent of Legionnaires began to pass by the Wobbly hall, a small group of men attempted to storm the building. However, although a few Legionnaires as individuals may have participated, the main aggressors were from the Centralia Citizens' Committee and were acting at the behest of F.B. Hubbard, president of the Eastern Railway & Lumber Company. Grimm, facing partially backwards towards the first platoon, would have seen that movement and assumed that it was his troops. Thus, his command "Halt. Close Up." makes more sense and could have been an attempt to return the men to the parade. However, when Wobblies saw that smaller group of men start towards their union hall, they naturally opened fire. Since the main body of Legionnaires was facing forward, it would not have seen the smaller group and so honestly believed that it had fired upon first. In addition, the packed Legionnaires, including Grimm, standing stationary in the street would have been the easiest targets.