Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-10-06
COAL CREEK LETTER.
Progress Made in the Trials of the
Riotous Miners.
Indictments Found. ..AlmOst Universal
Sympathy for the Prisoners.
Special Correspondence Herald and Tribune.

CLINTON, TENN. Oct. 1.-Circuit Court
has been in session here the entire week
and large crowd has been in attend
ance each day in expectation of hearing
the trials of the Coal Creek and Oliver
Springs miners for rioting and releas-
ing convicts. The following Grand
Jury was drawn and sworn in on Mon
day morning: j. B. Garden, foreman;
A. w. Goans, c. NJ. Lamar, r. L. Craw-
ford, P. G. Wallace, j. L. Pyatt, H. G.
Elkins, Robert Garden, j. F. Garrison,
c. NJ. Smith, w. A. Moore, S. w.
Braden and George Lovely.
The jury is considered very strong
and able body of men, and will un-
doubtedly do their duty in bringing in
dictments against the rioters. Judge
Hicks charge was voluminous docu-
ment, and covered all the important
cases to come before the court and
wound up with very lengthy and able
special charge in reference to theprose-
cution of the rioters, and here follows
some pointed extracts from the charge,
showing that Judge Hicks is determined
to carry out the law in spite of many
predictions to the contrary:
Gentlemen: Perhaps the most inter
esting and important matter that will
come before you this week will be those
arising out of the recent efforts on the
part of certain men and bodies of men
to haye the State convicts taken from
the coal mines in our county. Forum
ately or unfortunately for us, we have
this important question. Wei must meet
it as we must all other questions which
vitality concern the public welfare. We
never turned deaf ear or whispered
under cover, and we in this matter do
not want to say two words where one
will answer the same purpose. Then,
gentlemen, on this point you are told:
First-That by virtue of and under
ou statuary law enacted by our differ
ent Legislatures, State convicts have
been confined in certain coal mines
within our county. This was lawful,
and has been so determined by our court
of last resort in this State.
Second-That certainly, since the 18th
of September, 1891, it has been felony
for any person or persons to in any way
hinder, interrupt or interfere with the
working of the State convicts in these
mines and on conviction shall be con-
fined in the penitentiary of the State for
not less than one nor more than seven
years; and
Third-Over this matter you have in
quisitorial powers, and this being the
case you will find from proof to your
satisfaction that within our county this
law has been violated.
He next goes on to say that if since
the 10Th of September, 1891, there has
pCVh III thio SouheN uhy ahiCu ihoui
rection or mob, and which the local
authorities could not well suppress, il
was not only lawful, but the duty OF
the Governor to call out the State mill
tia and cause the sheriffs of different
counties to summon men and proceed
to the scene of the riots and use all rea
sonable means to put down the iLsur
rection, and if in the prosecution of thi'
duty life or lives were taken they were
at no fault, and could not be criminal
ed, but on the other hand if any of such
forces so called out or summoned wa,
slain, the staying was unlawful, tn,
offense was murder, and it was murder
on the part of the one or ones infiictinl
the fatal blow as well as OH the part o.
of the one or ones acting in concert will
him or them.
The grand jury has SO far brought il
about 100 indictments for rioting, bu