The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-05-17
4 DEFI|SE on STRIKERS
Governor McOorklo's Tribute to
West Virginia Miners.
STRIKERS PERFECTLY ORDERLY.

The Governor Declares That at No Time
Has There Been Any Evidence of In
tended Lawlessness-AlarmiD Reports
Utterly Misleading.
WHEELING w Va. May 17.-Following
on the heels Of the interview with Cover
nor O'Ferrall, in which that gentleman
decided that only the presence Of Virginia
troops at Pocahontas prevented bloodshed
by keeping the West Virginia miners in
check, the following telegram from Gov
ernor McCorllle, of this state, is not only
important but is a contribution to the
interesting state of affairs that has arisen
between the governors of the two states
growing out of the refusal of the governor
of West Virginia to grant the request of
the governor of Virginia to allow Vir-
ginia troops to cross the border. The dis
patch is signed by Governor McCorkle,
and is as follows:
"In Wednesdays dispatches to the press
from Pocahontas you say: West Virginia
miners are closely watched, us firing on
the picket lines has increased This state
ment does the West Virginia miners gross
injustice, not a shot having been fired by
any West Virginia miner nor by any
miner, and not breach of the peace has
occurred. Nothing has been done by any
West Virginia workingman to warrant
the suspicion that they intend to anything
more than peacefully strike. The report-
were sent out by interested parties for .
purpose and the motive is well known. Ali
the newspaper reports from that section
have been utterly misleading, and highly
colored, intended for the purpose of in
fluencing public opinion. The four or five
shots fired one day were not fired by any
miner, and are now known to have been
| arranged for by other parties.
sit is absolute and utter nonsense to at
tempt to dignity the proceedings in that
section by any suspicious of damage to
/ the peace of the state. am thoroughly
familiar with the situation, and, without
discussing the cause of the strike, will say
in my knowledge no strike in this coun
try has been ever conducted in so peace
able and law abiding manner, and the
continued imputation that West Virginia
miners are breaking the peace and invad-
ing other states with riotous intentions is
disgusting to all who know the true sit
uation.
when the first highly colored reports
come to this Office every arrangement was
made by me TO vigorously preserve the
peace of this state and prevent any law
lessness. would do SO at every hazard.
My views on this point are well known.
But the attempt to make the world believe
that our law abiding people are armed
rioters, and that IL peaceful strike is "A tur-
bulent insurrection, breaking the peace of
our own state as we'll as Others is frausht
with too much injury TO our material in
terests to be longer borne in silence.
"This statement is confirmed by the
sheriffs of the counties, by my own repre-
sentatives on the ground and by the super
intendent of the railroad The latter for
q week has wired me daily saying that
everything is quiet in that section, and
such has been the continued direction oil
all correct information from that field.
make this statement in order that simple
justice may be done our people"