Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-14
MINERS KILLED IN BED.
investigation Made by Agent Of
Miners Union.
NEGRO WORKERS SHOT DOWN
Chris Evans Says IL Only One Instance Vas
There Any Resistance Made Men
and Women Plesded,
and Women Plesded.

and W0men Pieaded.
Indianapolis. March 9.-The official
report Of Chris E. Evans. who was
sent to the West Virginia coal fields to
investigate tie killing Of the colored
miners at Atk1nsville. has been re-
ceived at the headquarters OF the
United Mine workers.
The report SAYS that General St.
Clair, the attorney for the companies.
created an agitation to have the men
arrested and taken TO Charleston. and
that immediately afterward arrange
ments were made with the United
States marshal bv the mine workers
officials to give bond for all who were
arrested. but that later on account of
the agitation created bv DEPUTY Mar
shal Cunningham, the agreement with
the marshal was broken and Cunning
ham was sent to arrest the men.
According to the report. there WAS
a great feeling against Cunningham.
and the men decided NOT TO allow him
to arrest them. and he was drive II
away. Mr.. Evans saws that he sent a
telegram to the men to submit quietly,
bat the coal companies. who own all
the telegraph and TELEPHONE lines in
to the town, refused to deliver it., and
before he could get any message TO the
men Cunningham and his deputies.
who, he saws. were the worst charac-
tiers he could collect, went to the town
a second time and killed the miners
in their beds at night.
FOUND THREE DEAD MEN.
Mr.. Evans says that he went to the
scene of the trouble the next morning
and that As men had been arrested for
conspiracy to kill Cunningham. He
found in a house occupied bv a eolored
man called ''Stonewall'' jackson the
dead bodies OF William Dodsbn. Will
liam Clark and Richard CLAYTON. all
negroes.
The report continues:
"We found that the wife of Jackson
and her four children, with eight me-
groes, were in the house. and at about
daybreak Ii were awakened by shots
fired into the house from the outside.
The soothing took place without warn
ing, and the three colored men were
found dead On the floor. Two were in
their night clothes. and the other one
was partly dressed. We visited another
house. where Joseph Hizer lay in bed
mortally wounded, having been shot
as he was dressing. Hizer lived with
his sister, and she made the state
ment at the inquest that she pleaded
with those shooting not to kill her
children, and in replv Cunningham
said:
NOT ASKED TO SURRENDER.
Women and children must take
care of themselves
'.In no instance could we find where
these people had been asked to surren-
der, until after the deputies had begun
shooting at the occupants of the houses.
eve next went to the house oF Luz
clan Lawson, who was considered NOR
tally wounded | understand that af-
ter the shooting referred to. this man,
with others, returned the fire of the
nosse. and this is the only instanc e
where anv attempt of resistance was
made by the miners. During the shoot
lug. in MANY instance, these men and
women pleaded with the men outside
to have mercy on them. but their cries
were met with derision and curses.
Our investigation proves conclusively
that no effort was made to shoot or
resist, except in the one case men,
tionedy but that all would have been
glad TO surrender, if they had been al
lowed the opportunity"
Mr.. Evans saws hat the coroner's
jurv has returned a verdict of feloni-
Gus killing against Cunningham for
the killing of William Dodson.