Richmond planet., 1903-03-14
KILLED IN THEIR BEDS
Miners Union Investigates Shooting
of Men in West Virginia.
HAD NO CHANCE TO SURRENDER

1t 10 Said Deputy Marshal Cunning
hams Posse Fired Into Miners
Homes at Night, Killing Them With
out Moments Warning.
Indianapolis. March 9.-The official
report of Chris Evans, who was sent
to the West Virginia coal fields to
investigate the killing OF the coIored
miners at Atkinsville. has been re-
ceived at the headQuarter OF the United
Mine Workers.
The report says that General St
Clair, the attorney for the coal COM
panies, created an agitation to have
the men arrested and taken to Charles
tor end that immediately afterward ar
rangements were made with the United
States marshal by the Mine Workers
officials to give bond for all who were
arrested. but that later, on account of
the agitation created by Deputy Mar
shall Cunningham, the agreement with
the marshal was broken, and Cunning
ham was sent to arrest the men.
According to the report, there was
great feeling against Cunningham, and
the men decided not to allow him to
arrest them, and he was driven away.
Mr.. Evans says that he sent a tele-
gram to the men to submit quietly,
but that the coal companies, who own
all the telegraph and telephone lines
into the town. refused to deliver it,
and before he could get any message
to the men Cunningham and his depu-
ties. who, he says, were the worst
characters he could collect, went to
the town a second time and killed the
miners in their beds at night.
Mr.. Evans says that he went TO the
scene OF the trouble the next morn
ing, and that As men had been arrest
ed for conspiracy to kill Cunning
ham. He found in house occupied
by colored man. called "Stonewall'
jackson. the dead bodies of William
Dodson, William Clark and Richard
Clayton, all negroes
The report continues: I'VE found
that the wife OF Jackson and her four
children. with eight negroes, were In
the house, and that about daybreak
all were awakened by shots fired into
the house from the outside. This shoot
ing took place without warning, 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, NOR
tally wounded, having been shot as he
was dressing. Hizer lived with his sis
ter, and she made the statement at
the inquest that she pleaded with those
shooting not to kill her children, and
In reply said: Women and children
must take care of themselves In no
instance could we find where these
people had been asked to surrender.
until after the deputies had commenc-
ed shooting at the occupants of the
houses.
I'VE next went to the house of Lu-
Glen Lawson, who was considered NOR
tally wounded. j understand that af-
ter the shooting referred to, this man.
with others, returned the fire OF the
posse, and this is the only instance
where any attempt of resistance was
made by the miners. During the shoot
In, in many instances, the 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,
toned, but that all would have been
glad to surrender If they had been al
lowed the opportunity"
Mr.. Evans says that the coroner's
jury has returned verdict of feIonious
killing against Cunningham for the
killing of William Dodson.