Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-03-09
SHOT DOWN IN BED.
Without Warning Marshal
Opens Fire on Houses
of Miners.
PLEAS FOR MERCY UHHEEDED.
Official Report to United Mine Work.
ers Says Shooting Was Unnecessary
and Men Had No Chance to surren-
der Until After Being Fired Upon,

indianapolis, March 9-The official
report of Chris Evans who was sent
to the West Virginia coal fields to in
vestigate the killing of the eolored
miners at Atkinsville has been re-
ceived at the headquarters Of the Unit
ed 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
Charleston, and that Immediately af-
terward arrangements were made
with the United States marshal by
the mine workers officials to give
bond for all who we're arrested but
that later, on account of the agitation
created by Deputy Marshal Cunning
ham, the agreement with the marshal
was broken and Cunningham 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 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 morning
and that as men had been arrested
for conspiracy to kill Cunningham.
He found in house occupied by a
colored man called "Stonewall" Jack
son, the dead bodies of William Dod-
son. William Clark and Richard Clay
ton, all negroes. The report con-
tinues:
I'VE found that the wife of Jackson
and her four children, with eight me-
groes, were in the house, and that
about daybreak all were awakened by
shots fired into the the house from
the outside. This shooting took place
without warning, and the three col
ored 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
sister, and she made the statement at
the inquest that she pleaded with
those shooting not to kill her children,
and in reply Cunningham said:
Women and children must take care
of themselves
In no instance could we find where
these people had been asked to sur
render until after the deputies had
commenced shooting at the occupants
of the houses.
Lucian Lawson, who was considered
mortally wounded. | understand that
after the shooting referred to this
man, with others, returned the fire OF
the posse, and this is the only In.
stance where any attempt at resist.
ance was made by the miners. Dur.
ing the shooting in many instances
the men and women pleaded with the
men outside to have mercy on them,
but their cries were met with de.
rision and curses Our investigation
proves conclusively that no effort was
made to shoot or resist, except in the
one case mentioned, but that all
would have been glad to surrender
if they had been allowed the oppor.
tunity."
Mr.. Evans says that the coroner's
jury has returned verdict of feloni-
GUS killing against Cunningham for
the killing of William Dodson.