The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-03-04
HOW IT STARTED.
First Visit of Marshal Cunning
ham to Atkinsville.
Large Mob Heavily Armed Bluffed Him
to Standstill-He Returned to
Charleston for Re-infOrcements- de-
tails Of the start Of the Trouble
Which Ended so Bloodily n Wednes-
day.

CHARLESTON, w. VA, Feb. 28.-li
will hardly be disputed by any one &C
quainted with the facts when th,
statement is made that 10 his lonI
official experience as deputy United
States Marshal, Dan W. Canning
ham, OF this city, has run up against
some Of about the toughest PROPOSE
tions any officer has ever had to con.
tend with In the service Of Uncl,
Sam. He has probably been plotted
against, reviled and threatened with
bodily harm aud annihilationofx teneI
than some OF the monarchs ofgthe old
world, but Dan has always gone right
straight ahead, doing his duty as d.
rected aud paying no attention to
threats, curses and excavations.
Thus he has come to be regarded as
one of the most valuable and efficient
officers la the service.
But Deputy Cunningham is willing
now to admit that there is limit to
which even representative OF the
strong arm of Uncle Sam may 20.
Armed with injunctions issued from
Judge B. #. Keller, OF the United
States court, Deputy Marshal Cum
ningham was directed to serve them
upon thirty-three striking miners In
The neighborhood OF Atkinsville, Raj
eigh county. Cunningham left for
the scene OF the trouble on last Fri
day. and arrived at his destination
some time Saturday morning.
Before his departure from here Dep.
uty Gun ningham had seen Attorney
5. G. Burdett, aud with him agreed
that arrangements might be made at
Atklnsvlle for the release OF the men
On bond after their apprehension had
been accomplished.
Anticipating no difficulty In execut-
ing the mandates of the court, Depu
ty Cunningham reached Atkinsville
aud Immediately went IN headquar.
Lers OF the miners. He was therefore
very much surprised when he was
by not less than efty men
armed with Winchester rifles and
shotguns. Notwithstanding this
situation the officer noti-
fed the men Of his mission. One OF
the men who acted as spokesman for
The party, responded by saying that
they had been notified OF his coming,
and that they were prepared for him.
Then followed most tragic scene.
A number of the assembled men
cooked their guns ana leveled them at
the officer, while one OF them began
ringing large bell that was suspend
I'd over the trent door OF the post Of
ice. immediately following the ring
ing of the bell men began to emerge
from every direction and augment the
crowd already assembled. Most OF
them were armed. In about the time
that it takes to write It Deputy Mar
shall Cunningham, accompanied by
John Lang, Bob Crockett, K. w.
5aujot and Stewart Hunt were in the
midst OF a mighty dangerous looking
ot OF men.
This demonstration was made for
the purpose or resistin. the effort of
the officer to serve the process OF the
court. He was notified that he could
not have the men wanted, and the
emphasis that accompanied the refus-
II was such as to convince the officer
that any attempt to defy the demon
'traii,n OF force would only result 10
Marshal Cunningham says that the
mob was made up Of men of all ma
many of them being hang
~ NJ; =" w u and haipo fod from ~
VIZ. ,s..u daraarans ena d.srar
, ,e = a a,"ss
Lass s.r,n,,ch., for rarho,s tha
-, p .;wo IN his Ito Vas deferred
,rnn tha nor,ormanca NJ his dutv nv
~" do one p ~ ,orca 10 w,th.
s s.as,, ~ Snan as nossihio ana rstnrnad
- 1 r.as 80 &C., % nn p Sstnrdav n,aht and
~ s SnaoS0oh ~ rannrt - IL chias