Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-07
WAS HORRIBLE OUTRAGE
Evidence Shows That Three Of the
Miners Were Shot Down.
OFFICIALS SAY 1T WAS MURDER
Men Shot Down in Their Room BY Posse
Before They Had Tine TO
Dress.

Charleston. w. Va. March 3-The
inquest ait Beckley. the county seat Of
RALEIGH county, over tlIe three miners
killed at Stamford develops the fact
that these men were killed in u room
aud also supports the contention that
the so called battle was q raid. III
which promiseuous shooting Of the
officers aroused these men from sleep.
Chris Evans. a national officer Of
the United Mine Workersn and S. c..
Burdett, their attorney, declare it will
reveal details that will horyify the
country. From copies Of evidence ia
their possession aud the investi CATION
they made the following is CLEANED.
The three miners killed outright
were William Dodsou, William Clark
and Richard Clayton. They were kill
ed IN a room IA feet auare. Nine of
the ~ panes Of glass in window
were pierced By bullet holes and eight
in.the other, while part Of the sash was
blown away by shots from the outside.
There was not a gun III the DON or in
the house.
Dodson's dead body was clothed only
in his underwear. Clark was partly
dressed and had one shoe on, parity
laced. the other lavirg near his bare
foot. as though he was killed while
dressing. CLAYTON Law in another room.
1t is supposed he staggered into it at
ter being shot.
William Perkins and Wash Lee, two
inmates of the house, testified that
Clark had gone out of the mouse and
surrendered in an answer to a demand
while the posse was firing. A mine
guard accompanied him back to the
room at mis- request to be allowed to
dress, and while Clark sat down on a
chair, it is alleged by three witnesses.
the guard placed a Winchester at his
back and fired. the fatal ball passed
through him. The wound corroborates
this statement.
Attorney Burdett saws that coal OPP
orators and posse leade rs suppl ed the
press generally. and he asks if it isn't
most remarkable that 300 miners
should have conducted a battle with
none of the posse being killed or
wounded, except q colored guard, who
was shot in the leg. Burdette and
Evans concede that a few miners,
driven from their homes and pursued
to the hillside, did some shooting, but
that it was after they were attacked.
Arrangements to take the bonds of the
the men wanted for injunction viola
lions Wednesday. March 4th. had been
made. and they say they couldn't un-
derstand the purpose of an attack by
crowds ON their homes before dav
light.
B. H. Hull of Charleston. who was
one of the posse voluntarily Informed
Mr. Burdette that the affair was an
outrage. and that the shooting was
opened by the posse, He said he didn't
see a miner fire. He noticed It me men
outside the houses running away, Who
were shot as thev ran.
The disturbance at Atkinsville last
Saturday, when Deputy Marshal Dan
Cauningham's process serving was ar
rested, indirectly precipjtated the
clash. Chris Evans sought to notify
the miners to submit peacefully as
soon as he heard of it. but the nearest
telegraph station is at Prince. Mesa
ees TO A%tkinsville must be transmitted
by telephone. The coal companies N
troll the telephones. Evans says his
message was not sent and he intimates
81 gnificant reasons. The kilograms
from hum and the operators spoke for
themselves:
Charleston, W. Va, Feb, ali. W.
Lilly or Joe Gilmore, Atkinsville, W.
Va.
Advise mine workers to make no re-
sistance to arrest under attachments.
| Arrangements made TO give bond for
those who may be arrested.
Chris Evans.
In reply came this message:
Charleston, W. Va. Yours. adj
dressed j.. w. Lilly or joe Gilmore.
A~tkinsville W. Va. and +singed Chris
Evans. was undelivered. We have no
telephone to Atkinsville and the coal
companies refose to handle it. Can't
get special messenger ITO handle for
fear of violene. Will mail Monday.
Prince, w. Va.
There were several in the posse who
are under indictment for murder or
who have killed their man. but many
Others were good men. Stamford is not
located on company property.
The inquest was held at the instance
of the friends of the dead men for the
purnose of fixing the responsibility for