The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-26
IN A FIERCE FIGHT
OFFICERS OF THE LAW JOIN WITH
RIOTING MINERS.
THREE MINERS WERE KILLED.
MANY OTHERS OF BOTH SIDES
WE'RE WOUNDED.

occurred
w. Va.-sheriR Cook and Deputy
u, 6. Marshal Cunningham Led
the Attacking Posses-Surprised
the Rioters and Demanded Their
Surrender Reply Was a Shot
Tint Opened the Battle - Omcers
Won and Took Many Prisoners.
Charleston, Kanawha County, w.
Va, Feb. 25.-At Stamford City, Ra-
leigh county, terrible battle took
pIace at dawn to-day, between the joint
posses of Deputy United States Marshal
Cunningham and Sheriff Cook on one
side, and rioting miners on the other,
as a result of which three miners were
killed. two others MORALLY wounded
and A number of others on both sides
more or less seriously hurt.
The dead: Dick Taylor, ---- Dob
son. and an unknown miner.
Mortally wounded: John Heiser, Ir-
win Lawson.
The trouble grew out of the attempt
to arrest thirty-four miners for the vio-
lation of the blanket injunction issued
by Federal Judge Keller last August.
Deputy Marshal D. w. Cunningham
went last Saturday to Atkinsville,
mining town in Raleigh county, to ar
rest men charged with violating the In
junction. He was surrounded by
large party of miners, armed with Win
chester rifles, who ordered him to leave
the place, an order which he quickly
obeyed.
Sheriff Cook at this time attempted to
make some arrests under process issued
by the state court, and was treated in
a like manner.
Secured Strong ReinfOrcements.
Cunningham returned to this city and
reported to the marshal and district
attorney that he could do nothing with
out a large force, and then only at i'm
minent risk of precipitating a bloody
conflict. He was instructed to return
with men sufficient to serve the pro-
cess given him, and to do it at all haz-
ards.
Before Cunningham returned to At
kinsville, however. Marshal John K.
Thofnpson@and s. G. Burdett, attorney
for the United Mine Workers, went to
the scene, spending most of Sunday
and Monday there. They found every
thing quiet, the rioters having with
drawn from the immediate neighbor-
hood and crossed New River. going into
camp 800 strong near the Big @ mine
on the north side. Thompson and
Burdett came home Tuesday morning,
and Cunningham and a strong posse
went from here to make the arrest.
When Atkinsville was reached, the
federal forces were joined by Sheriff
Cook and his posse. the coal COM
panies near by furnished some guards
and the sheriff and deputy found them
selves in command of about 100 well
armed and determined men.
Surprised the Miners.
The rioters had crossed the river on
Tuesday, and were parading down be-
fore the various coal works from $50
to 200 men. armed with Winchester
rifles They intimidated miners at
work, drove away the guards of the
mines and even went so far as to dis
arm the guard and force him to march
at the head of their procession. En-
boldened by their success, they at
tempted to burn down a bridge of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad over
Piney Gulch. and threatened the de-
struction of other property. Last night
they went into camp near Stamford
City
About daylight to-day the officers
and their combined posses surprised
the rioters in their camp and called on
them to surrender. The reply was a
shot This was answered by shot,
and Immediately a furious battle was
raging. When it ceased, three of the
rioters lay dead and many others were
found to be wounded, two of them IA
tally
Trial of the Prisoners.
falling to the share of Deputy Cum
ningham and sixty three to Sheriff
Cook. All the prisoners were taken to
Beckley, the county seat of Raleigh
county, where the United States pris-
oners were given preliminary hear
ing by Commissioner Dunn and held
for appearance here. They will be
brought here on an early morning
train.
The federal authorities will try to
get the state to give up the sixty
three so that they may be tried in the
federal court, but it is doubtful if it
will be done, as the state court will
meet on Monday and it is thought
they probably can be tried more ex-
peditiously there.
S. c. Burdette, attorney for the
Mine Workers of America, went to
Beckley this afternoon to attend the
case of the miners. The injunction
which the miners were charged with
violating was the blanket writ of
Judge Keller in the suit of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Coal Agency Com
pany. The defendants in the case
were all the coal companies opera ting
in the New River field, fifteen MEM
bers of the Mine Workers of America
by name. including President Mitchell
and Secretary Wilson and all other
persons whatsoever, who aided and
abetted them. The injunction covered
almost every foot of ground in the coal
mining region of New River.
Fresh Trouble IL Feared.
While all the mines in the Ka-
nawha and New River sections have
been worked for some months the
strike has not been officially declared
off, and its embers have been smould-
ering in the New River gorge,
threatening to break into flames in the
spring.
The locality in which to-day's trag-
edy occurred is one in which the
mines have but recently been opened
up, and the small towns are filled with
tho most desperate men that have ever
come into the state.
Advices from the scene of conflict to-
night are 20 the effect that all Is quiet
now, but fears are entertained that
trouble will break out afresh at any
moment, and the conflict OF to-day Is