Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-09
BRUTAL MURDER.
Mine Workers Agent Reports
O. %MkinsviIle Outrage.
Deputy Marshal Cunningham Charged
With Numbering Negro Miners.
A Brutal and Disgraceful Affair ir
West Virginia Fields.

indianapolis, Ind, March S.-The Of
fetal report of Chris Evans who was
sent to the West Virginia coal fields to
Investigate the killing Of the colored
miners at Atknsville, has been receiv-
cd at the headquarters of the United
Mine Workers.
The report says that Gen. st. CAR,
the attorney for the coal companies,
created an agitation to have the men
arrested and taken to Charleson and
that mme 1iate!y afterward arrange
ments were mde 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 agl-
tation created by Deputy Marshal Cum
ningham, the agreement with the mar
shall 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 ar
rest them, and he was driven away.
Mr. Evans says that he sent a telegram
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
ne touiu get any llleSSdSS " Tic illcH,
Cunningham and his deputies, who, he
says, were the worst characters he
could call, 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 morning,
and that AS men had been arrested for
conspiracy to kill Cunningham. He
found in a house occupied by colored
man. called "Stonewall' Jackson, the
dead bodies of William Dobson, VIM.
Clark and Richard Clayton, all negroes.
The report continues: I'VE found the
wife Of Jackson and her four children
with eight negroes We're in the house
and that about daybreak all were
awakened by shots fired into the house
from the outside. This shooting took
place without warming 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 MORALLY wounded,
having been shot as he was dressing,
Hizer lived with his sister and she
made the statement ut the inquest that
she pleaded with these shooting not to
XIII IeT tl1lIuTtll, anu i'll lcDly
BAN said: Women and children must
take care of themselves In no in
stance could we find where these peO-
pie had been asked to surrender, until
after the deputies had commenced
shooting ut the occupants of the house.
I'VE next went to the house of Lucicn
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 instance whore any
attempt Of resistance was made by the
miners. During the shooting in many
instances. the men and women pleaded
with the men outside to have mercy on
them. but their cries We're met with
dcrision and curses.
our investigation proves conclusive
l. 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 opportunity"
Mr. Evans says that the coroner's
jury has returned verdict of felonious
killing against Cunningham for the
killing of VIM. Dodsor.