Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-12-05
The Usurpe1 Power OF The
Martial Law A Disgrace
To The State And a Blot
On The American Nation

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tho rights and liberties of the sover-
a;gn citizens been trampled beneath
tbeT feet of a military despotism as is
now being done in the strike zone of
Kanawha county. In the military
court now setting at Pratt we have an
eyample of mental pigmies drunk
With power, usurping every right OF
citizenship. Justice blinded and bound
ID heing raped by the venal uniformed
TOOLS of the invisible government
While women shiver in snow covered
+onts and little children suffer the sting
a. the hitting frost. Gov. Glasscocks
Tni,itarv court has demonstrated be-
vond a shadow of doubt the truth
~ that historical fact, a fool given
authority becomes a despot; give q
coward power and you have tyrant'
:. The martial law administered by tools
of the coal baron has about as much
resnect for the law and the constltu-
tional rights of the citizens as the
: Baldwin thug system that preceded II
and is just as illegal, despouc brutal
and tyrannous. Under its aomlnlsGra-
ton every right OF citizenship mas
been suspended, the right OF peaceaDe
assemblage denied and even a censor
has been placed on the lips OF men
and women, forced to endure this IN
famous usurpation OF power. men
nave been railroaded to the penlten,
tiary for daring to take an open STAND
for their rights as American cltlzehs'
, Realizing that the strike was going
against Them, the coal operators
through their subsidized press ana
yenal tools in public Office Drough!
about this last declaration OF martlai
law for the purpose of raiiroading 10
the prison all of the active union lead
ers. These men had struck terror 10
the cowardly hearts of the coal barons
hv their courage and bravery and had
tn he removed. The militia was use1
az cats paw to pull these chestnuts
oi. If the IRE and Gen. Elliott and his
4 Shfire aRgreeafion of strike breakers
: j 6acarss 80 serFi he tools ct the coaA
harong for this purpose. Despousm'
- and tyranny were resorted TO and JUS
flee was publicly outraged. Men were
srrested on trumped up chages ana
sent to. the penitentiary from two 10.
6yo vaars without being given chance1
IN defend themselves. All laws ana ana
nracedents we're set aside and the WIN
of the military was supreme. Jase
Sor an example of the high hand "
ranny of this military court we WIZ
take the cases of Dan CHAIN, FRANK
Nantz and a few others OF their VIC
time Dan Chain was arrested, taken
tn pratt tried and sentenced to nVe
wars IN the penitentiary for holding
IN train at Cabin Creek Junction
With two car loads of transporta1lons
Fridav Nov. 14th. To our knowledge
Nan Chain was passenger on 1ne
train that was supposed to be held up
and did not know the transportation
was on rho train until he got to CaDh
Creek Junction and the rauroaI 'i ~
refused to pull it up the creek, W.
Dan Chain was not given cnance "
Introduce evidence in his oeIense anu u
was railroaded to the penltentlary Oi
FIVE years. Frank Nantz was cnalSe So
with interfering with an omcer III us
charge of his duty. This case nappen.
ed two weeks before martial law Mas
declared at that time the soldiers were
doing private guard duty, yet Nantz
was railroaded to the penitentary TOT
Gnoher case is that of Coon Jarrell
who was brought before the court as
witness against another man, anu pe
causa he did not know anything aDou.
the case was accused of perjury anu
sent 10 the penitentiary for two years.
These are lust a few of the many cases
where men have been tried Dy tn M!
court martial and railroaded to Dne
nenitentiarv. Under martial law tne
conrt martial are supposed only to try
offenses committed under marual law;
Any offense committed before ndr1les
law was declared was no vlolaIloh ~
the martial law. II this court mas uue
right to go back two days, Two weone
or two months, it has a right 20 90
back two years or ten years. mol sat,
is6ed with railroading the men 10 one
! uenitentiarv but the tools OF the cus1i
barons are trying to terrorize ana IN,
tiimdate the strikers by arresung anu
trying the women before Gov. class
cocks unframed court. When before
in tha history Of this nation have our
women heen hauled before drum
head court? Gov. Glasscock maze mp
loyalty to the barons clear Wnen ne
declared the miners would remeiL1Dei
it the longest day they Mved. u !.
Elliott, the progressive Bull tMooser, -
quoted as saying If he heard OF aIy
one abiding to soldier as q TN
horn" he would see that they went 70
the penitentiary for year.
Are we living under a despotic mon
archy that the citizens should pc I'M
prisoned for LES Majeste?"
And all of this in America, rne lahu !.
of the free and the home OF the brave.
In a land where our fathers fought
and bled that we might be deft nef'
itage of liberty and be freemen. Have
We sunk to the level of Mexican peons
that we must submit TO the despotlsm
Of dictator, as becomes the cringans
subject Of a tyrannical car? The min
4 ers of West Virginia are demandlne
only their constitutional TighJs as citt
Gems fthis great commonwealth, eng
Gar of Russia nor Diaz Of Me1lco
would never use any more barbarops
Or brutal methods than are being aeee
4 BY the state offlcials to deprive q PEG