Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-09-28
STRIKING MINERS
ATTACK MILITIA
NEAR MUCKLOW
Battle Fought and Many Are
Fatally Wounded
HostiIities Are Renewed In Paint
Creek Field--AIl Communication Is
Cut off-General Elliott Divides the
Field Into Two Districts--Governo
GIasscock Drafts Law.
GIasscock Drafts Law.

Charleston, Sept 23.---An attack was
made early today on the state troops
in the Paint Greek coal field near
MuckIow. A party of striking miners
while stealing along the Hill side open
ed fire when ordered to halt. The fire
was returned by the troops and sever
al persons are believed to have been
fatally wounded. but none of the sol
diers were hit.
The telephone and telegraph lines
between this city and Paint Greek
have been cut and it Is impossible to
learn the true situation.
Brigadier General G. ID. Elliott yes
terday put into effect general order
dividing the martial law territory into
two districts in order to maintain a
closer guard. Major James !. Pratt
was placed in charge of the Eastern
division with headquarters at Paint
Creek Junction, covering Paint Greek
and the territory east into Fayette and
Raleigh counties. Col. G. f. Joliffe,
was placed in command of the West
ern division. with headquarters at Cab
in Creek Junction, covering all of Cab
in Creek
The failure of the conference of min
ers. operators and representatives of
commercial and civic organizations to
perfect an organization and discuss
remedial legislation, and the plan of
the miners to hold many many meet
ings in the KaAawha Valley. one Of
which was held yesterday at Montgom-
cry, with President ]. p. White and
Vice-President Frank j. Hayes, inter
national officers United Mine workers
of America. is expected to cause some
unrest in the district and it is entirely
probable that the martial law boun
Diary will have to be extended.
If the suggestion and the wish of
Governor Glasscock is carried out, the
mine guard system, the alleged direct
cause of the present trouble in Kama
wha county, will be eliminated by the
next Legislature. That property own
ers have a right to protect their prop
erty is conceded, but the guard system
has been recognized as being used to
do more than that The right of citi-
zens it has been shown repeatedly,
have been interfered with and the
guards are used to rule a community
according to the vanity of their en-
ployers or as the guards themselves
choose.
The presence of the State militia
and the declaration of martial law was
necessary to send the mine guards
from the mining districts to stop
bloodshed between them and the min
ers. To prevent the employment as
guards of reckless persons, in many
instances persons with long criminal
records, and to make the employing
corporation, firm or individual as well
as the guard himself responsible for
violations Governor Glasscoek has pre-
pared bill which will be presented TO
the next Legislature. The bill will be
printed and distributed over the State.
Under his bill special officers can be
appointed only by the Governor of the
State. They will be required to take
an oath like other police officers, be of
good moral character and give bond in
the sum of $4,000 But this does not
give them the right to carry a deadly
weapon For this license is required
A copy of his oath must be filed with
the court in the county in which he
works as well as with the Secretary of
State. The employing company must
pay the salary OF the special officer
and is also held responsible for damag-
es sustained by reason of injury to per
son, property, character, business,
trade or calling, not to exceed $4,000 as
jury shall assess.
Penalties are also fixed for persons,
corporations, firms, etc, for violating
the sections of the act ranging from
$50 up and Imprisonment for individu-
ais and penalty up to $4,000 for corpor-
atoms.