The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-06-14
End of Soldier Rule in Min
ing Strike Zone Where
100 Lost Lives.
SENATOR'S HURRY INQUIRY
Ex.Gov. GlasscOck Tells of
Threats Against Him
by Assassins.


the kanawha coal fields. wherein the
Governor said over hundred lives were
lost.
Nearly all Of to-day the state con-
tinued it's legal conflict before the Sem
ate committee to establish It's case for
the necessity of martial law/by showing
that the courts were poweress 10 act. a
contention as strenuOusly controverted
by counsel for the United Mine Workers.
Senator Borah said that he was con-
| vnced of the necessity Of martial law
To end the continuous bloodshed ana
! insurrection, but the fact remained
that, as some indictments were found
! and no effort was made to convene IA
special Grand Jury, the courts were
open for the trial of military prisoners.
Former sheriff +. T. Smiths testi-
mony to-day partly sustained the SEN
| atur's view. He admitted that with
military he could have served processes,
got witnesses aud brought them to
Charleston for trial. lie believed, how
ever they could not have had Il fair
trial AT the time.
Miners, Socialists. operators. detec-
tivcs and politicians swarm the hotels
and public places, eNcitedly discussing
| the proceedings, Men with revolvers
| bulglng their hip pockets have been
noticed among tho audience at the hear
| inls. senator Kenyon was privately
informed Of this fact, but declined to
i take any action unless the informant
| stood sponsor for the complaint.
| Th" investigating Senators arc hurry
ing To close their Charleston sessions
| on Wednesday,. continuing them In
| Washington. az they are realizing the
growing intensity of the friction be-
tween the miners and operators engcn-
dcred by the testimony brought out.
by agreement between counsel the
nineteen indicted United Mine Workers
will appear in the Federal court to-
morrow and furnish bail. each in 81 600
They will also enter dcmurrers to the
indictments.
Ex.t;OV. GlasscOck Testinra.
For two hours and five minutes for.
mer Governor William r. Glasscock oc
curied the witness chair.
He said that there was "a perfect un
Outstanding between h.mself and th'
military commission; that the sentence!
imposed were never intended TO be car
ried out, and as Il matter Of fact the!
, nc"er were carried out; that the pre-
tended harsh and summary methods o
the military courts were all for effect
that many of the cu.pr!ts were neve
taken away. hu, were psrdoned wher'
they were tried. while the rest wer,
kept in Jail only short time. and tina
only one man Of all those convicted b!
the military commission served his full
sentence, which was the average pen
atty provided FOR his offence under IN
, statutes.
Former Governor W. T.. Glasscock. tn
first witness sworn at the afternoon
session. gave detailed specific &C
. count Of the origin Of the disturbances
, beginning with April |, 1912. when tn
= contract Of the United Mine Worker
B. and the operators on Pain, Creek eX
! pired He said the Mine Workers vir
: lated their agreement to continue q
:, work Ill any difference Of opinion be
tween them and the operators wa
settled About a thousand men wen
1 out in violation of thcir agreement, h
r asserted.
V Threaten 10 XIII Governor.
u The Governor received numerou
threa tenins letters. and II is said tina
on several occasions large crowds ar
u rived IN Charleston with the purpose q
II asSassinating him.
While the meeting was In progrcs
: Gov Glasscock was being addressed 1
his chamber by n deputation OF COS
operators and other business men. VIII
> insisted that he should take more Wig
! orous measures. The same day he sen
. message 70 Judge Black and III
prosecuting attorney asking them to EN-
. panel at once a special Grand Jury
; inquire into the disturbances. The
- told him that indictments could not b
brought without evidence and that n
q evidence was forthcoming. even after
$ had placed portion Of the State cor
n ,ingent fund at their disposal
II senator Borah hammered PERSISTENT
= upon the point that the courts wer
:. open; that the civil authorities di
= nothing to punish crimes. and that n
d grand jury was summoned. But e,
g Gov. Glasscock was equally persister
and even more emphatic than the Sena
a tor in maintaining that while the cour,
:. were open they were open to no purpos
q. lie told of instances related by III
IL prosecuting attorney In which he lai
$ evidence before both grand and pet
u juries without obtaining either indicl
!, mcnts convictions. In one case
u Grand Jury. instead Of indicting III
accused, indicted the witnesses.
EX-Gov. Glasscock corroborated Judg
Advocate General Wallace. Capt. Av
y and Prosecuting Attorney Thomas {
n, Townsend all OF whom had testifie
that the courts, while nominally ope,
l. were actually powerless.
n The second proclamation of inartis
law followed IA series OF murders by Il,
= so-called strikers who fired also into
" train carrying the mails. said the es
n Governor. Then he WAS excused.
n Major r, Il. Davis. who was provo.
J. marshal while martial law was In 9,
= feet, swore that he had never orders
y ANY one to stay away from any Do,
Office or store. AZ to do 80 would ha,
e been to violate his orders Ex-Go
y Glasscock had particularly cautlone
=, him not to prevent any person frol
,s obtaining the necessaries OF life, he sal
- Capt, S Il. Avis. representative fro,
the Third Congress district, who Wa
is prosecuting attorney Of Kanawha coun,
" during most Of the disturbances, o,
70 planned the judicial system Of We
;" Virginia under which one-third Of ar
grand jury drawn would have bee
!. drawn from the strike zons.