New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-05
HATFIELD CALLS KERN
A "7W|STER OF TRUTH
West Virginia Governor Insists
Allegations by the Senator
Are FabriCati0nS.
MADE OUT OF WHOLE CLOTH
Mother" Jones Not Imprisoned,
but Merely Detained" but
Labor Agitators Must
Keep Out of State.

Charleston W. Va. May t-Governor
Henry u. Hatfield of West Virginia. In a
statement tonight. attacked Senator John
w. Kern. of Indiana. who is expected to
introduced some time ago in the United
States Senate providing for federal in
vcstigation Of conditions in the West VII
einia coal fields
Governor Hatfield declares the Senator
has been misinformed; that the coal
strike is over; that he intends to arrest
any person aiding and abetting lawless-
ness and that he courts a thorough in
Vestigation.
II am informed" Governor Hatneld
says. that Senator Kern has made a
statement that peonagc exists In West
Virginia. and that Mrs. Mary CMother)
Jones has been on trial before a drum
head military court for the last thirty
days.
In reply 10 the Senator'S statement
rcatve to pconage. wish To say that
his allegation is q fabrication ont Of tho
whole cloth. Mrs. Jones IS not now. nor
has she at any time since her arrest. been
in prison. She is being detained (and is
not I'm any way conhncd) al a pleasant
boarding house with a private family on
| the banks OF the Kanawha River al Pratt,
W. Va.
Il do not intend to permit Mrs. Jones
tnar t,.t.
Virginia and make infiammatory speeches
/ that have a tendency To produce riot and
bloodshed. such as was experienced under
the administration OF Governor Glass
cock We have evidence i'm abundance 20
prove that the class of speeches made by
J Mrs Jones and her cO-workers did bring
! about a riotous state. which resulted I'm
murder and the destruction of property.
| We have dozen OF the same class OF
people confined in different jails OF the
/ state. some OF them guilty of murder.
others guilty Of aiding and abetting by
/ furnishing the necessary firearms and
ammunition with which TO commit muir
| der.
The honorable body of which Senator
| Kern is a member has perfect right to
| investigate West Virginia. or any part
OF IT. shall be delighted TO have such
an investigat ton and will use my best
| efforts to aid the investigation commit
tee in any way | can. but Senator Kern
must remember that am responsible 10
the people of West Virginia for the
maintenance OF law and order, and II
will be maintained by me during my
| term of Office at any hazard. and when
| IL becomes necessary TO detain or Jail
people to accomplish this purpose IT will
| be done unhesitatingly
THE long drawn out strike on Paint and
| Cabin creeks is at an end. Fewer than
| fifty persons are to-day without work in
that section. and before the middle OF the
week every one will have been cared for
such twisters OF the truth as Senator
| Kern seem to he largely responsible for
these falsehoods and Misrepresentation.
which work untold hardshps upon those
| in Office who have due respect for law
| and order and who are trying to carry
out and maintain the principles OF good
government.
Senator Kern is 10 the effect that he
knows positively that one newspaper COR
respondent was elected Turing the trial OF
| Mother Jones and deported from the
state. I can use no better terms ard can
not expire IS myself more forcibly than TO
say that this was wilful and deliberate
lie on the part Of the one who informed
Senator Kern. and II would not at all SUR.
prise me 10 learn that the Senator knew
,bfs IN he the case when he made the
statement"