The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-12
Staying ETHICS
ARE INVOLVED
IN MINERS TRIAL
Upon Interpretation of Law
Hangs Fate of so
Prisoners
"ANGEL OF MINES" READY
TO DIE FOR THE CAUSE
Right of Military Authorities
Over Civil Courts Also
in Question

PAINT CREEK. w. Va. March II.
The ethics Of man-killing is the real
issue before the military court which
Is to say whether Mother Jones,
Angel Of the Mines" and 49 union
eaterS and miners, are guilty OF con.
spiracy TO murder, the charge grow.
Ing out of the recent riots and killings
among the strikers of Cabin Greek
and Paint Greek districts.
II man kills another for personal
satisfaetion-thats murder, AZ &C
cepted by the civilized world. But II
q man kills another In wars that
murder7
WAS the battle Of Gettysburg muir.
derT' asks Attorney F. NJ. Matheny,
who 10 representing the miners.
That's the defense Of tine men on
triaEit has been wsr, not murder, In
West Virginia.
The governor, In three proclama-
tons Of martial law, called 1t war.
Attorney Matheny has produced In
evidence these three proclamations,
The violence was aimed against q
system, and not against individually
said Matheny. Mine guards were
killed az the representatives OF the
system. The system invited warfare
by placing machine guns on the hills.
It challenged the manhood of men by
the conditions It created.
Whatever happened we1e acts OF
war and that state Of war existed
was recognized by the governor him
self. These acts cannot be judged by
the ordinary rules of law or morality.
Killing Is not to be condoned. But
was this murder In the legal sense?''
Thus, 1t is not 80 much law as their
own condolences that must guide the
soldiers who are trying the 80 de-
PENDANTS. g.,
Three weeks OF Confinement seem
to have broken Mother" Jones' ro-
bust health. She leans heavily on
the arm OF John w. Brown. the labor
orator, who. with her, IL under charge
OF murder, as she mounts the stairs
leading to the little Odd Fellows hall.
which IL used as a court room.
But her spirit remains unbroken.
She still maintains her defiant atti.
tude toward the military court, refus.
ing to consider herself prisoner or
az being accused OF having violated
4 law. Denied trial In the civil courts,
she now refuses to recognize the
right of the military court to try her.
Mother Jones today pointed to
the action OF the prosecution yester-
day In attempting to force one OF the
prisoners to testify against himself as
one of the chief reasons for being al
lowed trial by civil authorities.
ut Ia q rule of law in Anglo-Saxon
utilization" said Mother" Jones,
gained through centuries of politicsl
struggle and warfare, that a prisoner
cannot be placed on the stand by the
prosecution, to testify In the matter
In which he 10 a defendant, unless he
valves that right.
THE constitution OF tho United
and Of all OF the states. guar
antee that right"
The point which Mother" Jones
refers to will not be decided until
The next session OF the military court,
which probably will be held tomorrow.
She today repeated her declaration
that she is willing to die. as she be-
lieved that her execution would help
the miners cause.
mother" Jones u prisoner ct the
martial law camp 1t Pratt, 20 miles