Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-06-11
WEST VIRGINIA
HEARINGS
START
SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS INvESTI-
CATION INTO COAL STRIKE SITUA.
ton IN THAT STATE=ADJUTANT
GENERAL ON STAND.
PROBING into REIGN
OF MARTIAL Law

trial war in West Virginia was toda!
described to the senate mine strike in
vestigatng committee by Adjutan
General Charles d. Elliott, who tol(
in graphic fashion of battles fought
between mine guards and strikers al
Mucklow and Hollow Grove, in the
Paint Creek section. He told Of armor
ed trains carrying machine guns that
swept through the strike district and
recited stories of men ambushed and
shot down. At least a score of skirm
ishes were detailed by him, in nearly
all of which men were killed or wound
Ell.
General Elliott told of the capture
by the state troops of six machine
guns, each capable of firing $50 shots
a minute, and 100000 rounds of am
munition. He identified photographs
of a sheet iron fort built by mine
guards at Mucklow and told of the
capture of hundreds of man killing
guns many of them hidden out IN
hollow trees and mountain caves after
the militia took charge of the strike
district Trains held up, mine tipples
burned, pitched battles between mine
guards and miners were all detailed
BY General Elliott, who said that all
CT these affairs were reported to him.
He detailed q general engagement at
Mucklow, Holly Grove, on Paint creek.
and Ronda, Cabin creek. on February
1G, when mine bookkeeper and a
miner named Estep were killed This
resulted in second declaration OF
martial law and General Elliott said
that when he went into the field with
troops on the night of February 10,
dynamite bomb was found on the rail-
road tracks ahead of the troop train.
"All of these affairs were between
mine guards and strikers said the
general. The militia had nothing to
do with them and know of them only
through information brought to me by
both sides.
General Elliott gave the committee
documents showing the operations OF
the military which took charge of the
strike district during the first martial
law period and showing the dlsposl
ton made of prisoners.
Charleston, W. Va, June l1.-Adju-
tant General Charles d. Elliott OF the
West Virginia militia, who was in
supreme command in the strike zone
during the martial law periods, pro-
duced today before the senatorial
committee from Washington investi-
eating conditions in West Virginia at
that time, documents which showed
that fifty-one men were sentenced by
the military court.
Private F. l.. Long, tried for the
murder Of Ira Ridd, was acquitted by
the court. Robert Hartigan, a mine
guard charged with doing police duty
as a nonresident of the state, was
sentenced twice, according to the list,
each time to pay fine of $500 and to
serve six months in prison. In an
other similar case, guard was
fined $1O0, and sentenced to sixty
days. Other sentences shown by the
list were:
For intimidation of workmen, 81
prisoners, six months each
Carrying concealed weapons. two
prisoners, one day; five prisoners
six months; one prisoner $1,000 fine
and one year; one prisoner one year.
Carrying steel knuckles, one prison
er fined $50.
Unlawful stabbing, two prisoners,
one year.
False statement to officers, one
prisoner, thirty days.
Disorderly conduct, one prisoner,
three months.
Larceny, one prisoner. $40 fine and
ten days.
Altogether, the list accounted for
all but two cases under the martial |
law list, the first martial law period.
These two cases were marked miss /
ing from the files"
General Elliott detailed the orders
restoring martial law to the strike |
zone last February which he said
were modified by Governor Hatfield
on May 29, annulling that portion of
the proclamation which placed the
military authorities above the civil
courts. The militia, the witness said,
were now working under the civil
courts. Only about dozen militia
men remained.
'sWhile you were in charge in the
martial law zone, you made arrests
on your own responsibility, without
a writ or warrant from any civil
court?" asked Senator Borah.
Eyes, that is right" said General
Elliott.
General Elliott said that at one
time he had 1000 men in the field,
the entire militia organi-
zation of the state. He could not
say definitely how many armed men
he had to contend with but he felt
that there were more arms among
he strikers than among the militia.
Under cross-examination by Attor-
ley Belcher for the miners, General
elliott said that the controversy prior
o the declaration of martial law was