The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-11
TEN DEAD IN WEST
VIRGINIA COAL
MINE RIOT
Strikers and Guards in Bloody
Battle at MuckIOW.
MARTIAL LAW ONCE MORE
Governor Glasscock Has Ordered
Five Companies of Militia to
Scene of Disorder

Mucklow, w Va, Feb. ll.-Ieh
persons are dead and score wound
ed as a result of battle yesterday
between strikers and authorities IN
the Kanawha coal strike district
Seven of the dead are strikers ana
three were members of the mine
guards and railroad police. VI the
injured. Is are said to be strikers and
the others guards.
Five companies of West virginia
state militia, two from charleston
and three from Huntington, W. va,
are on the way to Mucklow, having
been ordered to the troubled district
at 6 o'clock by Gov. William Il.
Glasscock. All the troops were eX-
pected to reach the strike zone dur
ing the night. A number of addition
al companies are under arms and
NAV start for the coal field this morn
ing.
Striking miners marching TOWARD
Mucklow were met in the mountains
by a posse under Fred Lester, for
mer captain of the West Virginia ma
tional guards now in the employ OF
a coal company. A sharp engagement
followed. A bookkeeper and two
mine guards were shot dead and sew
eral other wounded. Lester and his
men were slowly driven back, light
ing all the while. Reinforcements
from other mine companies, railroad
police and deputy sheriffs, joined Les
ter's men, but with little success.
The miners steadily advanced pour
ing hot fire into the ranks OF the
officers.
The fighting continued throughout
the afternoon. The last telegraph
wire into Mucklow, belonging to the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was
cut Sunday and it was difficult to
communicate with the strike district.
Soon after o'clock last evening re-
ports of the fighting filtered into
Charleston from persons who had rid
den horseback to points within 10
miles of that city From these re
ports 1t was believed that at least
scores of lives had been lost in the
rioting and prompt measures were
taken to get militia into the field.
Cos. NJ and c. of Charleston and
C. H. and ! of Huntington were start
ted for the strike district within
short time The Charleston compan-
les must travel 25 miles through an
isolated mountain territory and
through the heart of the mine strike
zone. before reaching Mucklow. while
the companies from Huntington are
rs miles away. The first company of
militia was expected to reach the
riot zone after o'clock last night.
The coal strike in the Paint and
Cabin Creeks districts of Kanawha
county had its inception last April.
II soon became necessary 10 send
troops into the district to quell riot
ing, and Gov. Glasscock issued
proclamation of martial law, the first
ever declared in West Virginia. AT
ter time the troops were withdrawn
as conditions came normal. After
a few weeks ri11Ng again broke
forth. Trains were held up, coal tip
pies burned and persons shot and
beaten.
Gov. Glasscock declared martial
law for the second time. When the
troops reached the strike district
again, little trouble was experienced.
With the coming OF the troops, strik-
ing miners and their sympathiZers
took to the mountains. Frequently
shots were fired into mining towns
from the mountains. but when the
soldiers reached the scene the rioters
had fed. Conditions again became
quiet and the troops were withdrawn
gradually. The second proclamation
of martial law, however. was never
lifted.
last Friday tlc first serious out.
break in over month occurred.
when a passenger train was shot up.
Mucklow was riddled with bullets
and a number of persons shot down
Since that time there have been al
most continual outbreaks, the climax
coming with yesterdays serious
fighting. Immediately the troops
were sent into the strike territory
for the third time, but under the
second proclamation of martial law,
which has remained in operation.