The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-05
HATFIELD USES
SHORT AND UGLY
He Tells Senator Kern He Is
Wilful Twister OF
Truth.
BITTERLY ATTACKS HIM
Governor OF West Virginia
Aroused by Stories Told
OF His State
BITTERLY ATTACKS

Charleston. w Va. May I --Governor
Henry D. Hatfield. of West Virginia. in
statement Tonight, attacked Senator
John w. Kern, OF Indiana. who to-mor-
low is expected 10 bring up n resolution
which he introduced some time ago III
the United States Senate. providing for
Federal investigation of conditions in
the West Virginia coal fields. The
Governor declares the Senator has been
misinformcd; that the coal strike is
ever; that he intends TO arrest any per-
son aiding and abetting lawlessnesS,
and that ne courts thorough investi-
CATION In his statement Governor
Hatfield says:
II am informed that Senator Kern
has made II statement that peonnge
exists in West Virginia and that Mrs.
Mary C"Mothcr'D Jones has been on
trial before a drumhcad military court
70, the past thirty days,
in reply 10 the Senator's statement
relative to peonagc, | wish TO say that
his allegation is q fabrication out OF the
whole cloth. Mrs. Jones is not now.
nor has she at any time since her ar
rest, been in prison She is being de-
tanned tand is not in any way con-
tined) At n pleasant boarding house.
With Il private family. on the banks
of the Kanawha River, at Pratt w.
Va
II DO not intend to permit Mrs Jones
or any other person to come into West
Virginia and make intammatory
speeches that have tendency TO pro-
duce riot and hloodshed. such as was
experienced under the administration
OF Governor Glasscock. We have evil
dence In abundance TO prove that the
class of speeches made by Mrs. Jones
and her coworkers did bring about a
riotous state. which resulted in murder
ami the destruction of property. We
Lave Il dozen OF the same class OF peo-
pic confined in different jnls of the
state, some of them guilty OF murder.
others guilty of aiding and abcttine
ny furnishing the necessary firearms
and ammunition with which to commit
murder.
The honorable body of which SEM
tor Kern is member has n perfect
right TO investigate West Virginia or
amy part OF it. shall he delighted to
have such an investigation and will
use my best efforts to aid the invcsti-
cation committee In any way | can,
but Senator Kern must remember that
am responsible to the people OF West
Virginia for the maintenance OF law
and order. and IL will be maintained
by me during my term Of Office at any
hazard, and when it becomes necessary
to dctain or jail people To accomplish
this purpose, it will be done unhesi-
tatingly.
The long-drawn- out strike on Paint
and Cabin Creeks is at an end. Fewer
than fifty people 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 Sena-
tor Kern seem to he largely RESPONSE
BILE for these falsehoods and misrcprc-
sensations which work untold hard
ships upon those in office who have
due respect for law and order, and who
arc trying to carry out and maintain
the principles Of good government.
II note that one of tho statements
of Senator Kern is to the effect that
: he knows positively that one news
paper correspondent was elected dur
ing the trial Of Mother Jones and de-
ported from the State. | can use no
better terms and cannot express my
self more forcibly than TO say that
this was a wilful and deliberate lie
on the part OF the one who informed
Senator Kern, and II would not at all
surprise me to learn that the Senator
knew this to be the case when he
mad- the statement"