The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-02
Two Hundred Miners Hold Four White Men Captives
 and Refuse to Work
CONVICT BOARD IS
 CONSIDERING MATTER
Miners Go on Strike and Refuse to Come Out of Mines-May Dyna- mite Part of Mines if De-
 mands Are Refused

Two hundred negro cOnyicts, with possession, are down in the Banner mine and refuse to come out or begin tD dig coal until Warden Hall is re- moved from power.
 Led by a negro convict, Joe Williams. the colored miners went on a strike ear ly yesterday morning and are holding captives in the mine four white men,, w. P, Barron and l.. c. Brown, fire bosses; James Ford and Robert Rus sell. They will not permit them to come from the mine until their demands are satisfied
 When notified of the strike the two members of the state convict board, President F. J. Rogers and J. W. Ky ser, hurried to Banner from Montgom- cry and Abbeville and attempted to settle with them. The striking miners were in possession of the telephonic communications in the mine.
 The first move of President Rogers was to send two negroes into the mine to learn the nature of the strikers
 
 leaders of the 200 striking miners as to how they might be appeased. They returned with the terse ultimatum: Get rid of Warden Hall'' Later President Rogers talked to the men over the mine telephone and learned that they were dissatisfied with the warden, J. D. Hall, and told them that the convict board would be just to them if they would agree to come out of the mine. This they re- fused to do.
 "Get rid of Warden Hal" The two members of the state con- vict board did not take any action, l. asmuch as Dr. R. A. Smith, the mem Der of the board, had not arrived at Banner from his home at Brewton. He was expected late last night.
 BOARD MAY REFUSE
 Whether the board will accede to the request of the convicts that Warden Hall be removed has not been determ- ined, but it is generally against the policy of the authorities to give in to such a demand The conv cts in the mine are without any material amount of food and cannot hold out longer than two days. But, in vIew of the fact that the state gets a certain amount for each ton of coal mined, and the miners have shown that they will not work that some effort will be made to ap- pease the convicts.
 While the Pratt Consolidated Coal com pany has contracted for the output of the mines, it has nothing to do with the op- eration of *it Late last night, the con- victs were still in the mine. and were holding the white men as captives.
 It is not believed that the negroes will resort to violence to accomplish their ends. In the depths of the mine there is a considerably supply of dynamite that is used in the shooting of coal, and it is possible that they mays attempt to blow up part of the mine.
 Banner is on the Louisville and Nash vile railroad branch line in the north western part of Jefferson county, about 9 miles from Birmingham.
 WARDEN IS DISLIKED
 Erskine Ramsay, who returned from the scene of the trouble last night, stated that the men were dissa atisfied with the warden, and had so notified President Rogers of the convict board. As to the nature of their complaints against him, the convicts stated that he had little con sideration for them, and showed no re- spect
 Recently the scales which weigh the coal that the miners dig were broken, and there has been some delay in getting a new scale. Inasmuch as the miners are paid sum for all tonnage over cer- tain amount, it is understood that weigh ing was a factor in their grievance.
 While there are number of guards at Banner thew do not stand watch over the negroes when they are at work in the mines.