The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-30


involves the most reprehensible ele-
ments of treason America has yet had
to face In the present international
crisis.
An Ambitious Program
AS additional facts are discovered
tice, who are probing the conspiracy
10 defy the registration under the Sc
lectise draft measure. and at given
signal to launch widespread era OF
lawiessness, involving the murder OF
militia guards at points along the
nearby railroads and the appropria-
ton OF their equipment. the murder
of wealthy land owners and capitalists
and the coDHscation of their lands
and personal property, the blowing
up of banks and railroad bridges and
tunnels, the seriousness of the plot
increases UNNECESSARILY, and the Of
ficers feel that only few more scraps
of evidence are needed to convict the
leaders or the conspiracy of most
treasonable plot.
William V. Mccoy and j. w.
Phipps. alleged leaders of the clan
of mountaneers, are held incommu-
nicado intthe Roanoke jail. while spe-
ciai agents of the department of jus
tice are securing the territory cover
ing Wise and Russell and several
ioihar border counties of Virginia and
Kentucky searching for several other
leaders OF the clan. and at the same
time collecting additional evidence.
They feel crtain of being able to con-
meet the clan with the theft of one
Thousand pounds of dynamite at Nor
ron Friday night. At this point the
DUPONT company maintains n large
magazine from which the numerous
mining operations through that sec
ton were supplied with explosives
Officers of the militia on guard duty
through that section received tip
on Friday that the clan was planningg
to blow up many banks and railroad
bridges and tunnels when the signal
was given. That same night the
magazine was entered and the dyna-
mite stolen.
second Regiment Men ON Job.
The entire plot. 1t now develops,
was first discovered through members
of the Second Virginia regiment, who
are doing guard duty In that section.
information concerning the matter
coming almost simultaneously to Cap
tain Bluff and Captain Hunt. of Com
pany A. OF Farmville. which is located
at st. Paul. The plot was revealed
Through citizens of that section who
declared they we're being Impressed
while realizing the Nervousness Of the
plot were afraid to oppose these noun
| taineers The information was given
on promise Of protection of them
from the clan. Informants of the Of
ffcers declared Mccoy In approaching
them stated that similar moves were
being made in Ohio and West vir-
ginia and that in Ohio nearly three
Thousand men had signed the black
oath. which ne administered to all
his volunteers. The clan had a meet
ing rendezvous in q little hut in a
mountain fastness near st. Paul. where
frequent meetings were held. and in
Ivestigators expect to md the stolen
dynamite hidden near that point.
Mccoy, when arrested In his little
cobblers shop in st. Paul. had within
his reach big revolver fully loaded
while a large reserve supply OF am
munition was also near by. He Is
described by people of the section as
| a very dangerous man. man OF
marked shrewdness and clever lead
err of men He Is cousin OF the
Mccoy family involved in the memoir
able feud with the Hatfields in the
early eighties, and It is said that the
only reason he was not present al
that time was that he was In Mis-
souri, and when summoned to the aid
| OF his kinsmen was without funds to
resDond