The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-07
U.S TROOPS USED
To END CIVIL WAR
Necessary to Halt Murder i'm
Mine District, Asserts
Gov. COrnwell.
DENIES GUNMAN ARMY
Finish Fight There and in
Alabama Dec c'ared by
Union Head.
DENIES GUNMAN ARMY

CHARLESTON, w. Va, Dec 6.--Gov.
John T. Cornwell, in a statement is
sued from his Office tonight, replied
to the Criticism Of the International
Executive Board of the United Mine
Workers at indianapolis, which on
Sunday night took issue with him for
calling Federal troops into the strike
zone.
"The statement in to-days news
papers and alleged to have ananated
from the International Executive
Board, United Mine Workers, at In
dianapolis, is lying propaganda" said
the Governor.
Denies Gunman Army.
"The assertion that there is a 'pri-
vate army of gunmen' employed in
Mingo county. the strike region, Is
without the semblance of truth. as
every newspaper man who has teen
in the field knows. and as | believe
the local union officials will admit.
''sInce the tragedy at Matewan early
In May. when a-nnmber of employees of
the Felts Detective Agency were assassi-
mated. no employees of that or any
other concern. SO far as know or have
been able to find out. have been In the
strike region except to pass through on
train.
1T have tried to make II plain to both
sides and to the general public that l
have no part or parcel In the fight OF
IN
the Mingo field and could have none IL
wanted It, / am interested only In
preventing civil war down here and in
bringing to an end the murders and the
sniping that have been going on and In
stopping the dynamiting of property and
the lawlessness that has prevailed. 1t
was for that purpose that brought back
Federal troops into the county and
asked that II be put. not under martial
law but under temporary military con-
troll"
Deputy Sheriffs have been despatched
to Breading w. Va, to investigate the
shooting to death last night OF John b.
Marcum, II was announced at the
Sheriffs office here tonight. Military
headquarters are still without report
ON the shooting.
The reports from Breading are meagfc.
but there Is reason to believe that Mar
cum may have been shot by an unknown
enemy and not by civil authorities. as
first reported. according to Judge l.. A.
Sampselle of Williamson, who returned
from Dingess. near Breading. to-day.
He said Marcum had been shot ~ the
back with a shotgun and probably killed
instantly. Marcum had been out under
bond following a preliminary hearing
after his alleged shooting and wornding
of NJ C. Burchett at Breading Novcm-
Der 2.
Col Herman Hall. commanding Fed-
erai troops in the Mngo county strike
region. reported satisfactory conditions
existing in the western section OF the
strike district after an inspection tour
to-day. He stated a mine at Nolan,
w. Va, near Williamson. idle since the
strike was called in July, had opened
to-day. He was not prepared to give the
expected tonnage from the mi1c, nor
was the information available at o,fcts
Of the Williamson Coal Operators As
ISOLATION.
Unions in Finish Fight.
David Fowler, United Mine Workers
representative in charge OF the strike IN
the Mlngo district, declared to-day that
he was gratined to learn from press re-
ports that the organization was prepared
to back the fight here and in the Alabama
field Ito the finish," but would make no
comment until he received official word
OF the decision from the offices OF the
union at Indianapolis.
Plans were practically completed to-
night for the impanelllng OF the Grand
Jury at the special term OF court to-
morrow to try the cases Of those held In
connection with recent acts of violence
In the strike field Principal cases TO be
tried are those of Taylor Cole. charged
with killing r.. Lee Rippley. State police
man, November 10. and Taylor Muncy.
dutch" Frost and Harry Snead. held In
connection with the death OF Erv.no
EIkins and the woundlng OF his brother
Joe November 20.