New-York tribune., 1921-05-13
Hidden Men Pour Heavy
Fire From Hills Into
FIVE Villages in Strike
Torn Mingo District
U. S. Troops Asked;
Death Toll Vague
State Police Fight Back
From Across State Line
AS Flank Attack Fails

W 'A'|A|ANhcOlNJ W. Yd.y May IG.--
Guerrilla warfare, with all odds appar-
emily favoring the forces opposing the
state, was waged all day to-day in the
mountains of the strike-torn Mingo
County coal field
Beginning at dawn to-day, at the little
town of Merrimac, four miles up the
Tug River from this city, fusillade
of shots was poured from the noun
tainside successively into Merrimac,
Rawl, Sprigg and Matewan, w. Va, and
McCarr, Ky.
All available state police and deputy
sheriffs centered in Williamson were
rushed to the scene by train and auto
mobile, but, according to reports, they
had been unable at a late hour TO check
the shooting. Colonel Jackson Arnold,
commander of the state police, was
sending out orders tonight to the en-
tire state police force in different parts
Of the state to proceed to the Mingo
coal field Immediately.
Federal Troops Asked For
AT the urgent request of local au-
, thorities Governor Morgan of West
Virginia tonight asked the War De-
pertinent in Washington to dispatch
troops to Mingo County 70 restore or
der. A dispatch from Indianapolis said
troops We're being held in readiness at
Camp Sherman, Ohio, to depart for
@lngo County. Major General George
b. Read, commander of the 5th Corps,
with headquarters at Fort Benjamin
Harrison, Indiana. was in conference
with officials of the War Department
regarding Governor Morgan's request.
Harry G. Station, state prohibition
officer and merchant at Spriggs, was
killed by bullet from the mountains
and Noah Phillips and a young man
named Calvert, employees of the White
Star Coal Company commissary at
Merrimac, have been seriously wound
ca Rumors of other killings and
Woundlngs have been received at head
quarters OF the state police here, but
nave not been confirmed
SO heavy was the firing from the
Kentucky side that the State nolice
replied. Just before nightfall, accord l.
ing to reports reaching here, men hid
den In the vicinity of McCarr shouted
to their friends across the river that
one of their number had been killed.
Tonight handful of state police,
about twenty in number, tried to work
their way over the mountains between
Merrimac and Rawl toAget above and
outtiank their hidden foes. The at
said to number 200, slipped through
the police lines and got away.
Two men have been arrested in con-
nection with Stations death.
To-day's outbreak, the worst since
the Matewan battle of last May 19, in
which ten persons were killed, includ-
ing the Mayor of Matewan, had all the
appearances of prearranged attack.
Towns in Narrow Valley
The towns visited with the hail Of
lead are all within seven miles Of each
other and lie in narrow valley on
the banks of the Tug River, which
here separates West Virginia from Ken
tucky. The firing to-day and tonight
came from the mountains on both sides
of the river, according to the state
police.
The police concentrated, therefore.
IN the mountains on the West Virginia
side, while county officials here got in
touch with the officials of Pike County,
kentucky, in an attempt to obtain co..
SPNA oeANAt az Ao0stiiEs GllS dttdCkGfS from
the Kentucky side. Governor Morrow
of Kentucky also has been urged to
ask the War Department for Federal
troops.
Terror reigned in the towns in the
zone of fire as night fell and it was
learned the authorities had failed to
apprehend any of the attacking force.
Most of the shooting heretofore has
| been done at night wnen lighted houses
afforded easy targets for the hidden
rifemen. Virtually all lights were ex-
tinguished tonight and residents were
under cover.
The state police were virtually help
less during the day, as the attacking
forces in the mountains were COM
!! pletely screened by foliage and bould-
ers, while the police, in order to at
tempt direct attack, would have been
(coutinued page three)