The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1921-04-28
STATE PcL,CE ON GUARD

west NlrEinia's urgent need OF a
stronger iprce OF State Police IL
graphically illustrated in it's inability
10 cope with the lawlessness which
prevails in Fayette county whore rho
mining town OF Willis Branch has
literally been shot off the map" by
laulcaIs who. for nearly two wears.
nave endeayored to settle strike
with clubs. dynamite and rifles
with both State Police comn.rias
/" Nlngo county where threatening
conditions exist the lawless element
Oh Fayette and Raleigh counties-Wil.
lis Branch is near the Raleigh county
hne-has made full use of the opnor.
'unity to carry on practically unhamp.
ereu warfare against a coal comnanv
"nich IL trying to operate an omen
shop" mine.
Wills Branch. deserted. dynamited
ana shot riddled. It's streets still sno,.
tea with the stain of human blood 90
mute evidence OF the horror which
movers over every mining community
IN state unable, to protect and I'M.
hold the laws OF both man and God.
IL is an example of the ruthless. death
deaIing tactics employed by a certain
CLASS OF labor az .tators and radical
SEmpathizers to force non-union
community TO recognize union.
AS the matt. sands today. seven
West Virginia state Police and two
SfeclaI deputies are the only restrain.
ing FORCE between several hundred
armed r4Iicals and the complete do.
structlun pf the town. For months
Wills Branch was the target OF week
~ attacks. Its citizens, those workers
who risked the blows OF drunken ruf.
mans. the bullets of daylight snipers
ana nails OF lead in the night. lived
with their families in shot-torn houses
sleeping In rooms lined with sheet
iron and sand-bag barbados.
Beneath floors they made "dug.outa"
LOT the women and children to hide
when firing from surrounding hills
commenced. Because the state was
unable to send sufficient State Police
to Willis Branch to restore order. de-
structlon OF property has been great
Houses have been burned and dyna-
mited. Two mine inclines and the
power house were blown up. Attemnts
were made TO wreck the loading tipple
and burn the company offices. Ma
chinery in the hoist house and loaded
coal cars on the inclines were wreck
ed. The boarding house was repeated.
~ hired into when the men were eat
ing su per. Children were made the
target OF daylight gunner. Women
with babes i'll their arms were fired
on in the streets.
Five days before leaving office Gov.
ernor ]. J. Cornwell and Governor.
elect +. F. Morgan inspected the town
and saw the havoc wrought since the
strike was declared in September
1919. Sheriff c. A Conley OF Fayette
county told them the situation was be-
yond his control and that the presence
OF strong force OF State Police was
imperative to restore order and check
lawless practices.
The state officials found that So out
OF the 81 houses in Willis Branch had
been shot up. They saw dug-outs In
which the women and children hid
and the blood stains on the street
where Henry Lafferty, said to have
been a radical unionist. was killed
as he crawled upon the company build
ing with kerosine and matches in an
attempt to fire it. They saw the stone
breastworks on the surrounding hills
behind which gunner lay and fired
into the town.
They peered through bullet holes
In buildings which were riddled in an
attack on the town at midnight Feb
10. Over 10000 shots were poured
into the place. Gunire continued un-
til 3 o'clock in the morning. Women
and children shivered in dug-outs all
night.
, ne handful OF beseiged citizens
protected themselves as best they
could. 1t was the climax OF a long
period Of lawlessness Women and
children fed into the hills. Citizens
ran for safety leaving personnel belong.
ipgs behind. The remainder left the
next morning. Crowds were at the
station to see them leave. They were
cursed and stoned. There were no
state Police in Willis Branch at the
time.
Seven State Police were sent into
the town the following day This de.
tail was organized by weakening vital
posts in Mingo county. The troopers
we're in charge OF Private Quinn Since
their arrival in Willis Branch several
attacks have been made on them