Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-04-28
RUINED HOMES
ARE RELICS OF
RADICALS IRE
SeeNs OF oESolATIoN AT vii.
LIS BRANCH EMPHASIZES NEED
OF STRONGER FORCE TO UP.
HOLD LAWS OF w. VIRGINIA.
STATE POLICE ON GUARD

stronger force OF State Police Is
graphically illustrated in its inahiI,tv
10 cope with the lawlessness which
prevails in Fayette county where the
INNING town OF Willis Branch has
literally been shot OF the man" nv
I"uicais who. for nearly two wears
nave endeavored to settle strike
with clubs. dynamite and rifles
WIN both State Police commands
III Mingo county where threatening
conditions exist, the lawless element
Oh Fayette and Raleigh counties-wi.
lis Branch is near the Raleigh county
iihe-has made full use OF the oppor.
'uhl'y TO carry on practically unhamp.
ereu warfare against "A coal companv
winch is trying to operate an "open
shop" mine.
Willis Branch. deserted dvn,m,,.,
anu shot riddled. its streets still spot.
tea with the stain OF human blood ia
mute evidence OF the horror which
movers over every mining community
IN state unable to protect and nm.
hold the laws OF both man and cod
IL is an example OF the ruthless. death
aeaiihg tactics employed by n certain
class or labor agitators and radical
sympathizers to force n non.union
community to recognize n union.
AS the matter stands today, seven
West Virginia State Police and two
special deputies are the only restrain.
ing force between several hundred
armed radicals and the complete do.
struction OF the town. For months
Willis Branch was the target OF week.
ly attacks. Its citizens. those workers
VINO risked the blows of drunken ruf.
fans. the bullets of daylight sinners
and halls OF lead in the night, lived
with their families in shot-torn houses
sleeping In rooms lined with sheet
iron and sand-bag barricades.
Beneath floors they made dug -outs'
Tor 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-
struction of property has been great.
Houses have been burned and dyna.
mited Two mine inclines and the
power house were blown up. Attempts
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.
~ fired into when the men were eat
ing supper. Children were made the
target OF daylight gunner. Women
with babes in their arms were fired
on in the streets.
Five days before leaving office Gov.
ernor ]. J. Cornwell and Governor.
elect r. +. 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 IS out
of the 67 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 II. 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 tho place. Gunfire continued I'M
til o'clock in the morning. Women
and children shivered in dug-outs all
night.
The 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
ings 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 Mirgo county. The troopers
were in charge OF Private Quinn. Since
their arrival in Willis Branch several
attacks have been made on them.
The mines have been in intermittent
operation since the strike. For sew.
- ,,,aaEa thay have heen cIooad ~.