The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-14
Hostilities in Mingo Mine War
Increase Today.
Heaviest Fighting of Three
Day Mine War.
SIX DEAD-MANY WOUNDED
Many VOIleys Fired in Ken
lucky Hills Fight.
Some of Dead Cannot Be Res
cued, Says Report.

Washington, May 14.-Maj. Gen.
George W. Read, commanding the
Fifth army corps area at indianapolis,
has been instructed Immediately to
dispatch federal troops to the Mingo.
W. Va, coal district, if he thinks it
necessary. Secretary of War Baker An
nounced today.
Williamson, w. Va, May 1.-THE
heaviest fighting of the three day
mine workers war in Mingo county
broke out at noon today.
Fighting factions hidden in the
West Virginia and Kentucky hills let
loose repeated volleys. Blackberry
City and Album. Gates. Spriggs. New
Howard and Merrimac were subjected
to hot fusillades.
Capt. J. r. Brockus, with a detach-
ment of state police. commandeered
Especial trains and started for the Tug
river valley section.
concerted attack on Matewan
opened shortly after the general bat
tie was resumed. Fighting in the
streets there was reported.
Outbreak Follows Old Fight.
The renewed outbreak followed a
long lull in the mountain war between
union miners who have been on strike
for year and strike breakers. Sharp
fighting came at dawn along the
twelve mile battle zone but respite
followed which lasted until ammuni-
! ton supplies were hustled forward
and the guerrilla warfare started with
renewed fury at noon.
/ Women and Children Rescued.
Women and children. hemmed in
, when the skirmish started Thursday
morning. have been rescued by state
police. They reached here early yes
! terday after being without food or wa
! ter since taking refuge from the snip
. ers fire which had made sieves of
their homes in the valley between the
West Virginia and Kentucky noun
! tains.
Bodies of the five reported dead and
many wounded have not been rescued
They are in the open between the two
warring camps.
failed when both of the warning fac
tions refused to stop their hail of bull
lets until the other side was silenced.
Fighting Continues During Night.
The flare of reyolvers and pistols
up and down the Tug river for twelve
miles continued thruout the night
The battle died down shortly after
= midnight but was resumed at day
break.
Communications with the battle
area were still interrupted this morn
n ing but the course of the fight was
q the volleys and flares that went up
from the snipers in the West Virginia
s and Kentucky hills On opposite sides
T of the Tug river.
= Shots continued pouring into the
;, half dozen little mining colonies in
the valley between the two mountain
sides.
/ Dan Whit, a miner, is among the
/ latest victims of the guerilla warfare.
v He left the mouth of mine yesterday
to procure water for women and chill
e dren huddled in the mine mouth. He
: was killed before he had taken twenty
C steps into the line of fire.
Battle Started Thursday.
The battle opened Thursday morn
ing between miners who have been on
Il strike for a year and those who have
: taken their places in the coal fields.
u Two were reported killed the first day.
Z The casualties were increased by two
2 yesterday with reports that at least
L two other victims were known.
a May Send Troops.
Washington, May IA President
| Harding and Secretary of War Weeks
today are considering sending federal
| troops into the embattled districts in
West Virginia, it became known to-
day.
A telegram was received by Hard
ing from Gov Morrow of Kentucky on
a the fighting that has been going on
for the past few days along the Ken
tucky-West Virginia border. The teIe-
i gram said complete data on the stu
K alton had been sent to Weeks with
request for federal troops.
Z Await Orders at Camp Sherman.
s Camp Sherman, o., May 14.-Fed-
e eraI troops here awaited word today
to go into Mingo county, West Vir-
t ginia, to quell the sniper's war there.
t Col. Herman Hall, commanding.
n was ready to lead a detachment OF
e infantry into the mine war country
on word from the commander of the
: corps area.
: Baggage was put on trains last
e night and other preparations for a
iquick movement completed.
Feeling in Matewan was especially
tense. Sid Hatfield, former Matewan
police chief and principal figure in
the FeI.s detective trials. was re-
N ported to have attacked J. p. Smith.
superintendent of the Stony Mountain
Coal company.
-Four Men Reported Killed.
e An unconfirmed report that four
: men had been killed near Alburn
e while crossing field under the i'm
e preston a truce had been agreed to,
d caused renewed agitation
n Deputy Sheriff Dorsy Chaffin re-
le turned here late today from Matewan.
He reported feeling especially tense.
The whole district was being raked
4. with machine gun fire late today and
there had been no cessation since the
n renewed outbreak.