Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-14

WILLIAMSON, w. Va, May 12-
a gun battle on the West Virginia
Kentucky border in the vicinity of
Merrimac and Sprigg. adjacent min
fl of Pinson county. One man is re-
ported killed and reports to the sher-
If indicate that the battle still is
In progress.
A report reaching the shcriff's Of
fee was to the effect that. Captain
!. r. Brockus and a squad of state
police ares hemmed ii by firing par
les at Merrimac and that their po-
Eition is a dangerous one.
The man reported killed is said to
be Harry Staten, a former magis-
/ rate, and a witness for the state'in
Ihe Matewan gunfight trial early
his year. He is said to have been
hot while standin gin front of his
tore at SPRING..
At noon it was stated the firing
] ad assumed alarming proportions
4 nd the state police force in the
|icinity is thought to be inadequate
b cope with the situation.
Telephone communication with
=1errimac is interrupted. There is
( ut one telephone in the town-lo-
=hted in a mining company store. Re-
Gated efforts 20 get in touch with
he town have failed.
/ At Sprigg, firing between opposing
3illage factions is reported. 1t is
Ihdicated the town also is being fired
IN from the Kentucky side.
he fighting is said to be the Sc
crest in the history of Mingo coun-
v, and Sheriff Pinson is summon
b ga number of special deputies for
Immediate service at the two towns.
] later report stated that Merrimac
ESQ was being fired on from the
kentucky side.
! Chief Deputy John H. Hall this
.fternoon succeeded in establishing
elephone communication from Mer-
mac to the sheriff's Off ecat VIII
amson. He reported two men had
cen woundedthere. The names were
OF available. He said Merrtmac
as being fired on from the noun
bins. He asked the sheriff's permits
on, according to announcement
Rom the latter's office, to crsos Tug
+ver into Kentucky to attack the
Rrty firing from that side.
1t is reported that state policies
7lpply of ammunition is low. Cap
lin Brockus has ten men at Merrl-
&C and in addition there are six
eers, four state police an four dep
ties left Williamson for Merrimac
] noon. The station stop at Mer-
mac is directly in front of a COM
[hny store, which. it is said has been
.nder constant fire.
/ Norfolk and Western passenger
rain No. 8, which left Williamson
1hrotly after noon was reported fired
by men concealed in the noun
inns when it stopped at Merrimac.
81 xstate police who had been on
uty east Of Thacker reached Will
amson this afternoon. They de-
eribed the firing at Spriggs as a
continual roar" They added that
be firse came from houses and 9TH
places in the village as well as
rom the mountainside.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon Sha~'
Pinson said that he had report
hat the shooting had been extended
} the Album section and that the
tuation is regarded as extremely
Sheriff Pinsop this afternoon asked
be Norfolk and Western officials for
special train to carry reinforce
Xents othe two villages.
A telephone message from Jai1er
#ryant Messer received at the sher-
rs office shortly after 2 o'clock
lated that passenger train No. was
red on when it reached Sprigg. Mes
er in company with several other
&ficers, was under instructions to
b to Merrimac, the sheriff said, but
hat for some reason unknown to
Ina thew went to Sprigg.