The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-13

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J Eye Witness Tells.
An eye witness to the murder told
how it happened to a correspondent
of the West Virginia Federationist.
Myself and several others had just
entered the court house yard when
Sid and Ed with their wives on their
arms were starting up the steps and
Sid stopped and turned his head and
said hello after which he again
started up the steps when volley
was fired and both Sid and Ed fell.
Neither one pulled gun, they had
no time to do SO, as they were shot
without warning.
"There were no words passed be-
tween them and any other person.
The hello addressed to me and my
companions who were just few feet
away was the only word passed by
either Sid or Ed while going up the
steps. The thugs were lined up at
the top of. the steps, six Of them. 1t
was a cold-blooded murder"
The Frame-Up Plot.
The plot was framed to get Sid
Hatfield and his associates and Lively
was selected as the tool to set the
scheme in motion. He appeared be-
fore the Mcdowell grand jury and
made an indictment against Sid. al
leging that he was connected with a
shooting that occurred at Mohawk
about year ago. And by the way
the Mohawk shooting was staged by
coal company guards as part Of the
program to get federal troops into
the Mingo field. 49,
| After the indictment was returned
the plan was perfected to murder him
when he appeared in Welch for trial
and 1t has been an open secret among
the thugs and their sponsors that Sid
would never leave Mcdowell county
alive. This was verified Monday
m Herning,e5waen it -is declared by men
|. who were in Welch that when the
shooting began. men several blocks
away from the scene shouted "Come
on, boys, they are killing Hatfield
and started, for the court house.
Conspiracy to Murder.
If a complete and thorough inves-
tigation is made by. the federal au-
,thorities it will be found. that the al
legged. charge against Sid was nothing
| more nor less than part of the con-
spiracy to murder him. 70 depend
ence can be placed in the county or
state authorities to get the facts or
mete out justice to the criminals and
if they and the men who hired them
to kill Hatfield and, Chambers ever
suffer for their crime it will be
brought about by the federal author
tiles.
Governor Morgan was thoroughly
acquainted with the situation. having
been informed time after time and
furnished with proof and having per-
sonal knowledge of the lawlessness of
the coal company gunner in Nc
Dowell county, and only few days
ago, representatives of District II told
him through his secretary of their
protection for them while attending
court at WEIGH, declaring that they
had reliable information that Sid
would never come out of Mcdowell
county alive if he did not have pro-
lection against the thugs.
Scoffed at Fears.
Their fears were scoffed at, but the
governor said that ample protection
would be afforded them, but his
promise was not complied with. and
now the governor attempts to alibi
himself with, the announcement that
the sheriff of Mcdowell county had
informed him that he was confident
of: his ability to protect them, but
when Hatfield and Chambers reached
Welch, strange to say, the sheriff was
out Of the cityland there was no pro-
vision made for their protection.
Deputy sheriffs We're there, however,
but. not to protect. but to murder
them. .-..' ..-.s. - ri
Morgan was well aware that Lively
and other Baldwin Felts thugs were
among the so-called deputy sheriffs
OF Mcdowell county, men who had
threatened to "get' Sid, and he fur
ther knew that Lively was a self
confessed murderer and all round
criminal and that. others on the
force" were equally as degenerate
and vicious. yet he allowed Hatfield
and Chambers to walk, into the very
hot-bed of thugdom unprotected. re-
gardless Of the appeals made by their
friends. $a. Z ::
Was Cold -Blooded. "a
Frank Keeney Of District II, gave out
statement to the daily press, but
they failed to publish the same, which
was as follows: ~
The murder Of Sid Hatfield and
Ed Chambers by Lively and other
Baldwin-Felts guards was cold blood
ed and without provocation asked
the attorney for the Mine Workers
last week to ask the governor for
protection for the men mul
while surrendering themselves
Court Of law. The governor proiS
that full protection would sbes sls.s
but the world knows the result
The widows Of Hatfield and Cham
bers said that neither they nor their
.husban nds santicipAte trouble in Welch.
snfinue on spsgs go