Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-01
FEARS OF REPR|SAL !
DELAY M|NG0 CASE
Talesmen Develop a Strange
Aversion to Capital Punish
ment and Other Excuses
HOME COMFORTS IN THE JAIL

Soccidi Dtspa'ch n Evening rub!tc Lcdotr
Williamson. W. Va. Feb. Pear
Of becoming involved in the new fcuds
which It is freely predicted will he
kindicd out Of the trial is the underly.
ing cause Of the difficulty being cncoun.
tered in the selection of jury to try
Sid Hatfield and his associates. who arc
nccuscd Of murder in connection with
the shaving Of detectives at Matcwar.
-Four days have already been spent
in thc vnin crdeavor to secure the
twelve men who will pass upon the life
of tho defendants. and it was consid.
cred problCmaticGl. when the trial was
resumed this morning. whether Il
would be- possible to get sufficient
number Of jurors who can qualify. Hail
of the new panel of jurors which was
drawn on Sunday became exhausted
Yesterday and the real fight on the part
Of thc state has not been opened yet
Tho Jurors who are not kin Of the
defendants or who are not identified
with the strikers or the operators have
suddenly developed scrurles against
capital punishment. while others have
n fixed opinion as to the guilt OF the
defendants. But it is claimed Tint
these excuses nrc only subterfugCs to
escape from serving as they do not want
to become mixed in tho fight of tho
clansmcu. They fear the% would 10
killed ms rcrrisals by the friends of the
defendants and suffer the same fate of
Ansc Hatfield. who was shot after he
testified before the grand iury. If they
brought in an unfavorabIC verdict
against the accused.
The examination Of tho jurors has
brought ont tho fact that there is n
divided sentiment in the county. Some
of those examined have declared that
thcv are not in sympathy with the
strikers, as the calling Of the strike has
created unemployment and strife in the
community. The adherents Of the de.
PENDANTS refer TO the slain detectives
as thugs.
The iail here is one Of the most
rcculinr that can be found anywhere in
the country. Hero the wives and sweet.
bcarts and friends minglc in the cell.
room with the defendants. and even the
wife Of Sid Hatfield is permitted to
sleep in the Jail building. The gracious
warden turned over ono of his bedrooms
in his norton Of the Jail building which
I ;s occupied by his family, aud Hat.
| field and his wife are together until
bed time. Most Of the defendants do
not occupy cells at all. Their cots arc
! in the corridors. They arc permitted
TO play cards and shoot craps.
There was much mcrrimcnt among
thc defendants when they were handed
their prison gnrb.
"Wcll. We are real prisoners now.
remarked Sid Hatfield, as b" proud,
Displayed his prison garb. II was Z
compromise garb. Instead of tho broat
stripes of the regulation uniform TN
men were given blue denim overnlls am
Jackets. with fine whit" rin strr
in thcm. $500 wc have OIL stripcs anc
nrc convicts now" he remarked with ;
ChuCkle.
When asked who was policing Mate
van now. n. he is the chief of roliC
rs we'll as the constable. while larg
nroportion of his force is in jail witt
him. he declared THAT he dcputi2cd som
friends to look after his duties.
"Eut there is no real need for Off
ccrs Of tho law" he said. 1.-THE Grim
inalS from Matowan are all in ja'
! now.