Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-29
Battle in Hills of
 Logan County, W. Va.
Five Men KilIed-Rioters Have Captured Three Depu. ty Sheriffs.

State police headquarters, Ethel, West Virginia, Aug 2S-kive men fell in an encounter early today between an armed band and state troopers on Beach Creek, Logan county, near the Boone-Logan county line Captain J. k. Brockus com manding state police and deputy sherifts, reported this afternoon There was much shooting on either side he said.
 Whether all the men who fell were killed, Captain Brockus was unable to state He adds that after his men had seen those who had fallen picked up and rearried away by their companions, the state troopers and deputies retired be- cause some of their number were in civ ilisn clothes and it was difficult to dls- tinguish them ill the darkness from the men comprising the armed band. The clash was at close range according to Captain Brockus' report, the men firing at each other when but eight to ten feet apart Prior to the fight Captain Brock us said, eleven prisoners had been taken by the patrolling party which set out from Logan yes-erdy ostensibly toward Blair and harples. Four of the prison CTS escaped during the engagement it was said, and one of them is believed to have been killed Captain Brockus was at the head of the advance guard of troopers and depupties. It was this detachment comprising twelve men that engaged the armed band The patrol while proceeding toward Sharples Cap tain Brcckus reported, ran across five men on foot All were armed with rifles and one had a shot gun, he said. We called upon these men to disarm, which they did, the captain continued. "We placed them under arrest and pro ceedsd down the road Further on We met TWO automobiles and placed six ad- ditional armed men under arrest. With the eleven prisoners we marched on toward Sharpies and came upon an other squad of five armed men. Someone called to us that we would not he allowed to pass. We called upn them to surrender their arms but received in reply volley of shots.
 Our men returned the fire and in the Aght five men fell to the ground. We waited until we saw that they were picked up and carried away, and ther 1 decided to discontinue the advance fol the present. It was very dark and some cf our deputies were in civilian clothes hampering our distinguishing them"
 Captain Brockus could not definitely state whether the five men were killed but said that probably four were killed He said that he had talked with mar i who came from Sharples after the battt had taken place and chis man said tha some miners were killed but was unabl to tell whether all five of the men hac been fatally wounded.
 Captain Brocl1us said that later report from Sharples indicated that the stat
 police had played in luck in stoppin'
 where they did
 .We learned from Sharples that ther
 were between 1.5oe and 2,000 arme' miners waiting for us to walk into trap" Captain BrocAus said and if W thad avanced it seems assured a yer. serious situation would, have developed. All along the way, the state polio | officer explained pot shots were bein
 taken. at the officers from men hiddei
 in houses and ambush.
 Those who would discuss today's en gagement said they regarded the fight
 ing as i-purely local" They added ths
 they believed the march movement |
 Mingo corkhty as a protest against mai
 tial law there had been successful
 checked last week through the interver
 tion of federal authorities and min
 workers officials.