Evening star., 1921-10-14
PRISONERS TESTIFY
ABOUT MINE WAR
Declare They Were Unwilling
Participants as They Ask
Bail at Logan, w. Va.
ny the Assoclh ted Press.

| by the Associn ted Press
LOGAN. w. Va. October 14.-Logan-
Boone county disturbance defendants
today continued their testimony, be-
p. gun yesterday. in support Of an ab-
lowing postponement Of their trials
the day before until the January term
Of circuit court. When Judge Robert
Bland this morning ascended the i'm
provised bench in a motion picture
theater, serving as q courtroom while
the county building Is being repaired.
IT was brought out that the hearing
would be concluded probably by noon.
The taking of testimony was made
necessary by the prosecutions objec-
tion to the release on bond of eighteen
OF the thirty-one men who appeared
for trial Wednesday.
/ The regular grand jury has added a
number of indictments to those re-
turned several weeks ago by special
, grand jury and the total now exceeds
500. The charges range from murder
to gun "toting' and Resulted from
disorders In Boone and eastern Logan
september when eleven men were
KILLED.
Took Part Unvlllfngly.
Most of the defendants heard so far
have testified they were unwilling
participants, but the prosecution has
sought through questioning to show
that they made no effort to shirk the
tasks assigned to them by men whose
names they gave as "Blanton, Thomp-
son and Czlitch.'
Pat Crawford. one of the applicants
for bail. told the court he was a
union miner, adding that he only took
part in the trouble through the CO.
lercfon of "Blanton."
Eli Akers. another defendant. testi-
fed that "Blanton" had made him
work on a road out of Jeffery. near
which place most of the trouble oc-
Cured.
who is Blanton?' Judge Bland
swered. Hes supposed to live in
Ottawa. He must be a powerful
man in that community." interposed
Prosecuting Attorney John. Chafin.
/ Il don't Know replied Akers. but
when he shoves gun in your face
you do as he wants"
| Dana Miles of Laurel City testified
that he was one Of the men who
guarded Magistrate W. F. Mitchell of
Logan after the latter was captured
during, the, disturbances. When
prisoners with him were taken to
Laurel City. Miles told the court that
1T looked as though they were going
to be killed"
Again Guarded Magistrate.
"Colored men crowded around them
and poked guns in their faces" he
said. Il tried to stop that kind of
| thing, but was pushed away" Soon
thereafter Mitchell and his com
panions were taken from the scene,
Miles continued. and he didn't see
the magistrate again until 'cBlanton''
assigned him to guard Mitchell again
several days afterward.
Il never heard march discussed at
any meeting" Miles saia in response
to questioning by Prosecutor Chain.
but I did hear they were going to
march to Mingo county
a marching body estimated to have
comprised several thousand men
gathered at Marmet. near Charleston,
prior to the Logan-B Boone trouble and
proceeded to Madison. Boone county.
about twelve miles from the Logan
line. At the solicitation of Miners
Union officials it dispersed. after
reaching that point, but three days
later began to assemble on the edge
Of Logan county. through which 1t
was necessary to pass in order to
reach Mingo. where state martial
law previously had been imposed fol-
lowing industrial disorders.
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