Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-29
w. Va, Troops Fired On
When They Order Band
To Surrender.
FIVE MEN FALL
State Posse Is Forced to Retreat-1,-
500 to 1000 Armed MenReported
Gathered at Blair, Logan County.

State Police Headquarters, Ethel,
w. Va, Aug 29.-Five men fell
i'll an encounter early yesterday
morning between an armed band and
State troopers on Beach Creek, Lo-
gan county, near the Boone-Lo%all
county line, Capt. j. R. Brockus
commanding State police and deputy
sheriffs, reported yesterday afternoon
There was much shooting on either
side, he said. Whether all the men
who fell were killed, Captain Brock
us was unable to state.
He added that after his men had
seen those who had fallen picked up
and carried away by their com2an-
ions the State troopers and deputies
retired because some of their number
were in civilian clothes and it was
difficult to distinguish them in the
the armed band.
The CLASH was at close range, ac-
cording 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, II PRISONS had been taken
by the patroling party which set out
from Logan yesterday. ostenslbly to.
ward Blair and Sharples. -Four CT
the prisoners escaped during the en-
gagement, it was said, and one CT
them is believed to have been killed.
Captain Brockus was at the head
of the advance guard of troopers and
deputies. 1t was this detachment,
comprising ~ men that engaged the
armed band. The patrol, while pro-
ceeding toward Sharples, Captain
Brockus reported ran across tive
men on foot. All were armed with
rifles and one had shotgun, he said.
eve called upon these men to dis
arm, which they did," the Captain
continued.
1--WE placed them under arrest
and proceeded down the road: Fur
ther on We met two automobiles and
placed six additional armed men un-
der arrest.
"With the II prisoners We march
cd on toward Sharples and came
upon another squad of five armed
men. Some one called to US that we
would not be allowed to pass. we
called upon them to surrender then
arms, but received in reply volley
Of shots.
Our men returned the fire and in
the fight five men fell to the ground
We waited until we saw that they
were picked up and carried away,
and then decided to discontinue the
advance for the present. 1t was very
dark and some of our deputies were
IN civilian clothes, hampering cur
distinguishing them"
Captain Brocl;us could not def
nitely state whether the five men
were killed, but irtimated that prob
ably four" were killed:
He said that he had talked with
= man who came from Sharples after
the battle had taken place and TINS
man said that "some miners We're
killed, but was unable to tel whetA-
er all five cf the men had been IA
tally wounded.
CAPTAIN Brockus said that later
reports from Sharples indicated that
the State police had "played in luck
in stopping where they did.
eve learned from Sharples that
thcre were between ! 1900 ard 1000
armed miners waiting for us 70 walk
into a trap" Captain Brockus said,
"and if we had advanced it seems
assured very serious situation
would have developed.
All along the way, the State police
officer explained. pot shots Were
being taken at the officers from men
hidden in houses and IN ambush,
lfw hdrm dom od mod mo dom dom
Those who would discuss TO-DAY
engagement said they regarded me
fighting as ''purely local; Ihey
added that they believed the march
movement to Mingo county as pro,
test against martial law there had
heen successfully checked last week
through the intervention Of Federal
authorities and mind workers ottic-
ialS