The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-17
BhLDWlN-FELTS
Continual from Page oue)

IN IVES, Virginia Their hacking has
) boon mr.t powerful and tho lnnueh-e
"N"rt,d IAN" md again in thelr behAll
his prvu. =. Ear. insurInountao Ic. The
. I:itdn an Folks detectives nave been prac-
'lCal.y above n" law and is enforce
mcnt. No, Only this. bat they nave
been made bfic"rs # no law. Th"S
hay,, been given comm. $s!ons as dcputy
ShcrIfts without any questions as %
their residence. character or ouaiInc'i-
tons.
un May 10. 1920. 4 posse Of these
BALDWIN t'c!:s drtrctivc-deputy sherifrs.
armed 20 the teeth. went to the homes
Of tho miners ui the stone Mountain
Coal company. a. Matewan, and evic;ed
the women aul children from their
homes and threw their household and
kitchen furniture INTO The road. This
. thcy did without any pr"cessc without
F. Warrant AID without authority. This
was the cause Of the now famous
, "T:a;t'o Of Mai"wan." IN which seven
J Rald win-Felts detectives were shot &
death thrc" citizens Killed and one
severely wounded. As 4 result OF this
) battle" some twrnty-four citizens were
! indicted for the killing 81 the detectives.
and three detectives were indicted for
! IN" killing Of the tire" citizens
Hard Fought
The trial OF the twpnty-Cour defend
iants Mt Williamson. beginning the latter
! part OF last January and continuing
through February AMI part OF March.
Is history which can be read by all.
/ The prosecuting attorney Of AinEo
county was most ably assisted by sew
! eral Of the hest known lawyers n west
Virginia. and the Efforts exerted by this
In
, Everything was don" which could possI-
: bly, lead 10 a conviction. More man
! 200 witnesses were heard at ;his ina
! which lasted over n Irr!od OF six weeks.
1 Every bit OF evidence" whether tmpor-
, tan; ~ NOT. was sI''cd 20 the bottom
and weighed by n" jury. The attorneys
! Tor the S'atc surely earned their money.
: they fought y hard fGht--a long drawn
I out nshi one a.: those prnverhial legal
battles IN which every step or the way
| Is ticrce!y contested That the state
: and its stellar lega. array did not secure
conviction was no fault Of the state.
! 1t fought hard ana long. but the jury
! brought IN a verde, Of Not Guilty"
A Contrast
! Contrast this tria! with the Baldwin
: FeltR detectives VINO were charged with
tho killing OF three Matewan citizens.
Counsel for the defendants asked that
In their case change Of venue h.
granted stating that they could not
receive fair trial In M!ngo county.
The Judge was !enIen; with them and
granted change OF venue TO Green
hrier county. When this case ca mr. UP
for trial did the state make such great
preparations Tor IT'S prosecution as "
did in the other trial. II did not. Did
the state 60 10 the expense OF securing
lawyers OF great r-pUta''nns 70 assist
/ tho prosecuting attorney" II did not.
, What did the STAT" do Practically
nothing The prosecuting attorney.
whose duty 1t wa /" mum up evidence
against the accused, DID not even appear
at the trial and in no way did he make
any efforts 20 prosecute the detectives.
There was no argument made 10y the
state and no evidence was introduced
against them. They were found not
guilty without word having been
uttered by the state or the Judge. Not
one witness was called. and absolutely
no prosecution OF any nature Whatever
was made. Not Guilty" without trial
and the charG" being the killing or three
men. j. Il any wnndr" that those
detective deputy shcrifs snou.d hesitate
TO commit any crime whatever. lust 80
. long as they are on West Virginia
territory:
No Blame Placed
The prisoners were ali found not
ru:lt md the SIM" status existed as
before thr "Raitic Of Matcwan." The
fact remains. however. that ten men
were killed IN ihiI "lat'io" and no one
was nuu:saci Tho state prosecuted onQ
Sc; oC tho accused with the utmos; riGnr
possible The rthcr accused. the state
merely smiled upon and dismissed. No
hamo was placed by tho staie and "!
verdict vas secured for the simple
reason that only one sale vas prose
Cutcd. and no attempt was made 10
prosecute IA" other. II the trial OF the
Gr:cc;ivc, had been given the same
vigorous prosecution In Greenbr!er
county aE 'nc Matewan citizens wer"
given IN MIuT". II Is juat possible that
n vcrd'c, Of some Kind might havo been
found and lot NOR" light thrown
upon the whole controversy
Az rule mon Of all s;n'inns IN life
IN tire United states. "N"a n MnEo
county. are willing 20 sHbmI; To the
rrnndatos 90 III" .aw. hu, they do not
IKE 10 submit 20 any such law ns inter
prctcd nv such officers n@ N" baldwin
FeIis deteC,ivr deputy sNcrinS who do
not represent tho state, who ar" not paid
by tho state ard who do not take orders
, from 0fnrprS - no state. II legally
qualified representatives ot IN" law had