Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-03
BY THONIAs r uEALEY

Special to Indiana Daily Times
and Philadelphia Public Ledger
LOGAN, W. Va, Sept Sit is be-
heved here today that the miners have
reached a critical situation and that
their supplies are running out The
continuance of their fire and the in
tensity of their massed attacks yester-
day were predicated, it is believed, upon
desperation and the desire of their lead
ers to break the line of defense before
Federal troops enter the field.
Whatever the conditions OF their sup
plies may be they do not lack man
power. Air scouts continue t. report
heavy movements of miners through the
Coal River districts to the Guyan Ridge.
They are being transported in large
numbers by auto trucks and equally
large numbers are advancing on foot.
The prisoners brought In are lodged in
the Logan County Jail Sheriff Chafin
took the writer to the jail to talk to
them. Three of the twenty prisoners
captured during the last few days were
brought into the jail office separately.
Two Of them are mere boys. not more
than twenty years old. The third,
shrewd clever man of forty or there
shouts successfully parted all questions.
Sheriff Chafin declared his q Red
organizer and leader in the red army.
His name is Clyde McGari5h and his
home is in Ohio.
All three prisoners admitted the march
OF the miners and the battles they staged
In the hills had been organized by some
enc" whom they did not know. They
said they had moved out under COM
mancs from mine union officials, but de-
MED they knew where they were going or
what was their mission.
John Sailing tho first urOducad said
he was 20 years old. He is a resident of
Logan County. He denied joining the
Red forces willingly. Stating said he
went into the coal river district for the
purpose OF visiting his mother and he had
been forced at the point of a gun to Join
the invading army. He said at the time
he was captured he was advancing
surrendering.
MEN REQUIRED
TO PAY FOR RIFLE.
Sailing wore a red band about his arm.
Union officials, he SaIG, distributed the
bands to the miners and told them to
wear them always. Each man. he said,
was given a rife and many rounds Of
ammunition.
In some instances, he said. men were
given rifles and were required to pay for
them by the "check-on" system. Each
man was given a suit Of overalls.
Passwords were sent through the Army
and the men were given a special form
of challenge.
'Who might be there" was the chal-
lenge and the following words were
countersigned or passwords:
''Mingo:" I'VE come creeping and slip
ping"
Frank Hager, another boy, evidently
told the truth. He said he had been
forced to join the army against his will
McGarish said he had come 10 West
Virginia a few months ago from Ohio
and had secured work. He admitted
membership in the miners union. He
said he started with company of min
ers to attend a mass meeting, but en- route
met the returning miners, who informed
Linn that Keeney and Mooney had spoken
at the mass meeting and there was no
use proceeding. Later. he said, a special
train passed through the coal river dis
trict carrying miners and that he Joined
them. When the party reached the hills
near Logan he said he was given rife
and a red band and the pass words
quoted above with the exception of the
word "Mingo." He was asked the names
of the leaders, but could only mention a
man named Whitley"
The prisoner denied knowing the des-
tination of the marching miners. He
said he had carried the gun, but had not
fired it He denied evil intentions. but
admitted he was breaking the law some
what" He attempted to convey the i'm
preston that he bIindly followed the or
ders of "some one" and that he had done
no harm.
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