Omaha daily bee., 1921-05-14
Terrific Battle
Resumed at Dawn
In West Virginia
Governor Appeals for Federal
Troops to Assist Authorities
In Ending Guerilla War
fare in Mountains.

Williamson, w. Va. May l5,---
Reports that firing from the noun
tains had been resumed at dawn to-
day at Sprigg, where state. police
fought a battle yesterday with rifle
men hidden in the mountains, were
received by county authorities here.
Chief Deputy Sheriff John Hall lett
at once with ammunition for the
police.
Governor Morgan's request for
federal troops to guard the district
followed the battle, in which ono
man was killed and two were
wounded.
Firing from the Kentucky side OF
the Tug river, continued intermlt-
tently throughout the night, accord
ing to reports.
Beginning soon after dawn at
Merrilnac, four miles up the Tug
river from this city, shots were
poured from the mountainsidc into
Merrimac, Rawl, Sprigg and Mate
wan, West Virginia, and McCarr,
Kentucky.
All available state police and
deputy sheriffs centered in William
son were rushed to the scene, but
according to reports they had been
unable to check the shooting.
Harry c. Station, state prohibition
officer and merchant at Sprigg, was
killed and Noah Phillips and. a
young man named Calvert at Merri-
mac were seriously wounded during
the shooting. Rumors OF other
killings and woundings have been
received at headquarters of the state
police here.
Attack Prearranged.
Yesterdays outbreak, the worst
since the Matewan battle of last
May 10, in which 10 persons were
killed, had all the appearance of
prearranged attack, according to ac-
counts of the fighting.
The towns under fire are within
seven miles of eacI, other and lie in
narrow valley on the banks of
the Tug river, which separates West
Virginia from Kentucky. The firing
came from the mountains on both
sides of the river, according to the
state police.
Terror reigncd in the towns in the
zone of fire as night fell and it was
learned that the authorities had
failed to apprehend any of the at
tackcrs. Virtually all lights were
extinguished and residents kept close
under cover.
The state police we're virtually
helpless during the day as the at
tacking force in the mountains
were screened by foliage and bould-
crs, while the police in order to at
tempt to direct attack would have
been obliged to cross the open val
ley and climb the rugged slopes in
view of the hidden marksmen.
Segt. David Peterson of the state
police, who led a squad of men to
Sprigg, told of the plight in which
several hundred passengers on
train found themselves when they
reached the battle zone.
Panic on Train.
Bullets were pcppcring down
from the mountains" he said,
women and children screamed and
cried in terror, while virtually every
passenger fell to the floors of the
coaches for protection. ! don't
know whether any shots were aimed
at the train
Capt. ]. r. Brockus, commander
of the state police for this district,
who returned to Williamson today,
said that the shooting had been
general from Williamson to McCarr,
KY, distance of about Is miles.
He estimated that no less than 200
men made up the attacking parties.
! Bullets fairly rained from the noun
tainsides as. he said, some of the
attackers were using automatic
rifles.
These were met by four or five
machine guns which the state pos
lice had stationed in the velley.
1t also was reported TO headquar-
tcss here that the state police force
sent into the mountains to outfank
the attackers had returned to the
valley, the men they sought having
J slipned away.