Evening star., 1921-07-20
CAP TAIN DESCRIBES
M|NGO SHOOT|NGS
Tells Senate Committee
Clash Was Inevitable Be-
cause of Rifles.

Skirmishes in the MingO, W. Va,
coal field between state. police and
men armed with high-powered
rifles" in which three officials were
"shot in the back we're described be-
fore the Senate Investigating COM
mittee by J. r. Brockus. captain Of
state forces. At least some of the as
sailants were members of the United
Mine Workers. he said. and denied
that the police had acted in high
handed manner or had destfoSed prop
erty Of evicted miners.
Discipline Demanded.
Enlstments in the state constabu-
larry. Capt. brockus said. were con-
fined to former service men of proved
moral character, preferably men OF
overseas. Service.>
We insist that the police behave"
said the witness. about thirty-nVe
men in my company have been dis
charged for misconduct.
A total of 273 families are living in
tents in Mingo county. Capt. Brockus
testified, adding that among the tent
dwellers were 2s4 women ana 1,3oA
children A canvass by state police.
the committee was told, disclosed that
not all the men living in tents we're
striking miners. evicted from COM
pany houses. Some of those IN the
Lick Creek tent colony. near William
son, the witness said. were found to
have come into the district from Ken
lucky "at the instigation OF union
miners officials"
Cautioned Of Danger.
Capt. Brockus said that last May he
reported to his superiors 1t would be
impossible to maintain order IN the
Mingo district as long as men were
permitted to so around with nigh
shoulders and guns and ammunition
were freely shipped into the field
Police appealed to stores in Will
hanson, the committee was Informed.
to stop the sale Of rifles and ammunl-
tion. but met with little success.
Ammunition packed in leather cases
was tossed off moving trains despite
the vigilance of police. the witness
declared.
Rifles and the thousands Of
rounds of ammunition have been
concealed in houses Of mine workers.
Capt. Rrockus declared, recountinE
number of instances where state po-
lice and civilians had been fired upon
from ambush" On one occasion. he
said. women were in the party at
tackled.
Denies Steel Men Guided Lockout.
Testimony to the effect that coal
operators in the Mingo. w. Va. coal
nelQS were no way lHuucHCcu ny
the United States Steel Corporation in
resisting efforts to unionize their
workers was given yesterday before
the Senate subcommittee on education
and labor by Ernest l.. Bailey, superin-
tendent Of the -Solvay Coke
Company.
Senator Kenyon read a statement,
purported to have been issued BY w.
Jett Lauck. consulting economist for
the United Mine Workers, in which it
was charged that the Steel Corpora
tion was the guiding hand" behind
the effort to crush out the mine
workers organization.' The state
r1ent said the Steel Corporation.
through it's subsidiaries, was the larg-
est producer Of coal in West Virginia,
employing more men than any oper-
ator in the region adjacent to Mingo
county, and was planning. in con-
junction with the Norfolk and West
ern railroad, to extend operations in
the Mingo field.
Shots Fired Across River.
Mines supervised by Mr. Bailey are
across the Tug river from Mtngo coun-
ty. After Harry Olmsted. represent
ing operators in the region. had testi
fed that twenty-seven persons were
known to have been killed during
disorders since the middle Of May.
1920, Mr.. Bailey described attacks