Evening star., 1921-07-17
;;TELLS OF Staying :.
= MINE DETECTIVES
Sid Hatfield Relates Details
of Mingo Fight to Sen
ate Committee.

Sid Hatfield chief of police at Mate
wan. w. Va. yesterday gave, the SEN
ate committee investigating the
strife in the West Virginia coal fields
q tirst-hand account OF the gun fight
in Matewan with Baldwin Felts de-
tectives in which he took part. with
the result that six charges of hoWi-
eide are still pending against him.
Counsel for the miners at the hear
ing waived immunity for the witness.
but the cross-sXaminatiOn by opera
tors counsel was frequently inter,
rupted when Chairman Kenyon ruleo
out questions because of the lesai
status.
morrow without deciding whether a
trip to the Mingo coal region in vest
Virginia would be necessary to con-
Clude it's work.
Mayor Issued Wnrrnnth.
THE mayor issued warrants for the
arrest of all the Baldwin-Felts detec-
ttves who came to evict miners ram,
of the battle Il went to serve the
warrants and arrest the men. Albert
Felts, the leader turned the compn-
ment on me and said he had war
rant for me-
There were thirteen men in the
F>.ts party. Hatfield said. and seven
were killed. He explained that ne was
acquitted of one homicide charge;
but that six more are awaiting trial ;.
Hatfield explained, because they
were violating the town ordinances
by carrying guns. We had Deen IN
formed also that the warrants for
throwing these people out OF tneF
houses were illegal.
Sells Gums In store.
$. B. Avis. counsel for the operators.
asked Hatfield if he had not been
, '.instrumental in bringing in rifles"
TO the Mingo field. The witness said
he was now running store which
sold guns. -,
Il don't pose as gunman." Hatfield
added.
being paid. the witness said, by the
United Mine Workers.
Denies Unions Bought Arms.
Denial that any of the S2.500.O00
spent by the national miners union IN
connection with the Mingo coal. strike
troubles went for arms was made by
G. F. Keeney. union president, who
was under cross-examination by ).
B. Avis, counsel for the operators.
The money was spent, keeney INSIST
ed. to support tent colonies in whlcn
1900 miners and their families were
housed
Mr. Avis pressed the witness re-
peatedly to say that the mine workers
union habitually broke it's contracts.
Il ODcTdtOES win ~.
would make no such admission.
Counsel cited sixty-three strikes al
legged to have been called by keeney
in one union feld:'
Many of those were bred by your
secret service men in the .mines. hut
my records aren't here, though your
figure is probably too high" keeney
replied.
Mine Guards Called Gunmen.
Eaeney used the terms "vigilantes"
and "gunmen' frequently. He defined
the first as members of the citizens
volunteer state police and the second
as mine guards. He said some OF d.
Avisisaid they were dentists. doctors
bank officials. merchants" and mostly
ex-Service men.
Senator Sterling. republican. South
Dakota, asked if the union men did
not use violence. intimidation and
the union"
the policy Of the mine workers.
What would You do to a local
union which resorted to such tactics:
Senator Sterling persisted. T..
I'D expel them
Deputy System Ended.
The committee looked into the sys-
tenn in Mingo by which deputy
shsriffs have been employed by private
concerns James Kirkpatrick. a deputy.
testified that he had received a salary
. from the union as well as his official
pay and named a half dozen men he
said the coal operators employed. The
system was no longer in effect, he
said.
What do you mean by saying that
mine workers are entitled to the full
social value of coal they produce?"
Chairman Kenyon asked the witness.
ut means that a man should re-
.ceiwe all the wealth that he creates
after payment of the running ex-
DenseS. transportation and a fair re-
turn to the men who own the prop
erty. keeney answered. ut does not
mean taking the. property away" :
He agreed with Chairman KENYON
that the union was endeavoring ITO
get the method of compensation
adopted: rather than the present
system.