The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-09
Grand Jury Recommends That Austin and Deputies Be Discharged From Further SerUice Of fhe State
In Special Report Grand Jury Reviews Strike Situation. State Law Enforcement Of- ficerS RoundIy Scored. Law and Order Advocates Commended

the Birmingham Advance, were con.
 demned by the Jefferson county grand
 jury and resignations of Conrad w Austin, chief of the Jaw enforcement
 officers; w. H. Knox and o. D.
 Moates, members of the force were recommended in a special report made yesterday afternoon to Judge William
 F.. Fort in the criminal division of the circuit court. The immediate re- lease from further services or duty as officers of the state was urged by the jury for the best good of the state.
 | Gov. Thomas E. Kilby was exonerated from any responsibility for these as saults or the conduct of these officials. inasmuch as they were transferred to another department. lie was praised | for his condemnation of the assault. Members of the state niiitsa were com mended for their personal sacrifices, financially and otherwise, and for the | formed their arduous duties in oonnec- tion with the strike.
 All soldiers, miners aud officers who have stood for law ana order in tne great industrial conflict were congrat- ulated for the peace ahS quiet which has prevailed because of this stand. The report of the grand jury follows: To the Hon. William E. Fort, Judge Circuit Court of Tenth Judicial Cir cult of Alabama:
 Pursuant to your honor's instruc- tions, given to us on February IA, 1921 calling our attention 10 cer-ain mat ters, one of which was .he critical con- dftion existing at that time in this county concerning the industrial strike e between the coal operators and striking | miners. and certain matters growing out of and pertaining to the strike and the condition of some officers and in- dividuals in relation thereto, we imme- diately set the 24th day of February. 1921, for the taking up of this inVes- tigation.
 We had a great number of wit nesses subpoenated before the day set for the hearing of this matter. The strike was settled by an agreement reached between the coal operators and officials of the United Mine Workers Ci <eiiCA iSd. hC WltH6SScS having al ready been subpoenaed. a great num- Der appeared, and the examination of witnesses consumed two entire days. MINERS STRIKE
 We feel that the cltizens of this community sould be highly pleased to know that the miners strike has been settled by this agreement between the representatives of the United Mine Workers of America and the coal oper- ators of this district, whereby the de- tails of settlement were placed in the hands of Gov. Thomas E. Kilby, who has, in turn, appointed a committee consisting of Thomas W. Sheehan, John w. Durr, and Richard M. Hobbie, which committee, we are informed, is now engaged in the hearing of evidence toward a final settlement which will be agreeable to both sides of the Coil troversy
 While the strike has been appareE.- ly settled satisfactorily to all parties concerned, we deem it. however, neccs- sary in this report to deal with the conduct of the officials whose duty it was to enforce the civil laws and to protect the property and lives of the people. We commend the greater body of the miners in their conduct and ac- ton during the strike, in keeping the peace and observing the law. While there were a few who violated the jaw and committed crimes. yet the great body of the miners who came out on strike have conducted themselves com mensurate with the keeping of the peace and observance of the law.
 I've find that there have been sev-' eral unlawful homicides committed in this county, directly traceable to the strike. However, where the 'evidence justified, indictments have been promptly returned and the defendants brought to trial or the cases are now on the docket of this court awaiting trial
 MURDERS COMMITTED
 'The governor of Alabama called out the state militia early in the strike. but only after Il murders had been com mitted in the mineral district of the state, embracing nine counties, a week before the troops were placed on duty. We find that there were p1ced in the coal producing counties of the state. under the charge and control of Gen. Robert E. Steiner, approximately TOO militiamen, who were distributed throughout the nine counties. We have investigated the conduct and deport- ment of the soldiers while on duty in Jefferson county, and while there have been a great many instances in which the soldiers could be- and should be, and were censured and court -martialed for misconduct, yet we find 1t to be a fact that the greater majority of the boys who constituted his body of mili- tiamen were called from their respec- tive vacations and were called upon 10 make a great sacrifice, financially and otherwise, and that they sould be com mended by everybody for their personal sacrifices and for the way and man ner in which they performed their ar duous duties in connection with the strike. In number of instances we found that certain soldiers had been charged with misconduct toward slr.k ing miners, but we were unable to as- certain the names of the soldiers charged with the offenses; and. in other instances, where indictments might have been otherwise justifiable, in every case we found that the soldiers charged with the offenses had been promptly ourt-martialed and sufficient punishment imposed on the offenders.
 PICKETING AT MINES
 We find that Gen. Robert E. Steiner. upon his arrival in Birmingham, to enter upon the duties that were to confront him during the strike, promulgated cer- tain rules and regulations, which he submitted to the officials of, the miners union and coal operators, and that these parties agreed to abide py said rules and regulations, and agreed, so far as they could, to assist in mall aiming and up- hclding of said rules and regulations; and, afterwards, on the eleventh day of December. 1920, with the passage and promuleation of the resolutions by the Cnited Minel Workers of America, au- thorixipc picketinP at the mines which