The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-19
SENATE COMMITTEE
 VISITS TENT CAMP .0F MINE STRIKERS
Kenyon and Shortridge Gath CT Evidence From Miners. See Holes Shot
 In Tents
By Associated Press

Williamson, W. Va, September 1S.-- Senator Kenyon's Investigating con- mittee, boiled down finally to him self and Senator Shortridge of Call fornia, went among the peopk in the Lick creek tent colony toda " to get the miners. side of the underlying cause of industrial troubles in the Mingo region.
 There was no comment from the committee after fifty or more men and women had been questioned. To- morrow the operators will be heard and then Senator Kenyon and his associate will determine how far to proceed under the Senate resolution directing the inquiry.
 The tent colony is populated by miners who have been on strike IA months. The first of the group whose testimony was obtained was George Echols, a negro. preacher, 75 years old, who showed the rag ged gaps In his tent, put there, he testified by state constabulary or private guards''
 Inside the old man picked up hls month-old baby, born in home with only the earth as flooring. and proud ly displayed it to Senator Shortridge as an evidence of healty living out doors in the Mingo mountains.
 Wide slashes and bullet holes in other tents also were pointed as evil dence of some of the colony's hard ships.
 Find Eager Witnesses
 News that the party was on the way brought out big attendance. the women being the most eager to talk. From individual groups the senators tried to find out how the trouble might be settled. Most of the miners declared they had not been amply paid for their work, that while they might make $S day, expenses for tools, dynamite and other things cut the net to s3. Other alleged grienvances were against the so-called mine guard" system and the claim of the men that once they joined the union they were instant ly fired.
 The witnesses also complained that many men from the colony had been put in jail and not told of the charges against them. Howard Hanvers, one of the spokcsmen, said they object ed to enforcement of law by private guards.
 The story of Alex Breedlove, who
  camp when 1S-year- old boy, alone with him in thicket. begged that he be not deserted. was told in de- tail by. half dozen witnesses. The men said after Breedlove was cap- tured he was given one minute to pray and fell dead with prayer on his lips Senator Kenyon found that the boy, Willis Hodges, lives at Hunt | ington, and efforts will be made sto get his testimony.
 Man Killed Was Colonist
 Breedlove was colonist and lost his life in an exchange of shots with members of the state police when the latter went to Lick creek to make arrests as a. result of a previous shooting when members of an auto mobile party reported having. been fired upon.
 During the fight in which Breed love was killed. James A. fBowles. a state trooper. was wounded. as was also Martin Justice, who was then in charge of the colony, | On the way here. the comnittee at 1 we1ch overheard people at the sta | ton discpssing the killing there oi | Sid Hatfield. who recently testified | at Washington. There was only a car window view of Matewan, where l the first big clash developed in May, l 1920. Tomorrow the senators VIII look over other fields before proceed ling to Huntington ana Charleston In | the hope of reaching Washington | next Wednesday morning.