The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-05-14
WOMEN CHILDREN
FLEE IN TERROR
. TO MOUNTAINS|D
Rifle Flashes From Mountains
of Two States Show Loca-
tion of Battlers- Some Re-
ports Say IS Dead War
to the Finish Declared

Williamson, w. Va, May 1.-THE
hat,lc OF the Williamson coal district
was shrouded tonight in darkness that
illumined only by rifle flashes from the.
Kentucky and West Virginia mountains.
as the second day Of lighting closed with
the belligerency of the mountain rcfle,
men apparently undiminished. !
REPORTS received here At state po!ire
hea dquarttrs for the district told OF
general exodus Of women and children
from the embattled mining towns inc
refugees going either 70 the nils not
infested with rhlcmcn or leaving inc
district altogether.
The few remaining inhabittSts cuddled
in lightlesS houses and tent colonies
hoping, in the darkness, 10 find safety
from the hail Of lead that has been
poured OUT at intervals all day long.
A number Of refugee families have
made their way 10 this city.
Details Are Msagsr.
Only the most mcager details Of to-
dav's lighting had react@d Williamson
tonight over crippled telephone lines ana
from the lips Of arrivals from the zone
of firing, but from the conflicting mass
of rcuorts it seemed certain that ycster-
DAVIS death toll Of two had been In
creased during the day to 1T least six.
while acceptance Of all the reports wouil
placc the killed At from ten To fifteen.
Two men are known TO have been killed
at MrCarr, Ky. at the eastern end Or
the troubled area, while other reports
,l,a ,otn1 tharn a five
At Matcwan. one. and possible two,
have been killed.
Less definite reports from Merrimac.
rawl and Sprigs tell Of killings at these
towns and other uncontirm"d REPORTS re-
cite killings that have occurred on the
Kentucky side of the Tug river, orp"-
site Matcwan.
Fighting 10 Pierce.
Fierce lighting was reported during the
day from all the towns that figured IN
Yesterdays attack - Ra~l. Merrtmac.
Sprigg, Matewan and McCarr-while new
attacks broke out late today at the ht'ie
town Of Gates, near Matewan. ana AT
the New Howard Coal company mines
near by. A score or more non-nuion
miners were reported TO be hemmed IN
BY the fire at the Howard mines ana
their fate had not been learned ton!Sht'
captain J. r. Brockus ip command OF
the state police. who made an attempted
thanking expedition into the Ippuntalns
Yesterday but lost his quarry, went TO
Srrigg late today on a special trail with
Is men and again started out on SINH
lar mancuver.
No word has been received from him
since he abandoned the train at SrrigS
and took the mountain trail under lire
Deputies Powerlsss
4 force of deputy shcriffs under
chief Deputy John s. Hall. spent the
dav in the neighborhood Of Mat"w;tn.
but they were powerlcss to check the
fighting.
Only two Of III" known dead had been
Identified tonight. They are Dan Whit
said by the state police TO be non
union miner. killed IT Matewan while
attempting to obtain water for
refugee family. and 4 man named
Smith. whose initials were believed TO
be u. w. who was killed at McCarr.
Phase Of Industrial War
Rut the battle which has ragged for
two days in tho mountains. fierce as 1t
has been. is merely 4 phase Of great
or struggle in which this rich coal dis
trict is locked. the industrial struggle
CONTINUED on Page Eight)