Evening star., 1921-09-07
CLOSE GUARD KEPT
ABOUTM|NGOCOURT
State Forces to Control Sit
uati0n as Trial in Mine
Disorders Begins.
By the Associated Press.

by the xaSSOclateO fEeSs-
WILLIAMSON, w. Va. September
1.-Two names that figured promi-
nently early this year in one of
Mingo county's most protracted Cir
cult court cases-those of Sid Hat
field and Ed Chambers-were omitted
today when the roll Of defendantS
was called at the opening of the Sec
ond trial of group of men from
Matewan, charged with completely In
the killing of seven private detectives
in that town May 10. 1920.
The remaining indictments against
them were nolle pressed yesterday
because the men no longer live, hav-
ing fallen from gunshot wounds a
little more than a month ago on the
Mcdowell county courthouse steps at
Welch. as they prepared to enter the
courtroom where Hatfield, with sew
eral others. was to stand trial on
charge Of having fired into the little
settlement of Mohawk several months
before. In connection with their
deaths three men, including c. E.
Lively, principal witness for the
prosecution in the first MateWan
case, were arrested and held in $10,-
00O pail eacn-
Fourteen Go on Trial.
Hatfield was a former police chief
at Matewan and Chambers a twenty
year-old resident OF the town. Both
were principal defendants. of which
there were originally twenty-four, in
the first trial. which continued from
the latter part of January until late
in March. and resulted in acquittal.
The cases against several OF the de!
PENDANTS were dismissed during its
course, however, on account of insuf1-
cient evidence. The charge was in
connection with the death of Albert c.
Felts; leader of the slain private de-
tectives-
Today fourteen men went to trial
on an indictment charging completely
in the killing Of w. j. Ferguson. one
Of Felts' assistants.
They are: Reece and Halle Cham
bers, Arch Williams. Fred Burgraff,
Doug and Ben Mounts. William Bow
ser Coleman. William Bowman, James
and Glare Overstreet, Vanelay and Lee
amined before a jury was impaneled.
Attorneys for prosecution and de-
tense predicted that jury soon would
be obtained. They based their pre-
diction on the enactment of a state
law by the last legislature which pro-
vides that veniremen may be called
from one county for jury duty in an
other. During the first trial more
than 700 Mingo county men were ex-
amined before jury was empaneled.
State Forces ON Scene.
Fifty veniremen from Pocahontas
county were on hand for examination
when court convened this morning.
Maj. Tom Davis, Gov. Morgan's per-
sonal representative to enforce
martial law in Mingo county. has an
nounced that state forces will control
the situation around the courthouse
during the trials. None but court
officials, jurors, witnesses, lawyers
and duly accredited representatives of
courtroom, he stated. and "all persons
entering the courtroom will be made
to give conclusive evidence that they
carry no weapons of any kind"
The gallery in the courtroom has
been closed, and Maj. Davis added that
no loafing or lettering would be per.
mitted in the corridors Of the second
floor of the building in which the trial
courtroom Is located.
This order will be enforced" Mai.
Davis stated, "by Company A of the
National Guard, and by the state
ponce, anu Teiusai u opey any COM
mand in carrying out this order will
result in arrest"
Goth Infantry Awaits Trains.
CHARLESTON. w. Va. September
THE 26th Infantry early today
awaited special trains to carry it
back to Camp Dix, N. j., wheEce the
troops came late last week for duty
in the Logan-Boone county district,
where disturbed conditions obtained
at that time. The chemical warfare
service. which arrived with the 26th.
expected to entrain during the day
for Edgewood Arsenal, N. J.. its home
station. "a
region. They indicated that the
operation Of mines was being re-