The Washington herald., 1921-01-29
Isaac Brewer to Become
Prospective Witness,
Lawyers Say.
PRISONERS HAPPY
DESPITE TROUBLES
Accused Men Chat, Pass
Notes and Chew Gum
In Court Room.

WILLIAMSON, W. Va, Jan. Is
Twepty-one men accused of murder
sat throughout this, the third day
OF the Matewan trigger trial" in
the circuit court here today, COM
posing the most cheerful crowd of
prisoners within the shadow of the
hangman's rope ever observed in
any court anywhere.
Utterly unconcerned by the de
sertion" Of their original co-defend-
ants-Isaac Brewer, who has gone
over to the State and will be one
Of the principal witnesses for the
prosecution if tonights authorita-
tive predictions by counsel for both
sides prove true, these twenty one
men from Matewan, accused of the
murder of Detective Albert Felts,
were having the time of their lives
while the process of choosing a jury
that is to try them took it's tedious
course.
their teeth. chewed gum or tobacco,
read magazines and newspapers,
and occasionally passed a scribbled
note to their "chieftain," Sid Hat
tield- who in turn passed it to one
of the half dozen attorneys for the
defence.
Brewers going over to the State
was the only important news de-
velopment of the day. The defense
had discounted it. Counsel claimed
it would in no way affect the out
come. Brewer stood a few feet
from Hatfield in the entrance Of the
Matswan hardware store during the
.one-minute battle that cost ten
4Fyes. He was shot IN the neck. Hs
vas indicted with twenty-three
charged with killing seven of
thirteen Baldwin-Felts detectives.
Just before the first case, that of
the killing of Albert Felts, came to
trial, the indictment against him
was nolIed as was that against
Fred Webb. Ezra Fry, one of the
two dozen, is not involved in this
Casc.
Dominating Question.
Who fred the first shot?" win
be the dominating question in the
trial Brewer was an eyewitness
and victim. Incidentally, he is a
second cousin of Judge James Dam
ron, one Of the chief attorneys for
the prosecution
One Of the questions put to every
yenireman today was whether ne
was related to Isaac Brewer If so
he was excused. Brewer himself
his codefendants in the other in
dictments he is under $4,000 bond.
There are reports that he is being
closely guarded against possible
harm pending his appearance on the
witness stand and that special pre-
cautions will be taken when he does
appear.
Fresh Feuds RumOred.
These reports are similar to many
other underground rumors Of fresh
fcuds said to have already arisen
from the case. and mysterious warn
ings OF a sudden outbreak of vio-
lence.
Yet it should be made clear that
fnis heart Of the gun-totfng mining
region beats with surprising calm
and regularity. There has not been
since the trial opened. nor is there
any noticeable. danger OF any of the
Wild things continually rumored.
Indeed. from all that can be
learned. the farthest thing from the
minds of those most Interested. in
the cause of the defendants is to
start trouble now. An outbreak
would mean reimpOSitiOn Of mill
tary law and all that it involves.
Every report Is brought to bear to
impress this on the many Matewan
sympathizers and the legion of
sympathetic townspeople here.
Pence Prevails.
Don't provoke anything" is the
watChword constantly making the
rounds, and from all appearances
all interested parties are content 10
leave the matetr in the hands OF the
law.
At the end OF this afternoons
session thirteen provisional jurors
had been sent to the box Eleven
more have to be chosen. whereupon
the process of reduction to twelve
will set in. The State has the
privilege OF eliminating two, the
defense six. But even the dozen
remaining would-be talesmen face
another ordeal OF cross-examina-
tion. Counsel for both sides are
busy looking up their records. Mo-
body expects a full jury to be in
before Tuesday at the earliest
Everyone Related.
TOday's examination of veniremen
again gave the impression that al
most everybody in Mingo County is
related to everybody else. OF the
nearly eighty men questioned at
least haIf recognized relationship
70 one or more of the defendants.
Many Of the others were ''Consci-
ertfous objectors" against capital
rrnishment The rest admitted
having a fixed opinion on guilt or
innocence.
Yesterdays ruling by Judge Rob-
crt d. Bailey barring members of
the United Mine Workers of Ameri-
"a as we'll as coal operators from
iIrv duty was sustained through
orrt today. Several veniTemen were
excused as soon as they said they
we're union members and a couple
,tbars we're dismissed because