The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-29

was unable to state.
 He added that after hIs men had seep those who had fallen picked upl and carried away by theIf compnn- Ions, the state troopers and deputies retired because some of their mum her were In civilian clothes and itI was difficult to distinguished them in the darkness from the men com- prIsing the armed band. The clash was at close range. according to- Captain Brockus' report, the men fire ing at each other when hut eight 10 ten feet apart. Prior to the fight, Captain Brockus said, II prisoners had been taken by the pRtrollins party which set out from Logan yes- tcrday, oKtensibly toward Blair and Shnrplcs. Four of the prisoners es- caped during the engagement. 1t was snfd, and one of them k believed to have been killed. Captain Brockus was at the head of the advance guard of troopers and deputies. 1t was this detachment. comprising ,3 men. that engaged the armed band. The patrol. while coming toward Sharpies. Captain Broc<us ran across five men on foot. All were armed with rifles and one had shotgun. hs said.
 We called upon these men to disarm, which they did,1 the captain continued. We placed them und'rI arrest and proceeded down the road. Further on, we met two automobiles and placed six additional armed mem under arrest.
 with the Ii prisoners we marched on toward Sharples and came upon another squad of five armed men. Some one called to us that we would not be allowed to pass. We calledi upon them to surrender their arms but received in reply volley f, shots.
 Five Fall to Ground
 Our men returned the fire and in the fight five men fell to the, ground We waited until we saw that they were picked up and car ried away, and then decided to dis-l continue the advance for the pres ent. It was very dark and some oel cur deputies were in civilian clotlies,I hampering our distinguishing them
 Captain Brockus could not defi-l nitely state whether the five men were killed. bpt intimated that pro ably four were killed.
 He said that he had talked with a man who came from Sharples after the battle had taken place and this man said that some miners were killed" but was unable to tell wheth- CT all five of the men had been fatal ly wounded.
 Captain Brockus said that later re- ports from Sharples indicated that the state police had played in luck" in stopping where they did.
 "We learned from Sharples that there were between l,500 and 2,00G armed miners waiting for us to walk into a trap" Captain Brockus said, and if we had advanced it seems as sured very serious situation would have developed"
 All along the way. the state police officer explained, pot shots" were being taken at the orrlcers from men hidden in houses and in ambush.
 These who would discuss today's engagement said they regarded the fighting as purely local" They add ed that they believed the march movement to Mingo county as a pro- test against martial law there had been successfully checked last week through the intervention of federal authorities and mine workers of- ficials.
 FOUR OR FIVE KILLED
 Pittsburg, August 2S.-7-Sheriff Hil, of Boone county reported over the long distance telephone early tonight that he had reports to the effect that four or five men had been killed in an engagement near Sharples, close to the Boone-I.ogan border in Logan county. N
 Sheriff HiIl said his informant was n resident of sharpIes, who had been within "haIf . mile of the light when the shooting was going On.v Five or xix men had been killed, he added, but did not know what disposition had been made of the bodies.
 "There is no doubt In my mind.s sstd Sheriff HiIi over the telephone, that there was fight and some men were killed"
 Sharples s IS miles from Madison. the county seat of Boone county, where President C. F. keeney of the United Mine Workers Friday turned back the men who were marching from Marmet to Mingo county as a protest against martial law in the latter county. It contains about 1000 persons and The miners in this section are or- sanized.
 Several weeks ago detail of state police and deputy sheriffs were sent from Logan to establish a post of the police in that section. When they neared Sharpies they were met by body of armed men. who surround ed and surprised them, and accord
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