The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-23
nERRIN JURY
CENSuRES
GEN. BLACK
Scores Official for Not
Quelling Riot With
Troops.

Marion, Ill, Sept. 23.-(By the
Associated Press.)-In a compre-
hensive report, the special grand
Jury which Investigated the Herrin
mine killings arraigned Adjutant-
General Black for failure to send
troops, Sheriff Melvin Thaxton and
local police for alleged, failure to
protect life and property and re-
turned a total of 214 indictments.
The jury returned four more in
dictments for murder, bringing the
total to A, So for conspiracy to
commit murder; "a for assault to
murder, and previously had return
ed 5S for conspiracy and rioting.
Discussing the Southern Illinois
Coal company's action in reopening
the strip mine while the strike was
in effect, the report states that w.
J. Lester, owner, either was woe
fully ignorant of the danger" or
"blindly determined to risk strife
and conflict if profit could be
made"
The report was made to Circuit
Judge Harwell. Among those in
the court room when it was pre-
sented were Colonel Sam Hunter
and Captain Dan Dineen of the Illi-
nois National Guard, representing
Governor Len Small.
The report stated that there was
no law which forbade the adjutant-
general to call out troops unless
request was made by the sheriff.
This, it was pointed out, was the
explanation given by Adjutant-
General Black for his failure to
send troops to Herrin.
Sheriff Melvin Thaxton is a men,
Der of the miners union and also
is a candidate for county treasurer
and he failed to take adequate
measures to preserve the peace,
either because of his sympathy for
the union, or through fear that 1t
would hurt his candidacy, the re-
port declared.
The attack on the strip mine had
been planned several days, the re-
port asserted, and Sheriff Thaxton
had ample time to learn of the pro-
posed movements on the non-uniOn
men.
Lewis Wires.
Ransacking Of hardware stores
for arms and ammunition just be-
fore the attack was the result of a
telegram from John L. Lewis, pres
ident of the United Mine Workers
| of America, to State Senator Will
liam Sheed, declaring the non
union men to be strike breakers,
the report said.
Senator Sneed is a sub-district
president of the miners union, and
| the report stated the telegram was
| posted at various places and that
the miners rifled the stores with
the assurance that the United Mine
Workers would pay for the articles
they took.
The strip miners were ignorant
of the fact that they were strike
breakers, the report emphasized,
and they did not realize their danger
until noon on June 21, when the
first attack was made on the mine.
Arraigning the Southern Illinois
Coal company, the report said the
resentment of the miners of the
company's action in mining coal
was aggravated by the presence OF
armed guards, who closed the high
ways and treated persons as tre j.
passers when they passed over the
roads they were accustomed to
| travel.
Among those indicted were Hugh
Willis, district board member of the
Illinois Mine Workers, and Will
Davis, secretary of sub-district No
10, Of the miners union. Willis ID
charged with the murder and as.
sault to commit murder and Davis
is charged with murder.