Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-05-09

TO the men tn8L ne was 1cQeral
officer, that he was there to explain
the federal position, that the train
was his and he invited the men to
get off which they did after some
hesitation.
He told the men at Blair, he said,
that if they did not obey the proc
lamation they would be in position
| of being charged with instruction
against the federal government.
First one and then another of the
men told him their side of the case,
threatened wrongs and so forth; but
he replied always, he said, that the
with that, that the object of the fed
eral government was only to main
tain law and order, but he said that
explanations appeared to make no
difference with the men. The crowd,
he said, was apparently dominated
by "mob hysteria." He did not con-
slider the Blair men organized.
From his observation he judged
there were about 5000 men along
the whole fighting line. He observ-
ed something of supply service.
| Major Charles T. Smart, u. S. A.,
in charge of the federal forces in
and above Sharples was on the wit
ness stand Thursday afternoon and
declared he found Blizzard very in
fiuential with the miners, who was
able to get the miners too surrender
their arms when Major Smart's
efforts were unavailing, and that, in
his dealing with the miners at the
time of the march, he found reason
to consider Blizzard as real leader
Major Smart, now of Louisville,
came into the ''war" area with the
10Th Infantry in September, reach
ing Madison, in the zone, on the
morning Of September 8. He was
assigned to command a detachment
from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and
went up the valley with these forces
on the same morning.
He met Blizzard at Madison, Ma
jor Smart declared, and Blizzard
rode with him on the train to Sharp
les when he had conversation with
him as to the location of the fighting
lines. He did not remember the
exact conversation but he quickly
gained the impression that Blizzard
was in close touch with the miners
on the fighting line and also the sup
ply forces.
4 They reached Sharplees about 6
a. M, that day, Major Smart said.
He talked with Blizzard in reference
to the disarming of the miners and
the surrender of their ammunition.
Major Smart said his own efforts
; had not been successful in this di.
rection. He asked Blizzard to use
his influence, in turn promising
. peace and the restoration of law and
also to permit them to retire from
Sharples on the train which had
: just come in. Blizzard said he sup
posed many Of the arms had been
; hidden but that if the Major would
wait little he (Blizzard) would see
what could be done. In a few
moments, Major Smart said, the
arms began coming in, the men
crossing the run and returning
promptly with guns which had not
been in evidence earlier. The men
, were then put on the train and re-
tired from the lines. Major Smart
said he considered Blizzard the lead.
er in fact at that point, that he
, seemed to have more authority than
any one else and that he was able
, to get in touch with the armed
! forces through Blizzard. He heard
orders given by Blizzard and ap.
parently obeyed without any hesita.
ton by the miners.
: Major Smart testified to having
gone to Blair the next morning to
finding the situation there much as
it was at Sharples, that there was
evidence of organization and that
the army was functioning.
Donald A. Craig, of Washington
capital correspondent for the New
York Herald, who was one of a par.
ty OF five correspondents that found
themselves between the lines OF
fighters last fall, testified to his ex.
periences Thursday afternoon. He
said he met Captain Wilson on the
, train which took him into the area
and that he first saw Blizzard when
the troop train reached Madison
Blizzard not having been on the
train so far as he knew. He next
saw Blizzard at Sharples the follow.
ing morning. Craig went with the
troops up to Sharples and found
Blizzard on the Sharples platform
and he talked with Blizzard who. he
said, impressed him as being one of
the leaders of the men by reason of
: his knowledge of the situation. the
freedom with which he talked, the
rapidity with which he located the
firing lines and for other reasons.
Blizzard agreed upon request to get
the correspondents up to the firing
line and they were taken forward in
an auto first, later walking. up to
Beach Mountain. In the party were
Boyden Sparks, of the New York
Tribune, Harold Jacobs, of the
United Press, Miss Mildred Morris.
of the International News Service.
and Craig. He testified that at
Sharples Blizzard told him the
miners were fighting alleged state
police and alleged deputies on the
I, other side. The party walked by
accident between the lines, Sparks
| was wounded in the head and leg.
Craig was slightly injured and the
others escaped although as many as
hundred shots flew around them.
some, he thought, from both sides
before they were finally rescued ON
the defenders side by the police who
at first had shot at them. Thew
were subsequently returned to
Charleston.
DR.. L. F. Millihan, of Philadel-
phia, formerly of Blair; Mr.. Hunter.
of Logan County, who recovered the
body of John Gore; Attorney L. d.
Sager, of Madison, j. C. Taylor, of
Page, Fayette County, and Fred
Holly, OF Leevale, were placed on the
witness stand on Friday.
Harold M. Richards, of Blair.
General Manager of two coal mines
there, testified Friday afternoon as
to having observed Blizzard during
the assembling of the miners, and
OF speaking to him.
The clash between the state police
under Captain ]. R. Brockus and