The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-24
TO LEARN WHY
Mine KILLINGS
TPREvENTED
Begin State Military Investlga-
ton of Massacre Which Cost
Between 25 and 40 Lives
Interference is Resented.
CARETkKERS GO BACK
tBy Associated Press)

Idry lnVeSJlSdllOQ OF the Lester unlHS
| massacre which took between % and
40 lives was begun today by board
headed by Major General Milton Fore
man of the state militia acting under
orders from Governor Len Small,
which were issued when the chief exc
cutive became aroused over failure OF
l local officers to take any steps against
tn miners who captured and killed the
majority of the strike-breakers work
ing in the Strip mine
General Foreman and his commit
tee reached here this morning, motor
ing from Carbondale after reaching
there by train. They were met By
lCoI Samuel Hunter of the adjutant
generals office who has been here
since before the massacre. His orders
to return to Springfield today were
cancelled and he Immediately bec'r'~
a guide for the military board. Gen
eral Foreman and the officers in L.
company proceeded to Marion, the
county seat where conferences with
States Attorney Delous L. Duty and
Sheriff Melvin Thaxton were planned.
A tour of the area of the fight was
: made and it was expected that numer-
Gus persons believed to know some
: thing of the disorders would be called
before the board.
: To Probe Actions
? General Foreman had been instruct
e ed particularly to learn why the states
@ attorney had not taken steps toward
f convening a special grand jury, why
the coroner's inquest had not been
s. held and why these officials repeatedly
r refused to authorize Col Hunter to
aan ind
ton meeting of miners was held the
l. day before the fighting started and
IL even after the miners had marched on
el the mine He also had been instructed
It it was understood, to learn why SheT
iff Taxton repeatedly told Col. Hunter
1t that he could handle the situation and
IS yet ignored Col. Hunters request that
1- some special preparations for an
al emergency be made.
d Failure of the local officials to send
n out an adequate force of deputies the
al night the fighting began and during the
following day when almost unheard OF
deeds of cruelty and brutality were
committed also was a point to be in.
vestigated.
! Another matter to be looked into
was why numerous requests from the
: governor for information after the
authorities and why when he was re-
ceiving scores of kilograms from pri.
vate citizens telling of the outrages
he was continually informed by the
authorities that the situation was
= well in hand" and that the troops
= were not needed
: Reject interference.
There was little doubt that General
;. Foreman and his board would not re-
- ceive a welcome of any particular cor
,, diality from the county as a whole
VI Ninety percent miners in population
and 100 percent unionized Williamson
a county has shown a decided disincIi-
81 nation to welcome any outside inter
lg ference in the massacre which is looK-
oy ed upon as personal affair which
m should be ignored by the rest of the
7n world. Persons on the street have
n. been heard repeatedly to remark that
rs If troops had been sent their guns
in would have been taken away from
ad them.
w Comment on the streets expressed
65 resentment over the sending of the
sr- military board although officials said
hn they would gladly cooperate with tt.
of Col. Hunter, who the governor said
might have been influenced wrongly
by local Off falls because he is ma
w. tive of Marion, said he was certain
ce the board would not aim any investiga-
m ton at him. Il did my duty and even
ng exceeded it at times" he said. 4
rv have given almost continuous report :
to my superiors at Springfield I have
IS repeatedly stated that the local offfc-
as ials were lax in their preparations for
ee the trouble expected and in the investi.
ms cations of il, aN1 glad the governor
as has taken this step. for it will bear
hi out my own official reports.
on Promise Cooperation
cd Sheriff Thaxton and Mr.. DUTY boil
of promised cooperation.
The situation in the county was
-es made considerably more tense for
or short time last night when scores oI
lat caretakers guarding the mines durine
90. the strike. through agreement between
nd owners and unions. quit work undel
er, threats from groups of miners. Shorf
as, ly afterwards Hugh Willis. distric-
board member of the union, and othel
officials persuaded them to returr
after miner guards had been stationed
to protect them. Had the men re
mained away millions of dollars WORT
of mines would have been ruined
through flooding within a few DAYS
These caretakers are not mine uniof
| men.
- The fact that the men were befn,
coerced into quitting came to the az
tention of Col. Hunter during III
sid afternoon. With county and unio.
to officials he Immediately conducted Al
o0o investigation which verified the r5
Vii. ports. He then telegraphed Adjutan
vas General Black of the situation, stat
ion ing that if the mines were unguardel
bli. he expected trouble with which tn
local authorities could not COPE H
,or. said aid would be necessary.
ITu Protection Assured.
Mr. Willis and Col. Hunter assiste
~, ~ by the sheriff and the states attorne.
-, worked unit! early this morning t
III assure the miners of protection.
n. lnI. "The men have gone back to wol.
ioe. .o and they will stay back under pr.
10 lection of the mine unions said NJ
on n.e Willis today Threats made to thel
a. Continued on Page SixteenJe
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