The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-12-14
Killings at
HerriinsDue
to INVASION
Counsel for 5 Accused Miners
Ascerts Massacre Caused
by Murders by
Cunmen."'
Defending Homes, Plea

Marion. H., Dec. 13.-(By a. P.l--
Testimony to show five men charged
with murder in Connection with the
Herrin mine killings had no part Ii
The rioting but W. elsewhere Al
the time OF the killings. was promised
by A. W. Kerr chief counsel of the
Illinois Mine Workers, in his opening
statement 10 the jury in the first OF
The mine riot trials here today. The
i've men are charged with the death
ot~IIoward Hoffman, one of the 20
non-union men killed In the outbreak
The trial began before partially
nlled court room trial OF the five men
President Frank Pennington of the
Illinois miners sat at the defense Ia
ble With the prisoners and attorneys.
Oral Garrison, secretary to Presi-
dent John l.. Lewis Of the interna
tional miners organizat ton took down
The proceedings in full
Acts Of Brutality"
Attorney General Edward j.
Brundage sat at the table with the
state. ~
MIR. Kerr declared the killing of the
iiOil-dliiOu iltn WAS the leSull VI all
invasion" OF Williamson county BY
''armed guards" and the "many acts
OF brutality eliminating iii the ruth.
less murder of three union coal min.
ers y
IIo asserted Williamson county
rose to the defense of its homes"
Adding that by this act of self de-
f,nse. 1t served notice on the Ameri.
can gunner and upon those who
would employ the American gunmen
that this was not n safe community
in Which to send the hired murder.
ers."
TIie miners fought also TO protect
their union. he said.
"Wickedly Careless"
Declaring the state had been
''wlekedly careless" in selecting the
defendants, Mr.. Kerr emphasized that
we will show you in this case that
Otis Clark, Bert Grace, Joseph Ca ma
shi. Leya Mann and Peter Miller the
defeudants,. not only had nothing
whatever to do with the killing OF
lioward Hoffman or any OF his asso-
clates. but that they were in POSI-
} ions and places at time when it
wouhi have been physically impossible
for them TO have had anything to do
with il. We will produce here a great
number of men of repute in their com
mtnity, who were standing along the
line of march which led t. the place
OF the killing. They will tell you that
not u single one of these defendants
was in the march,
"Desire for Vengeance
Prosecuting authorities OF Illinois,
he asserted, were being influenced by
"a private organization composed oil
meps.-of great wealth. the Illinois
Chamber of Commerce"
"Actuated by desire for venge-
ance.p he continued. "eager TO do
anything that will help to destroy or
ganized labor, the Chamber OF Cont
nlerce is the organization that prose
cutes in this case. You and you
alone, stand between these defendants
and this cry for vengeance. Let the
Jaw be your guide. let the facts be
your support and let justice be your
product. We want nothing more"
Mr.. Kerr described operations at
the Lester strip mine. owned by the
Southern Illinois Coal company and
stated the union had agreed to per
NIT the company to strip coal. but not
TO mine 1t. He declared the com
pany broke the agreement and I'M
ported guards armed with machine
guns, with high-powered rifles. with
autoInatic pistols. with all the most
destructive firearms known to mod
ern science