The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-06-23
UNION STRIKERS
ATTACK COAL MINE
40 PERSONS DEAD
Army of 5000 Carry Assault at
Herrin, I'll
THROW BODIES INTO POND
Wounded Lie Beside Road anC
No One Dares to Go to
their Assistance

Clarksburg, w. Va, June 23.-(By
the Associated Press)-Two men were
killed, and deputy sheriff suffered
broken arm and a dozen other persons
received minor Injuries when mob
attacked a trolley car carrying non
union miners and officials OF Hud'
son Coal company near ReYnoldsville
today The car was guarded by deputy
sheriffs.
The mob brought the car to stop
and swarmed aboard. Two OF the at
tacking party were shot as they were
attempting to climb through windows.
The Hudson company mines opened
Monday on an open shop basis.
Herrin, H., June 2S.-The death
roll in the massacre Wednesday
night and yesterday when 5000 strik-
ing union miners attacked the Lester
strip mine. being operated under
guard and imported workers, may
run past the 40 mark, II was said
last night by those in touch with the
situation although thus far only n
positively are known to be dead.
In the Herrin hospital are eight
wounded men, only one a miner, and
six of them are believed to be fatally
injured. There were nine, but one
died.
A miner told the Associated Press
correspondent that he had seen Is
bodies thrown into pond with rocks
around their necks yesterday. About
20 imported workers are missing,
Checking the death list has proved
almost impossible. The victims, all
Of but three OF them imported work.
'ers so far is known, were found
scattered over an area within sev.
tral miles of the mine. Some were
lynched some we're burned when the
mine was fired. others were beaten
to death and the majority fell be-
fore the scores of bullets poured
into them.
, Bloody Williamson county, So
called because Of several riots, last
night was outwardly calm but there
was a noticeable undercurreQt which
kept everybody on edge. and won.
dering II further trouble might be
expected.
The correspondent talked with
scores of miners and about
half OF them we're certain that there
would be no further disorder II there
was no attempt to reopen the mines
while the other half said they were
afraid some Of the men might not
be held back. Officially, the situation
was reported by county officials TO
be quiet
The scenes OF death were grew.
some Bodies, many with limbs shot
away, lay along tie roadside or were
strung from trees; men wounded and
dying were stretched out on roads
and in the fields with none OF the
hundreds OF passers by able to lend a
helping hand Attempts to assist the
wounded in the early part OF the
day brought rebuffs from The spec
tators, backed in some cases by
drawn guns.
Later the feeling quieted down and
some of the wounded were taken tc
hospitals.
1t Is understood that there will be
no attempt to reopen any OF the
mines until the strike is settled.
When the attackers went over the
top into the besieged mine YESTERDAY
morning there were some 80 or 6C
workers and guards there. What ha,
become OF those not in the knowr
dead and wounded list cannot be said
Some Of them were seen today II
fields running, with miner sympa
thizers pursuing them with guns
How many escaped could not be told
C. X. Mcdowell, superintendent o
Tie imported workers at the mine
was among the dead 1t was SAT-
that he was the first selected to b,
shot after the mine was captured ant
that he was given no opportunity {,
escape
Hundreds OF men, women and littl
children, some as young as fou
years, surged through the morgue tt
day to view the bodies, which la
side by side on the floor with no al
tempt to straighten them out. Mos
of them bore no identification mark,
All were mangled
Fighting stopped after botl side
agreed to true.
= The southern Illinois coal mine wa
the first In Illinois to resume oper,
tions since the strike became effe,
tive April |, and this fact caused
tense situation among the strikn
union miners. The district Is solidl
unionized.