The New York herald., 1922-06-25
union MINERS FLEE
SCENE OF MASSACRE,
FEAR RETRIBUTI0N
Many Take Away Their
Families as Military
Inquiry Begins.
STRIKE LEADER HEARD
Willis Asserts Sending of
Troops Would Compli-
cate Situation.
HE GUARANTEES PEACE
Grand Jury Inquiry Into the
Course Of Herrin AuthOri-
ties Is Wanted.
HE GUARANTEES PEACE

HERRIN, Ill., June 24.-Fear Of retri-
button for the Herrin mine massacre,
in which scores of non-union mine
workers were shot down without
mercy. drove hundreds of union miners
from this district to-day.
More than $50 miners and their fam
lilies were reported to have passed
through Carbondale in flight. as the
military commission ordered by Gov.
Len Small to investigate the outrage
arrived on the scene and was taken to
the dynamited mine Of the Southern
Illinois Coal Company. where the mas
sacre took place.
The mine area is quiet to-day.
Scores of persons continue to throng
the temporary morgue here. Only one
body has been positively identified,
that of Joe Shoemaker. mine assistant,
from Charleston. Ill. Coroner William
MCGOWAN impaneled a jury yesterday
and announced that he would hold an
inquest tomorrow. The death toll "a
now twenty-five, with nineteen
wounded
The commission, headed by Major
Gen. Millen J. Foreman, was taken
step by step over the battlefield. Its
members viewed the wrecked shaft
in which the non-union workers
crouched through one hideous night,
hiding from the suiping bullets Of the
miners, entrenched in the hills and
rnine dumps surrounding them.
Com m ission Makes Inspection.
Gen Foreman and his commission.
accompanied by newspaper men. went
at once by motor car to the wrecked
Lester mine. arriving soon after 6
o'clock. Gen. Foreman looked over the
wreckage OF the mine. where a car of
coal was still burning on a siding.
From the mine the commission was
guided down the road OF death. where
forty eight hours ago the mob which
stormed the mine dragged its prisoners
for two miles and a half before shooting
them. Berry pickers were coming up
the dusty road this morning.
The commission was shown the place
where c. X. Mcdowell. superintendent
of the Lester mine. was dubbed to
death with revolvers. because. ham,
pered by wooden leg. he could not
keep up with the marchers. They saw
the woods whete most of the prisoners
were slain.
The commission returned to Herrin
and questioned mine union officials and
peace officers of Williamson county re-
garding events leading up to the out
break 1t will hold hearings also I'm
Marion. the county seat, and expects to
conclude its Investigations tonight.
They listened to the story of wit
nesses. who told how the nonunion
workers surrendered at dawn and were
tied together in groups OF three and six
and sent stumbling down the road
toward town.
Shot I'm Cold Blood.
Others told of the massacre itself, OF
how bullets were poured into the strug-
Cling. frantic. stumbling crowds Of nom
union workers. wild In their efforts to
flee the hail of lead. Some told of how
SIX were llned up anna tne BrdVeStoneS
in burial ground and were shot down
in cold blood
Gen. Foreman, chairman of the COM
mission. said: after talking to lead
ing citizens we are convinced there Is
no necessity for troops now. as all is
quiet. District vice-President Willis OF
the miners union assured US the trouble
was over and would not break out again
unless an effort Is made 10 produce
coal.
Lester. owner of the mine in ques-
ton. had permission to strip his prop
erty and then tried to mine coal with
labor"
The military commission spent tho
afternoon in questioning local authori-
ties. Sheriff Melvin Traxton, Coroner
William MCGOWAN. editors of both local
semi-weekly papers and others were ex-
amined.
At the same time representatives of
the Attorney Generals office began an
Investigation to determine why some
thing has not been done to arrest those
for the rioting. IL In likely