The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-13
Sensation Created When De-
tense Calls Attention ste
Cores Gun.
STARTED /: D
Son of Murdered Man First
Witness on Stand at
Charles Town.

CHARLES TOWN, June 80 -
Murder in the first degree
the verdict asked by thes3s state OF fs
the jury in the case Of the e Rey.s
] e. Wilburn, charged wit hi@the@
killing of Deputy Sheriff SEJ Inn
Gore during the disturbances in
the Southern West Yirg ginia coal
fields in 1921
The opening statement was
made by C. A Osenton, who de-
scribed alleged events leading upss
to the shooting of Deputy Gore$and
two others. They were XII led
Ostenton said the evid ence would
show, by a band of armed men
under the command of$Reyerendss
Mr.. Wilburn from Blair, who In
tended to invade Logan County
seat of Logan County. Two others
deputy sheriffs who hi ad &acco M
panied Gore but who escaped
could not be presented a ssSsyy n Wit. IT,
nesses. One by the nameSo 81;
Perry. he said, had been lied
by a train recently and the other alIsfs
named Underwood had dtsap-ss
peared.
The defense deferred its openpas
ing statement III q = "
state. VI $s
: a son Old Deputg ore la11e,
was the&hrst with esss Led he
state, His test inc p y a az. &C.
with the SdeScrip ton of 3fissSs
fathers fire arms, etbook and
the money$it$ contained aslsos he
told of the bullet wounds he saw
on the body after it was broug ghtss
to his home.
The defense passed the witness
Jack Brinkman, nausicia nus
Blair, followed Gore to the stand.
He stated that heEha ad been
the Wilburn parties and that he
saw the three depnti ies Kill leds
When the Logan party and his
men came together at Blair ap,ssss
mutual demands were mad fora5
the countersign. The answer8!ofs
Gore, ..amen'' brought instantan
eous rife firing, which droppe
Gore, Muncy and Cafargo
Muncy, the witness stated was:
still alive when he reached the
bodies, but Henry Kitchen, w itlls
the marchers,e pointed his ri HeAto o.;
the deputy's head and killed Sshi Ms
Brinkman declared that the rev.
erend Mr.. Wilburn was the leader
of his party and before the men
left Blair town for the hills, H.
burn made an address: Eh eSWl ltSsss
ness stated Wilburn said
Men. I'm forced to- lay dowr1
the Bible and take up my gun.sIsfYs@
had experience with these Logan
County thugs As you know We
have no Jail to place prisone 4 ~
so you know what t to do with en-. n.ss
"sensational'' Appearances.
James M. Mason of defensesco coun
sci created stir when he made
what was called a "sensationalssSSaps
pearance before Judge w oodst
charging Elmo Gore, son Oft hes
slain deputy, with having a3gun8 an
the court room Gore admitted the
charge but claimed the priyileg
carrying the pistol as VA logan
deputy sheriff. Judge oods S tat
ed there was no necessity: for an
one carrying pistol ID sinEs his courI
and requested the deputy to Ieaye
it in his room hereafter.
One Shot Fired. S.
Upon cross -examina alton it5 de-
yeloped that the witnesses hadsbeeJI
forced to go to Blair from Danyilis
by armed men, according to his tssS
timony. He said he mad e mo pro.
test against going into the hills
because Ii t would have done no
good. Brinkman denied @tha atsh he%was
leader of the men who Killed the
deputies burt admitted Il he fired ont
shot when the esLogan nenSfe He
denied that he ha d u fired VA q any
man for he didn' 't place the rifIa
to his should Ter.