The New York herald., 1922-07-13
TRUCE WAS A TRICK
in HERRN MASSACRE
White Flag Bearer Tells of
Men Shot Down After
Surrender.
TORTURED A CRIPPLE
One Legged Superintend-
ent, Unable to Run, Was
Beaten by the Mob.
FORCED TO DOFF HATS
Union Men Compelled Salute
and Slaughter Of Prison
ers Began.
FORCED TO DOFF HATS.
BY THoREAU CRoNYN.

HERRIN, H., July 12.-Heye is the
story of the man who carried the white
flag out of the strip mine on the
morning of June 22. Beneath that flag
he and his comrades surrendered. only
to be marched down the road and shot
at until nineteen were dead. Even
Pancho Villa at his worst used to face
his captives toward the firing squad,
but down here in Williamson county
the mob told the disarmed prisoners
to run and then shot them in the back.
In Mexico, ley de fuego (the law Of
flight prevails at informal" execu-
tions. There prisoners are told to run
to the right or left and thus, tech
nically at least, are not "shot in the
back"
The name of the bearer of the flag
of truce is Bernard Jones. He was one
of the guards at the mine-one of the
Some Of the guards sneaked away in
the darkness before the surrender.
Jones was one Of those who stuck.
His narrative given here Is taken from
testimony offered under oath in
Chicago.
Jones arrived at the mine. which Is
half way between Marion and Herrin.
on June Is. Morris Delaney. captain Of
the guards, assigned him to Post 10. at
the water tank. His instructions were
Ito keep trespassers Off the property. :"
On June 20 he was told that the mine
was going to be raided. He saw the
union scouts near the mine that night.
but so far as he could see they were
not armed. After noon the next day
he saw dirt flying about his feet and
"heard the hum Of bullets" He saw
men moving near the woods several
hundred yards from his post, and fired
his gun toward the woods. He and
three companions climbed to a higher
mound 'and were able to make those
fellows fall back to a white farmhouse
which was about 500 yards away"
white Flag Run Up.
"All through the afternoon and even
ing they were continuously shooting a.
u.s. We returned the fire. Jones says
"Just previous to darkness Mr.. Findley
(Allen p. Findley, timekeeper for the
Hargraves Secret Service of Chicago
which furnished the guards came VI
from the office and he gave me white
sheet. telling me that Mr.. Mcdowell
&C. X Mcdowell, one-legged superin
tendent of the strip mine, later killed
had been talking to the president of tn
mine workers union and some othe
officials. and that they were going t,
the mine to have a conference and tha
no more shots were to be fired afte
putting up the white flag, and that th
mine officials would see to 1t that th
other side stopped shooting at us--th'
union officials. The white flag was ;
large sheet. which / hung up on SOM
telephone wires"
did the firing cease?"
mo: even while hanging up this flas
and afterward they took pop shots a
us"
did you return the fire them"
rive did not"
Jones and Robert Tracy. the locomo
tive engineer whose story was told II
THE NEW YORK HERALD on Monday
disagree as to wlsich hung up the sheet
Each says he did It. All the survivor
agree that the flag was fired upon.
Superintendent Mcdowell ordered tn
guards from their positions and all hand
Joined the laborers under a string o
coal cars behind barricade of railroa,
ties. They had no dinner OF supper
About 3 o'clock in the morning Jonc
and Shoemaker. the civil engineer wh'
was killed, got two pitchers of coffee
''lukewarm. as bitter as gall" from tn
kitchen car and gave the men a drink
Both sides fired at intervals during tn
night. BY dawn the attackers were 81
close they could be heard shouting
going to blow you to hell" At dawI
the white sheet was taken down becaus
the mob outside yelled, Take that damn
flag down.. and I'VE knew we woult
have battle
Jones's testimony goes on The mel
were more or less in a panic, knowint
that we were in a trap, and Mcdowell