The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-06-23
INVESTIGATION OF MASSACRES
IN MINE DISTRICT IS STARTED
AT REQUEST OF GOVERNOR

NEW YORK. June 2s.--New
threats Of violence have been made
In the Williamson county mine field
within the last 70 hours, Dr. e. y.
Donald secretary OF the Illinois
Coal Operators association. d.
clared today. He said pump men
at three mines of the Madison Coat
company had been threatened that
unless they quit work they would
got the same dose We gave the
strike breakers In Herrin."
HERRIN. m. June 2s.-CBy
the Associated Prcas) Official In.
killed from 81 10 20 near here be-
gan today In response to insiHtcnt
demands from Gov. Len Small Off
action by local authorities. when
Crrrror Mcliownn announced that
an Inquest would be held immedi-
atcly and States Attorney De Louis
l.. Duty stated that "a special grand
jury convened following the Inquest
To inyestlEato the massacre
Mr.. Duty said that the disaster
could De blamed directly on the
coal operators. who imported non
union strike breakers when they
know that such action would lead
tg wa.
This massacre was due entirely
to theao efforts to go against the
known feeling of this county he
said. There have boen many
disorders here ln the past There
have been many mine troubles. All
have rerulted In b,oodshed 10 ia|
wru known that "a strike cannot
o. broken in Wlillnmaon county
Yet uon-union striko brcaKers
were sent in here
Horrln was absolutely quiet to-
day Some one found couple OF
81. Louis newspapers and a crowd
Immediately gathered TO read about
the massacre. Few out OF Town
i.a apcrs are available. most OF thcs.
having been brought In by travel
ink salesmcn.
IL was believed the inquest
would be given only q formal start
aud that u then would be adJour-
ned for a week " -u
1ho state'a attorney expressed
DOUBT that any definite results
would be- obtained through the in
NcsflEation. saying that DO was Vir-
tuulb Impossible TO obtain eyi-
lruce. lie Insisted however that
every possible steps would ;e Ia
ken and tclagrtphed GOV small
an official statement TO that cf-
feet.
Mob Beyond CoHtr,'
The massacre OF non-union
miners In the woods near the strip
mine OF the Southern Illinois coal
company where they were employ
ed was the act OF q mob which got
lasaaHsaraA AA aAfnfF0N aNN the Fa.aHfEr
element. which was attempting 10
esuort the captivss to Herrin 10
show them Off 20 the boys." ac-
cording 20 information cleaned to-
day
The leaders. Il was said. finally
were compelled 10 Weld to the
c.amors of the mob that the uri-
soncrs beat IT.. The fleeing men
thercupon were shot down. beaten
to death. and one was known 20
have been hanged Although a
number of the miners shudder a.
the slaughter. all say they got
just what they deserved
As soon as the a. strip employees
surrendered yesterday morning. a
cry went up for tho lives or the
csptNe-. persons who say they
were eye witnesses state Tho
cooler element however advised
that the prisoners be marched in.o
town paradcd before ths towns
people and then sent away.
The cooler element marched
just behind the prisoners who were
az the head OF the procession and
the diHordefly element flocked be-
mind and beside them
There were cries OF beat n
which grew into chorus but the
leaders withstond the demand un-
~ they arrived at wooded sec
tion about three miles from here.
There the clum0r increased aud
the mob pressed around the fear
stricken prisoners, some OF whom
mumbled apparently IN prayer
Witnesses say the leaders feeling
unable longer 10 resist the crowd
clumor. snid 10 the prisoners
Yes you'd better beat it.
Massacre ioiinws
Then followed the massacre
How many OF the prisoners real
lzcd that it was 10 be a flight OF
death cannot be- known
Betwoen the road and the woods
on the right side there was a
hurhed wire fence. Most 30 the
prisoners. probably thinking va
guely that u would be- something
10 have the fence between them
aud the mob began climbing
through the fence. They had dif-
fiCuitv with their suit cases There
we're shouts 90 drop your suit
eases. you won't need them.
which appealed 10 the humor Of
the ierrinE mob Most of the
prisoners dropped their suit cases
and scrambled through and sruf-
rod into the woods
The shooting was under way and
tho killing was on throughout ~"
woods. Men were running and
dpds ng and the crowds were fol-
lowing and shooting az them when
one fen, the crowd closed In ana
fired a yollcy into the PROSTATE
furm The shroats ~ two were
cut
~ the men were shot down,
crowds gathered and watched
them breath thctr mst. ieoring
and acoffinr.
pne OF the wounded men 90
whom the correspondent talked In
the woods said ~ was "A steam,
shovel worker
The men who crowded about
him said
"fou ought to now better than
to try 10 take the bread from
anton mans mouth"