New-York tribune., 1922-06-24
Inquest, Military Board
and Special Grand Jury
for Hcrrin, Where Il
Slain, IL Wounded, Lie
To Sue Union Under
Coronado Decision
Women and Children Join
in Holiday Making at
Exiemporized Morgues
By Gilman Parker

twonty-onc known dead and score
missing in the miners war and mas
sacrc here, Official investigation of
the disorder began in this town to-
day. A coroner's inquest is % be held
at once, followed by the calling Of a
special grand jury 10 probe the cir.
cumstances leading up 20 the fight
ing. The likelihood Of renewed out
breaks seems TO be small and local
authorities maintain their stand
that state troops are not required.
At 6:l5 o'clock tonight a military
court Of inquiry, composed Of FIVE
National Guard officers from Chi
cago, was ordered TO ontran immodi'
ately for the trouble zone by Adiu-
tant General Black, after a tele-
phone conversation from Springfield
with Governor Small at Waukegan.
The appointment Of the court was
made on the recommendation Of the
Adjutant General. The board will
consist Of Colonel W. T.. Swanson,
Major Fred Rand, Major Curtis Z.
Donnal and Captain John 7. O'Don-
nell, all Of the l32d Infantry, and
Major General Milton J. Foreman.
Suits for moro than 81 100000
damages are 10 be fled agains. the
United Mine Workers by the South
ern Illinois Coal Company, owners
Of the mine where the battle was
fought and which was destroyed by
dynamite. II was announced tonight.
This will be the first such suit since
the United States Supreme Court de-
cided that union organizations could
be held liable for> damages caused
during a strike.
AdyiccS from Springfield indicate
that. although tho Governor is with
holding the cntrainins Of the National
Guard forces he had modified for ae-
tion II needed, he is said to be con
sidering tho removal from oasce ~
Sheriff Melville Thaxton o. "Bloody
williamson" County. Thaxt9n Is a
member o. the Republican orga1iza-
tion Of williamson County. OF which
State Senator W. J. Snocd Is leader
Sneed is tho president o. the local or
ganization Of The United Nlro Work
ors.
The Governor also was reported
ready 20 recall Colonel s. - Hunter.
Of the Adiutart General STAT. who
was in Hogr.n before tie massacre.
Colonel Hunter tclogi aphsi Governor
Small that the local Authorities o.
for the riot, but some of tho Governors
advisers were OF tho opnion that un-
less the Governor supplaatcd Colonel
Hunter the state Administration might
be held responsible for to riot.
Not only was the Governor repre-
sented at Herrin By Colonel llunter.
but Director Nedill Of the State De.
partmont Of Mines ana M.nirg. a rest
NtUN o. DANNNff VS. IN ~ IIIitDlN son
County. After Director Medill had ad.
yised Adjutant General Black that 10
would be a bad thing % send troops
into lIerril NJ t5is time" one Of Gov.
ernor Smalfs closest associates is re-
ported 70 have said: There is some.
thing rotten down there"
Governor Gut Of Touch
Colonel Hunter is from Duquoin,
mining town near Herrin. and Mr. Me-
aill is former member OF the miners
Union. Both are said 10 have failed
10 KEEP the Governor informed Of the
true state II affairs az Herrin.
The opinion Of some Of Governor
Smal's friends to-day was that the
miners union, through It's powers in
Williamson County had terfoized not
only the county officials bit mad
bluhed the state officials who were on
the job there.
There isn't a man In williamson
County with nerve enough 20 arrest
any miner who took part In the il0t,"
was one confidential message from
Herrin 20 one OF the Governors ad-
yisers Sheriff Thaxton advised Gov.
ernor Small that troops pere not
needed.
The search FOR bodies Of other men
continues over the fields and woods
about the Southern Illinois Coal Com.
pany's mine near here. Uacaring and
apparently unconscious OF the conse.
quences Of what will pass into the his
tory Of tho state as "The Herr.n Mas.
sacrc.' people Of Williamson County
throughout the day focked 20 this com.
nfunity 20 view the battered and bullet
riGdled victims Of the mob with all the
carefree curiosity exhibited at the an-
nual county fair.
No sympathy From Crowds
No word OF sympathy or even OF
surprise was 10 be heard from the
hundreds OF men. women and children
who visited Herrin during the day,
iling with morbid inquisitiYeness
through an erstwhile barber shop be-
tween two rows Of hastily constructed
wooden tables upon which, beneath
shrouds, lay seventeen bodies. For the
most part the visitors we're miners.
Many Of them came 20 view the results
Of their handiwork Thursday morning
when, assembled in a mass OF more
than 1000, they charged the Lester
strip mine, seized the sixty non-union
workers who surrendered 10 them un-
der the white flag. and then with
6endish cruelty tortured. pounded and