The New York herald., 1922-09-24
HERRIN'S SLAUGHTER
IS laid TO NEGLIGENT
AND WEAK OFFICIALS
Grand Jury mdicts 214 Men
Condemns Sheriff and
Adjutant-General.
LEWIS ALSO CENSURED
Union Heads Telegram
Held Provocative of
Armed Attack.
MINE COMPANY BLAMED
Local Police Derelict Too in
Failing to Protect Life
and Property.
MINE COMPANY BLAMED


MARION, ILL.,, Sept 23 (Associated
Press) The Special Grand Jury in
vestigating the Herrin mine massacre
made final report to-day with addi-
tional indictments. bringing the total
to 214.
The jury returned fifty-eight more
indictments for conspiracy to commit
murder. fifty-four for assault to COM
NIT murder and six indictments for
murder. 1t previously had returned
thirty-eight murder indictments and
fiftyeight for conspiracy and rioting.
To-day's return included an arraign-
ment of certain authorities. charging
them with failure to protect life and
property" in not sending for troops
when the mine trouble seemed immi-
nent.
The report discussed the action of
the Southern Illinois Coal Company In
opening it's mine during the strike. and
said that the principal owner. w. j..
Lester. either was woefully ignoran.
of the danger or blindly determined to
risk strife and conflict If profit could
be made"
Acknowledgement Contradictcd.
The report also denied tire statement
OF Adj. .-Gen. Carlos Black, made after
:. the mine killing. that he had no author
ity to call out troops unless asked to
by the sheriff. and said there was no
law which forbade the Adjutant-G General
calling troops.
Sheriff Melvin Thaxton is accused OF
failing in his duty. On this point the
jury said:
Sheriff Melvin Thaxton is a member
of the miners union and also is can
didate for county treasurer and he
failed to take adequate measures to
preserve the peace either because of his
sympathy for the union or through fear
that 1t would hurt his candidacy. The
attack on the strip mine had been
planned several days and Sheriff Thax-
ton had ample time to learn OF the pro-
posed movement of the non-union men,"
Ransacking OF hardware stores for
arms and ammunition just before the
attack. says the report, was the result
OF a telegram from John l.. Lewis.
president of the United Mine Workers,
TO State Senator William s. Sneed. de-
claring the non-union men to be strike
breakers.
Senator Sneed Is subdistrict presi-
dent of. the miners union, and the re-
port stated the telegram was posted
81 ala -. hat
rfled the stores with the assurance
that the United Mine Workers would
ray for the articles they took.
Atrocities IndescribabIe.
"-he atrocities and crueties OF the
murderers are beyond the power of
words to describe" the jury report
asserted. "A mob is always cowardly.
but the savagery OF the mob in its re-
Ientless brutality Is almost unbelievable.
The indignities heaped upon the dead
did not end until their bodies were
inferred in unknown graves"
About the middle of June this year"
the jury report says. after suspension
of the coal industry as the result of a
strike OF the United Mine Workers OF
America, the Southern Illinois Coal
Company decided to operate a strip
mine owned by II and located about mid
way between Marion and Herrin.
'The miners union apparently raised
no objections to the uncovering of the
coal by the use of steam shovels. but
when the coal company began to ship
coal there was bitter resentment on the
part of the union miners. The coal
company aggravated this resentment by
employing armed guards and closing for
the public use certain established high
ways traversing the mine property and
treating as trespassers citizens attempt
ing to use the accustomed highway.
THE Haunting of arms in COM
munity devoted almost exclusively to
mining coal was conducive to strife. 1t
was a challenge and certain to be ac-
cepted, and for four or Ave days pre-
ceding the tragedy IL was known to the
authorities that conflict was inevi-
table.
Col. Hunters Investigation.
The State administration showed II
undoubtedly realized the acute situation
by sending to Williamson county Col.
Hunter OF the Adjutant Generals staff.
This representative of the State Gov
ernment testified that he recognized
upon his arrival In Marion an immi-
nence of conflict and Immediately
asked the Adjutant General to send
State troops to protect the property and
conserve the peace. This request Col.
iiunttl ithtWtu btNtTti Times nefOre
the actual conflict and was Invariably
asked by the Adjutant General OF lili-
nois n the sheriff OF Williamson coun-
~ had asked for the troops. The Ad-
jutant General denied his authority to
order them into Williamson county ex-
cept on the sheriff's request. which. as
your Honor knows. is not the law,
Melvin Thaxton. the sheriff OF will
hanson county, IL the holder OF a card
in the miners union and n candidat.
for county treasurer at the forthcoming
election. Either because of loyalty 70
Continued on Page Seven.