The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-06-23

Bloody" Williamson county, socalled
because Of many acts Of violence in re-
cent times, most of them accompanied
by numerous fatalities today was pre-,
pairing for what official action is ex-
pected in connection with the massacre
at the Lester strip mine when between
27 and 54 persons were slain after strik- <
ing union miners had stormed the sixty
or more strike breakers operating the
mine. a, II & M Il .$s
So far as the number Of dead was
concerned, there still was little but
speculation. A score were in morgues,
newspaper men previously had counted
26 bodies in the woods and roads, one
man died in hospital; Frank Earring
ton, state president Of the miners an.
nounced that his ofhcial reports show
ed a. killed; citizens still brought in
reports Of bodies lying around the coun-
try, but through all Of it there was no
way Of fixing a definite number.
Many Union Miners Wounded
In the wounded list there were 16 in
the Herrin hospital, three reported in
the Carbondale hospital, and a number
Of others-union striking minersbe-
lieved to be lying in their homes. There
was little question that the exact num-,
Der of dead never will be known. A
dozen or SO were believed to be At the
bottom of pond. No one. seemed in
clined to drag the pond. No searching
parties have been organized to seek
bodies in the woods<
All reports whether from miners or
strike-breakers or mine operators, agree
that the killing really were massacre.
that the victims were shot down in cold
blood after they had put up the flag and
surrendered themselves and their arms
to the attacking forces. Many persons
in the county uphold the slaughter as
a rightful act Of jddgmentt sCitizens
gathering on street corners last night
hnd today laughed and joked over the
affair and proudly boasted that "some
OF these days people will realize that
it doesn't pay to try to break strike
in Williamson county"
In the morgue, women and children.
as they passed through, commented on
the accuracy, Of those who brought down
these victims. 800
Boast Of Brutal Acts.
Men who openly boast that they were
in the attacking force related with ap-
parent pride the stories of what in war
times would be called brutality. The
story Of the attack on G. X. Mcdowell.
strike breakers superintendent was re-
lated by many. Mcdowell with only one
leg, was beaten to death with stones be-
fore being ridd}ed with bullets, ac-
cording to persons who say they were
eye witnesses.
He refused to march with the other
prisoners who were tied together and
told to run down the road between line,
of attackers who poured buckshot, rife
and pistol bullets into them as they
fed, saying that he would just as soon
I, die where he was. He died where he
wa, said to have made this statement.
Mine Safe Looted.
The mine safe was looted and one
4 man. with some $500 in bills, stood
with a semi-circle Of men around him
and dealt out the bills like cards. &C.
cording to wounded men who were there
! The correspondent saw men wounded
almost to death, kicked around in the
scorching sun in dusty roads. He saw
q men chased through fields like rabbits
by shouting persons who opened fire
once catching him accidentally betweer
49, fror Surrounded by armed men
he saw knife plunged into the throat
Of wounded man who in his dyinf
breath gasped plea: "In the name o.
my mother, in the name of your mother
in the name of our God give me water,
only to receive laughs and jokes a
| "where you're going you won't SCI
. water" as reply.
Shows Babies Awful Sights.
! Mothers carried babies into the NOR
CUES and up to piles Of bodies in th'
. roads with such remarks as "take
r. -