The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-06-24
In the Meantime, Dam
age Suits Aggregating
a Million Are Being
Filed By Owners of De-
strcyed Properties

Herrin, ILL.,, June 24.-(By the AS
sociated, Press "A state military in
vestigation of the Lester strip mine
massacre which took between 25 and
40 lives. was begun today by a board
headed by Maj. Gen. Milton Foreman,
of the state militia, acting under or
ders from Gov. Len Small, which were
issued when the chief executive be-
came angered over the failure of any
of the local authorities to take any
action when the workers were at
tackled and killed by strikers and
sympathizers from the mine.
The commission reached here this
morning, motoring from Carbondale
after reaching there by train. They
were met by Col Samuel Hunter.
of the Adiutant Generals office, who
has been here for several days His
orders to return to Springfield today
were cancelled and he Immediately
became a guide for the military board.
Gen. Foreman and the officers ac-
cOmpanying him, proceeded to Marion.
the county seat, where conferences
with State Attorney Delous l.. Duty
and Sheriff ThaXton were planned.
A tour of the area of the fight was
made and it is expected that persons
knowing something of the battle will
be called before the board. Gen.
Foreman had been instructed to learn
why the state attorney had not taken
steps towards the convening OF spe-
cial grand jury and why the coroner's
inquest had not been held and why
these officials repeatedly refused to
authorize Col. Hunter to call for
troops, even after an Indignation
meeting of miners was held the day
before the fighting started and even
after the miners had started march
ing on the mine. He also has been
instructed, it was understood. why
Sheriff Thaxton repeatedly told Col.
Hunter that he could handle the situ-
alton and yet ignored Col. Hunters
request that some special prepara-
tions for an emergency be made
Failure of the local officials to send
out an adequate force of deputies the
night the fighting began and during
the following day when almost un-
heard of deeds of cruelty and brutal
ity were committed also, was a point
to be investigated.
Another matter to be looked into
IEas why numerous requests from the
governor for information after the
trouble started were ignored by coun-
ty authorities and why, when he was
receiving scores of kilograms from
private citizens telling of the outrages
he was continually informed by the
authorities that the situation was
well in hand" and that the troops
were not needed. There was little
doubt that Gen. Foreman and his
board would not receive a welcome
of any particular cordiality from the
county as a whole. Ninety per cent
miners in population, and 100 per cent
unioniZed. Williamson county has
shown decided disinclination to wei
come any outside interference in the
massacre which is looked on as a
personal affair which should be ig-
nured by the rest of the world. Per-
sons on the street have been heard
repeatedly to remark that if troops
had been sent their guns would have
been taken away from them. Com
ment on the street expressed resent
mert over the sending of the mill
tary board, although officials said they
would gladly cooperate with it.
made considerably more tense for a
short time last night when scores of
caretakers guarding the mines during
the strike through agreement between
0w1ers and unions, quit work under
threats from groups of miners. Short
ly afterwards Hugh Willis, district
board member of the union, and other
officials persuaded them to return af-
ter mine guards had been stationed
protect them. Had the men re-
manned away, millions of dollars worth
of mines would have been ruined
through flooding within a few days.
Search for bodies continued today in
some parts of the county, although
searching parties were few Twenty
two bodies had been recovered and it
was considered that many more could
be found.
MAN AnAMRnh