The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-03
GTENSEBS
DATEFOR.HERRIN
TRIALSADVANCES
Charges Of Atsempt TO Start
CAPITALIZATION War in
Cases Being Made.

MARION, Ill. Nov. S-subsur-
face excitement in Marion is at
exploding point thought outwardly
al IS calm as the day of the "blg
triap draws near.
Trial Of the first OF those &C.
cused OF murder during the bloody
HeTin mine massacre last June,
Is set for November s.
Altogether nearly 100 union min
ers and sympathizers are scheduled
10 face the court to answer yarl.
Gus charges In Connection with the
MASSACRE.
Charging Of attempting to initiate
a capital labor war out Of the trials
How freely. Each side accuses the
other Of trying to make this an is.
sue and each denies.
This should be a public prosecu.
ton by public officials with public
funds but 1t is a private prosecu.
ton by public officials with private
funds,s declare the miners. They
point to the fact that money for
the prosecution was raised through
tie Illinois Chamber Of Commerce.
Governor Small vetoed half the
Necessary appropriations for the at.
torney generals Office retorts the
prosecution. without the aid OF
the chambers OF commerce, We
couldn't conduct the case. The de.
tense Is trying to raise a capital.
labor dispute to becloud tho real
cause OF the trials"
Line upiWItnsses
But backiof the maze Of industri.
al prejudice, charges and counter
charges, intense local partisanship
and other factors, the attorneys for
both sides have been zealously at
work lining up their witnesses pre-.
paving for; one OF the biggest court
battles in the history OF Illinois.
So thoroughly is Williamson
county being wInnowed for wit.
nesses that there is hardly a resi-
dent who has not been approached
as 70 his knowledge, or who has
not been Brought into a partisan
frame Of mind through hearing the
case repeatedly discussed. Selec.
ton OF a Jury, 1t is conceded, will
be very long process, owing to
the widespread discussion OF the
While the trial will, be held in
Marion and the eight union mon
arrested are held in the county
iaifs here, actual conduct OF the
case has passed beyond the bound.
afies OF Williamson county. Pro-
ceduye vii be in tho hands OF out.
Men in Charge
States Attorney E'elos Duty of
wiliamson county has hand in
tlie prosecution, but only as an as.
sistant, Acknowledgement Brundage
has appointed G. W. Middlekautf
special assistant attorney general
m charge OF the case. He also
secured the latter's leave Of alb.
ence from his duties as assistant
10 q. S. Attorney General Daugh-
erty to conduct the prosecution.
"A. Nv. Kerr, chief counsel for the
Illinois miners union, a district or.
gantzation OF the United Mine
Workers Of America, is here in
charge OF the defense OF tho min.
ees, Other attorneys for the min.
eTs union are assisting him.
And Marion, ten miles from the
aceneSof the bloodiest rioting in the
history Of the coal fields Of Little
Egypt as this territory Is called,
looks TO tho coming trials to yindi.
cate the towns good name.
Ever since the nation was shock.
ed in June by the killing of three
union miners ana twenty strike.
breakers, Marion has cringed be.
meath the real or taucied scorn
md adherence OF the rest OF the
country. The official investigations
Of the Herrin tragedy were held
here. This swung attention. this
way from Herrin, until the editori-
aus and reports of the press began
fastening upon Marion the mas.
sacre itself.
Marion resents this. A desire for
yindication Is dominant. To prove
Il Is not the lawless, rough town
outsiders may, believe It is, Marion
has pledged itself to aid in every
way the securing Of a fair, impair.
tial trial.
Politics Enter
And there Us where the political
angle comes In again.
The day before the trials start,
Melvin Thaxton and S. G. Storm,
sheriff and deputy during the mas.
sacre' will be before the voters
Thaxton runs for treasurer and
Storm FOL. county clerk. The Great
er Marion Association insists their
defeat Is necessary to vtndicate
Marion
II holds that Thaxton's actions
at the time Of the rioting was
swayed by his desire to get the
miners votes, that Storm was de.
linquent In his duties; that George
Gailigan Of Herrin, running for
sheriff, Is a half brother Of one Of
the indicted men. Their election
means q blasted Jury, charges the
ssociation.
But Thaxton and Storm have
their champions, too. They say the
men did their best under the cir.
cnmstances, and that the present
light Is merely an effort to CAPT.
talze 9iarion,s outraged feelings for
olettitn OF three Democrats in a