Norwich bulletin., 1922-06-24
MINERS VERSION OF CAUSE
 OF POSSIBILITIES AT HEREIN

Herrin. Ills. June % (By the A. P.)- Attempts 10 sift through the maize of rumors. reports. contradictions and facts of the mine war 10 obtain an uncolored account of the events leading up to it. tonight after everything was quiet brought two authentic reviews of the affair. one from a union official and another from a state military officials.
 Hugh Willis. district board member of the miners in the first statement from union officials concerning the massacre, told newspaper reporters the blame lay sQuarely on the coal operators who i'm ported strike-breakers.
 He declared that the first shots were hred by the strike-brs takers and that lhcse shots were without provocation and one of the chief causes of the disaster ras ths hiEhhanded manner in which the imported workers held up private citi- iens and refused to let them traverse Inc public highway by the mine" He made no attempt 70 deny that the affair really vas a massacre. but insisted 1t azs not started by miners.
 Colonsl Samuel Hunter of the state ldjutant generals office. reviewed his ,ficisi investigation of the disaster. the following being the salient points of his report.
 That Colonel Hunter on half a dozen nocssions asked Sheriff Tharton and oth- e local county officials if they wanted troops sent here but was told each time even after the fighting stsrted-that ,he iocal authorities could handle the matter
 That he urged the mine officials to close t down to avert a disaster, but .he request was refused.
 That he persuaded the besieged work srs 70 run up a white shg and obtain consent from mine officials for truce but that this truce was broken; by whom he did not know.
 Both reports termed the armed guards at the mine "gunmen" r. Willis yer sIon follows In part
 The Southern Illinois Coal company has been running this mine aoout a year When work was suspended or Aprii l it was agreed by the mine unior board members and the operators thai stripping of dirt should be allowed bu that no coal was to be loaded for indus tral purposes.
 After six weeks Of stripping the com pzny informed mo by letter that theI no longer would recognize the agreemen and that they wanted to load and shil coal for industrial purposes. told then rouid not give permission fer this.
 Ten days later r. Lester. owner Q the mine. asked me to set aside tn agreement told him I could not re rudiate it. He said that unless I repu dated he would open the mine even i he had to rspudiate his agreement.
 Lester sad his cornnany was in bat financial straits znz that he could no overlook a chance like this to make financial cleanup. He said he did no regard his contract with US as meaninl anything. when he could make a lot O money by breaking it This statemen was made to me when he knew the gov errment had officially said there shoul he no prohteering in coal because of tn strike
 ~On June IS ! was informed that Les ter had dfscharEed all union workers | Inc minc-dirt shippers that is-an Tad Imported workers. including arme guards from Chicago. to work the min, T visited the mine and was met by me with guns They said Lester was nc there when ] asked for him and told m that the sooner I left the better satis Bed they would he. Naturally I left"
 Mir. Willis insisted that John L. Lew ls telegram that the imported me should be treated as "common strik, breakers did not incite the trouble. H refused to discuss the Lewis telegram EayinE that those received here cam from Frank Harrington. It was undei Etood that he made this statement b, rausc Of anfipathy to Lewis whom I tocs not mention when discussing mir rnions
 James Richie. another union oficis Iaid that the attack on the mine "; made mostly by citizens of the comm nity who were not miners and who we nccnsed over the actions of the guard