New Britain herald., 1922-06-24
County Officials Strongly Condemned For Failure to Take Prompt Action
Threats Against Soldiers, Should They Be Sent Into District, Are Continued Today.

Herrin, H.. June 24 - (By Asso- ciated Press)-A state military inves- tigation of the Lester mine massacre which took between 25 and 40 lives. was begun today by a board headed by Major Gen. Milton Foreman of the state militia, acting under orders from 1 Governor Len Small, which were is sued when the chief executive became aroused over failure of local officials to take any steps against the miners who captured and killed the majority of strikebreakers working in the strip mine.
 To Tour Fight Zone Gen. Foreman and his committee reached here today. They were met by Col. Samuel Hunter of the adiut- ant generals office and proceeded to Marion, the county seat, where con- ferences with States Attorney Delous L. Duty and Sheriff Melvin Thaxton were planned
 1 A tour of the area of the fight wa made and it was expected numerous persons believed to know something of the disorders would be called be- fore the board.
 Suspect County Officials
 Gen. Foreman had been instructed particularly to learn why the states attorney had not taken steps toward converting special grand jury, why the coroner's inquest had not been held and why these officials repeated ly refused to authorize Col. Hunter to call for troops even after an indigna- ton meeting of miners was held the day before the fighting started and even after the miners had marched on the mine. He also had been in- structed. 1t was understood to learn why Sheriff Thaxton repeatedly told Col. Hunter that he could handle the situation and yet ignored Col. Hun ter's request that some special pre-. paratians fos an emergency be made Failure of the local officials to senG out an adequate force of deputies the night the fighting began and during the next day when almost unheard ot deeds of cruelty and brutality were l committed also was point to be in- vestigated.
 Governor Is Ignored
 Another matter to be looked into was why repeated requests from the governor for information after the trouble started were ignored by coun- ty authorities and why, when he was receiving scores of telegrams 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. l Foreman and his board would not re- l celVe welcome of any particular r cordlalty from the county as whole so per cent miners in population and 100 per cent. unionized Williamson | county has shown decided disin- l clination to welcome any outside in | looked on as a personal affair which shall be ignored by the rest of the | world.
 Threat Against Troops Persons on the street have been heard repeatedly to remark that if l troops had been sent their guns would have been taken away from them. Groups of miners expressed resent ment over the sending of the military board, although officials said they would gladly cooperate with it. Col. Hunter who, the governor said, might have been influenced wrongly by local officials because he is native of Marion said that he was certain the board would not aim any investiga- tion at him.
 Col. Hunters Report
 T did my duty and even exceeded it at times" he said. "I have. given almost continuous reports to my superiors at Springfield I have re- peatedly stated that the local officials were lax in their preparations for the trouble expected and in the investiga- tions of it. I am glad the governor has taken this step for it will bear out my own official reports"
 Sheriff ThaXton and Mir. Duty both promised cooperation. The situation in the county was made more tense for short time last night when scores of caretakers guarding the mines during the strike through agreement with owners and unions, cuit work under threats from groups of miners.
 Shortly afterA 'rds. Hugh Willis, district member of the union and other officials persuaded them to return af- ter mine guards had been stationed to protect them Had the men remained away. millions of dollars worth of mines would have been ruined through flooding within a few days. These caretakers are not mine union men.
 Coerced Into Quitting
 The fact that the men were being coerced into quitting came to the at