Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-05-02

The defense reserved its opening
statement until the State is through
with its testimony.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. F. Stewart, of
Dry Branch, Cabin Greek, Kanawha
county, then took the stand as the
first witnesses in the States case
against William Blizzard, of st. AL
bans, charged with treason against
the state of West Virginia. Both
Mr.. and Mrs. Stewart testified that
they were present on August Gath
at a meeting of miners and their
friends on Lens Creek near Marmet.
After that meeting Mother" Jones,
known as the mother of the United
Mine Workers, spoke, and it was
testified by both the witnesses that
she urged them to return to their
homes, that she advised them that
their proceedings were unlawful, and
that they should keep themselves at
all times within the law.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stewart differed in
some details as to what they saw
and heard. Mr.. Stewart testified
that he heard Frank Keeney, presi-
dent of District No. II, address the
crowd following Mother" Jones.
And told them the telegram which
Mother" Jones read, purporting to
be from President Harding and urg-
ing the miners to dispense and re-
turn to their homes, was a fake tel
egram. Mrs. Stewart testified that
she heard Keeney make no public
remarks at that time although she
had been close to the point where
Mother" Jones spoke.
Governor E. F. Morgan was put
on the stand Friday afternoon to
establish the authenticity of martial
law proclamations, the calls to the
federal government for assistance,
the coming of the federal troops, the
inability of the state troops to cope
with the situation, the arrangements
for calling out volunteers in the
affected areas last September and the
eventual turning-back of the armed
miners; and he testified to all these
matters. Two proclamations of mar
tial law were issued for Mingo coun
ty, 1t was shown, the original one
on May 10, 1921, and a supplement
tary one on June 81. The Governor
told of the assignment of Major T.
b. Davis to Mingo as his personal
representative during the period of
martial law, which is still in exist
ence, of how the county had been and
still is occupied by military forces
and other phases of the situation.
he was questioned as to the alleged
state of insurrection in Boone. Ka-
nawha and Logan counties, but the
Court ruled that he could not testify
in detail as to Logan. He said he
knew only from reports of the
gathering at Marmet, reports from
state and county officials. There
followed, he said, appeals for troops
which were answered at first by the
dispatch of Major General Band
holtz and Major Thompson from
to Charleston where
they had a conference in the early
with Governor Morgan. At
he testified, the officers
went with Frank Keeney and others.
whose names he did not know. To
Madison, Boone county, to endeavor.
ne said he was informed, to have the
armed men return to their homes
and desist in their plans for going
ahead to Mingo and Logan counties.
General Bandholtz reported, the Gov
ernor said, that he had investigated
the situation and that he believed the
men would turn back
The Governor, answering a ones
ton, said, however, that not ali the
men turned back, and that few
hundred had gone on into Logan
county. The following evening, he
aid. Captain ]. R. Brockus and
Public Safety Department officials
went to Sharples with warrants for
men who had held up and robbed
some of the state police-but the
Governor was interrupted at this
point by the defense and this hear
say information was ordered stricken
put. He said he had sent General
charnock, Acknowledgement, with
representatives of the United Mine
Workers to Sharples and had re-
Iuested the officer to get the men tn
disperse. In the meantime . com
nittee ha dbeen sent to WASHINGTON
70 solicit federal aid, and this effort
was supplemented by another tele-
gram from the Governor which fin
Ally brought troops to the number
ne Governor thought, of between
L,ooO and 1920. In addition to the
'roops few airplanes were sent into |
he state, numbering between eigh- |
cen and twenty, and this in turn