The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-21
.REENEY VILE CO
QNTRIALMONDAY
!.N|I.CHA!RLES TOWN
Case VIII Represent Effort
to Lay Blame for March
on Miners Union.

CHARLES TOWN, W. Va,
October 21..A move to definitely
lay the responsibility for the min
eEs march" in August 1921 at the
door Of the United Mine Workers
Is involved in tho trial OF &.
Frank keeney, union district pres.
ident, on charge OF being acces.
Z Dry before the fact to the murder
Z o. John Gre. The trial, which Is
Z set 70 open here Monday, is tho
fifth to DO held here, under a
change OF venue which brought all
the march" cases from Logan
County, in which the indictments
were returned.
{keeney, as president OF district
az, United Mine Workers OF Amer.
lea, has long been looked on as
virtually the head OF the union
forces in West Virginia, although
in fact three other districts extend
their jurisdiction over portions OF
the state. However. district II has
far the largest membership among
West Virginia miners and because
the territory allotted to 1t includes
some OF the non.union fields around
which the states Industrial warfare
has conferred, the energetic leader
loI that district has como to be re.
garded as head OF the miners III
tho state.
Two men, the Rev. J. L. Wilburn
OF Blair, and his son, John Wilburu
have been found guilty OF second
degree OF murder in trials here Tor
the, killing OF Gore. He was a dc.
putty shrlft in Logan County,
. against which tho march OF several
thousand miners aud their synpu-
thizers was directed. III tat mats
forming the northeastern border Ul
Logan county the murchcrs were
opposed By, and Tor nearly week
lield sporadic battles with hastily
organized forces OF volunteers who
gathered to assist the county peace
Officers.
IS Testimony in previous trials
showed that one OF the toruys uf
the invading" forces came upon
Gore and two OF the volunteers o.
BLAIR mountain carly in the morn,
ms OF August IL. Witnesses SAID
taet each party challenged the Oth.
err aud demanded the counterslgu.
and that when Gore replied Amen
stfie Logan defenders counterslgn,
the answer OF the party headed Wy
yne REV. Mttburu was rifle vOilcy
TINT brought down Gore and ms
1npanions.
- The charge that President Keen.
ey was an accessory to the murder
sot Gore is based on the prUscCU.
LIONS allegation that Keeney, as
The union leader, was directly COu.
cerned in the planning oil the
march. To this defense is prepared
to answer that Keeney and The
other union officials, instead OF III.
stlgating the march, did everything
ia their power to halt 1t. They eX-
4 pect to. repeat testimony given in
tie previous trials that the district
president risked his own life IN go.
ing before the maFChers at Madison
about midway between their first
camp ut Marmet and the Logan
Sliorder, and persuading most OF
item to turn back TO their homes.
Much testimony concerning
Keeney's appearance at Madison
and Il visit he paid to the Marmet
camp before the march began has
been presented in the previous
trials. But men connected with the
prosecution have said that ut this
trial Il was planned to bring evi.
Gonce that the district president
was directly connected with other
5 phases and incidents OF the march,
which have not been made public
hlthereto,
The first action when court con.
Yenes may be disposal VI pending
motions tr new trioals for the two
Wilburns and for Walter Allen who
I was found guilty OF treason. a
move fol- another change OF venue
Is another possibility for the open.
ling day.
Prosecution cunsel have an
}nounced that after the Keeney case
they expected to move the trial on
the same charge, OF William Biz.
zard, president Of one of the sub.
districts, who was acquitted on the
treason charge, and Fred Mooney
secretary.treasurer of District II.