Arizona republican., 1922-06-28
A I 7 ACK D n
.HOSP| I A | s
LIKELY SA !
0PERAT 0RS
Death Will Be Dealt All
Wounded Men If They
Seek To Leave District
Assert Mine Officials.

CHICAGO. June 27-Men who sue
cessfully ran the gauntlet of bullets
in the Herrin, Ills, mine war and
then eluded strike sympathizers who
patrolled the roads near Herrin, ar
rived here today. The refugees told
their experiences to the attorneys for
the Southern Illinois Coal company
and the evidence will be used by the
company in suits it expects to bring
against the United Mine Workers OF
America and the county of William
son to recover damages.
Several of the half dozen men ar
irving today were captured at this
Herrin mine last Thursday morning
by striking miners and strike SYM
pathizers.
Their comrades were shot down
when the captors indicated barbed
wire fence and told them to run
for it,
Fred Macy, full blooded Chefo-
kee Indian employed at the Herrin
mine. told the attorneys his story OF
running the gauntlet of fire.
They say run TO fence" he ex-
planned. They raise guns. Me know
what come. Me zig gag this way.
that way. Me dodge bullets-jump
fence
Macy came through without
scratch. After escaping the first hail
of lead, he said he hid in tlliciset
while armed men beat the brush near
him in search of any who had es-
capped.
Wound Unattended For Days
Vernon Wilson of Battle Creek.
Mich. carpenter. was wounded in
the shoulder when he tried to es-
cape through the barbed wire fence
at the command of his captors. He
also hid for several hours, then at
tempted to make his way out of the
Herrin district. As he crossed a field
a short distance from Herrin he said
farmer saw him and took pot
shot at him. but missed. Thereafter
he hid in thiekets in the day time and
travelled at night until out of the dan
ger zone He arrived in Chicago
Sunday with his wounded shoulder
still unattended. He was sent to "a
hospital here.
Another man said that while he
was hiding in a thicket an airplane
which ne believed was being used by
the strikers flew only a few feet
above him.
Some of the refugees said they
had appealed to the sheriff at Marion.
Ills. for protection and asserted that
he had told them that they had bet
ter leave town in a hurry. Others
told of hiding for hours in thickets
while watching autos filled with
miners patrol the road in search OF
employees of the mine who had es-
capped.
toilette ]. Bull OF the firm Of Bull,
I.ytion and Olson. counsel for the
Southern Illinois Coal company. said
he had sent man, former res
ident OF Williamson county. to Herrin
to learn if the wounded men IN the
hospital there could be removed.
This man. whose name | dare not
divulge, informed me that it would be
folly to attempt it," Mr.. Bull SAID.
These men are in danger OF al
tack at the hospital. Certain death
awaits them if they attempt to leave.
We do not dare to send one OF our
own representatives to Herrin. We
can not even try to identify the dead.
care fer the wounded or make a sur
yey of the damage done at the mine.
Criticizes Sheriff
"Our property-what there is LEFT
of it-has been absolutely unguarded
since the massacre. | presume an
attempt to make an inventry OF the
losses to our property would con-
stitute an alarming situation.
'There is not man in Williamson
county who will brave. the wrath or
the strikers, The sheriff openly ad-
mits his sympathy with the strikers.
The attorney general has told me
that he considers it dangerous 70
send his own men there at this times
William J. lester, president Of the
Southern Illinois Coal company SAID
he had been informed that striking
miners and their sympathizers
pected to make an attack on the nos
pital where wounded mine empioyes
are being cared for. or TO spirit the
men away. so they will be unable 70
testify concerning the killing of their
fellow workmen.