, 1922-06-24
PROBE OF MASSACRE
At ILLINOIS NINE IS LAUNCHED

Continued from Paf, One,
indignation meeting OF miners was
held the day before the fighting start
ed and eve after thu miners had
marched on the mine He also had
been Instructed. II wat Understood. to
learn why Sheriff Tnxton had ig-
some special preparations for an
emergency be made
Failure OF local officials to send out
enoug. deputies the night the fighting
began and during tho following day
when almost unhea-d OF deeds o;
cruelty md brutality were committed
also was n point to be investigated
Another matter TO be looked into
was why numerous requests from the
eovernor for formation after the
trouble started vere ignored by coun-
ty authorities and why. when he was
receiving scores of kilograms from
private citizens telling OF the outrases,
he was continually informed by the
authorities that tho situation was
well In hand and that the troops were
not needed. There was little doubt
that the board would not receive a cor.
dial welcome from the county as a
whole. Ninety per cent miners IN Pop
ulation and 100 per cent unionized.
Williamson county has shown z decid-
ed disinclination TO welcome n out
side interference in the massacre.
which is looked on az a personal affair
TO be Ignored by tho rest Of tho world
Persons on tho street have been heard
repeatedly TO remark that II troops
hnd been ISN'T thero guns would have
been taken away from them
Comment On tho streets expressed re
sentiment. over sending of the military
board, although officials said they
would gladly co-opsrsse with IL Co
onel Hunter. who. the governor said
might have been influenced wrongly
~ local officials because he is a ma
tive of Marion. said that he was Ger
tain the board did not aim any inves
tigation at him.
1T did my duty and even exceeded II
al times he said. 81 havo given al
most continuous reports to my super
Tors at Springfield / have repeatedly
stated that the local officials were lax
In their preparations for tho trouble
expected nj in tho Investigations OF
II. I am glad the governor has taken
this step. for Il will bear out my own
official reports"
Sheriff Thaxton and Mr.. Duty both
promised cooperation
The situation in the county vas
made considerably more tense for a
short time last night when caretakert
guarding the mines during h strike
through agreements between owners
and unions. quit work under threats
from groups of miners. Shortly att
orwards Hugh willis. district boart
- mber of the union. and other Off
| Gals persuaded them to return after
MO mine guards mad been stationed
to protect them. Had the men re
mained away, millions of dollars worth
Of mines would have been ruined
through flooding within a few days
| These caretnkers arc not mine unior
men. The fact that the men were be
ing cocrced into quitting came to th'
attention OF Colonel Hunter yesterday
afternoon and he ~teiegraphed Adju
| amt General Black aid would be neces
sary.
MI. willis and Colonel Hunter. as
sisted by the sheriff and the state
attorney worked until early this morn
ing to assure the mines OF protection
THE men have gone back to work
and they VIII stay back under the
protection OF the mine union" sale
Mr.. Willis today.
Search for bodies continued today al
some points in the county although
the searching parties were Few. TWEEN
ty-two bodies had been recovered and
many more were expected.
Concerning the property loss no def