The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-14
PASTORS BOAST
AFTER KILLING OF
GORE RECOUNTED
WiIburn Alleged to Have Held
Up Pocketbook of Slain
Deputy Sheriff,

CHARLES ~ " ~, y uho ~
The Associated Press s.)-TestimonE
tending to show that the Rev J. T..
Wilburn had 1he pocketbook OF
Deputy Sheriff Gore of Logan. with
whose killing the minister IS
charged, following the fight ne
tween miners and deputies at 6laF
Gan today, was introduced through
Joe Larkins of Blairtown. The Wiz
ness was the grandson of Mrs. 1sa-
bella Riggs, a clearinghouse keep
er, who yesterday testified to the
same thing.
Larkins said that the day on
which Gore was killed with two
other Logan County deputies dur
ing the disturbances in the South
ern West Virginia coal fields last
August, a crowd of armed men were
about his grandmo.her's boarding
house. Among them, the witness
said, was the Reverend Mr. Will
burn, who, holding UP pocket
book, said: Here's Cores pocket
book
Another man. apparently a for
eigner, Larkins declared, held up
rifle and said the arm was the
slain deputy's, while third man
displayed a ring, claiming 1t was
the property of Gore.
Larkins reiterated his state
ments on cross-examination and
added that his attention was called
to the men by hearing in their
midst a shout:
"Hurrah. We got Gore" Mrs.
Riggs, who was still on the stand
when the court adjourned yester-
day, renewed her assertions TO-DAY
that she saw the defendant with a
purse in his hand which she under
stood belonged to Gore.
DR.. Charles Milliken. Huntington,
next witness, told the jury that ne
was at Blair on the day of the kill
ing and that he heard the defend
ant tell several men on the porch
of his house that he had TO lay
down the Bible. for his rifle and
hoped that when the trouble was
over he could again take up the
Bible. The witness said Wilburn
declared to the men that he hoped
he had not done wrong for the oc-
currences on the hills.
Doctor Mi1liken testified the men
at the time were discussing the kill
ing OF Gore and two other depu-
ties. The rifle and pistol said to-
have been Cores were displayed,
the with ess said.
On crosS-examination. Doctor
Milliken stated there was a great
deal of excitement in Blairtown
at the time. He could not recall;
however, whether he had heard
that bombs had been dropped near
Blair by airplanes from Logan.
before or after the shooting of
the deputies.
Following Doctor Milliken, a.
jeffrey. section foreman OF
Blair, testified that the day fol-
lowing the fight, he heard Will
burn say he got within twenty feet
of Gore On the demand for pass
words. it was said by the witness.
Wilburn declared Gore announced
amen and Immediately some of
the defendants party went to
shooting"
The witness said in cross-ex-
animation that residents of Blair
were excited. and some were leaV-
ing the town, also. He testified
several men said they were arm
ed to resist thugs"
Wilburn denied that he had
fred the shot. according to John
Brown, a miner of Blair, but ad-
mitted that he heard the deputy's
last word, the counterslgn.
! amen
Brown stated also that he heard
the defendant say his party start
ed to fire on the deputies when
the minister raised his gun as a
signal.
These statements were made
during the afternoon of the day
of the killing on the porch of the
Wilburn home. Brown said sew
eral men were gathered there,
either filing numbers off a rifle or
filing notches on it. He declared
when questioned by the defense
that he had been a union miner at
Blair and at one time went on
guard to protect Blair against I
alleged invasion by Logan depu-
ties. '