The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-24
PHILLIP MURRAY
ATTACKS STATE
POLICE STAND
international Vice President
of Union Claims Police
lnsulted Him.
MURDERS ARE CITED
Mrs. Blizzard Also Testifies
in Defense of Husband
atTria! Today.

CHARLES TOWN, May "a
tBy The Associated Press)-Mrs.
William Blizzard gave the jury
which is trying her husband on
charge of treason a detailed ac-
count in Circuit Court today, OF
her husbands goings and comings
between August "a, 1921, the be-
ginning of the armed march from
Marmet, and September 3, when
federal troops brought to an end
the fighting between the march
ers and forces defending Logan
+: County.
Her testimony was limited
mainly to the hours at which Biz
zard left his home in the morning
and whether he returned home
each night The nights he did not
return were August rs IS, 80 and
81 and September She talked
withahim by telephone on. these
nights, except. the 2Sthaand Sep
tember The telephones$w s2out
of order on the 2ath, but at day
break the next morning Mrs. Biz
zard said she went to the village
and from there talked with ner
husband who was in the district
union Office at Charleston.
Murray Testiies
Phillip Murray. international
vice-president of the United Mine
Workers, told of efforts he made
to induce fighting men in the dis
-turbed area to go to their homes.
He said he was sent from the in
ternational Offices at Indianapolis
to West Virginia as a result OIL a
telephone conversation between
President Harding and John L..
Lewis, of the mine workers.
After spending August 81 in
conference with union district Off
cials as to their plans of action,
the witness said he went to Shar-
pies September 1 to try to turn the
men back. They found number
of armed men at Sharples and
suggested that ''in conformity
with the well-defned policy of the
United Mine Workers of America
the men ought to return to their
homes peacably and let the law
take its course, Murray testified.
The men were desirous of going
home, he testified, but said they
were afraid they would suffer
bodily harm or their homes would
be invaded and felt the only pos
sible protection would be. arrival
of federal troops.
Conferred With BandholH
Mr.. Murray met two officers
representing General Bandholtz
and reported to them his failure to
get the men to go home, and their
-, &@1l rrt h
whole party returned to Charles
ton and Murray and General Band
holtz held a conference at which.
after the union official reported
again his inability to disperse the
men, the general authorized i'm me-
diate dispatch of the troops. The
witness said he went home the
next day without holding any fur
ther conferences.
Cross examination of Murray
consisted mainly of reading large
portions of his report of last Sep
tember to the union convent ton,
and asking him to compare these
portions with his testimony.
Two Miners Killed
Especial emphasis was laid by
A. M. Belcher, conducting the
REORGANIZATION, on that portion
of the report which said State
Police and others descended on
Sharples while everybody was
abed for the purpose OF blowing
up the town, and killed two
miners Asked if he had been
Informed the miners fred first.
Murray said:
"The only information I had
was that Captain Brockus and
other men under the direction Of
Don Chain, sheriff of Logan Coun-
ty, visited Sharples ostensibly for
the purpose of making arrests, but
instead Of making arrests killed
two miners.
Taken to task for referring to
the men! who went to Sharples on
that occasion as desperadoes, Muir
ray retorted:
.s,.. "I don't care who a. murderer
represents. If he. deliberately: and
| isin nts1tionau without any provo
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