Evening star., 1922-09-24
214 HERR|N MINE
RIOTERS INDICTED
Final Grand Jury RAPPORT
Denounces Authorities
for DereIiCtion.
MASSACRE is Reviewed
Attack Followed Telegram OF
Union Official to Men,
Charge.
nv the Associated Press.

MARION, Ill, september 90.
special grand jury investigating the
Herrin mine killings made final re-
mort today with additional indict-
ments. bringing the total to 214.
Today's return included six mur-
der indictments and an arrangement
of certain authorities, charging thefn
with failure to protect life and prop
erty" in not sending for troops "heh
the mine trouble seemed imminent.
The report discussed the actioh oi
the Southern Illinois Coal Company
In opening the mine during the STRIKE
and says that the principal owner
w. ], Lester, either was "3eluils
ignorant of the danger or bllnay o
1ermined to risk STRIFE anu cohiiie' -
nrofit could be made.
The renort denies the statement or
Adjt. Gen. Carlos Black. made SNORT,
IL after the mine killings. that ne nau
less asked to by the sheriff. and SAID
~, tbera vas no law which for
bade the adjutant general 10 can
troops.
whole story Reviewed.
The Jury report says. IN part
.About the middle of June TINS Sear.
after suspension of the coal industry
as the result of a strike OF tne ,ts Sn,ttu
Mine workers of America. the Soutn-
ern Illinois Coal Company decided 10
operate a strip mine owned by II ana
located about midway between Marion
and Herrin.
raised no objections to the uncover
ing of the coal by the use or steam
shoyels. but when the coal company
began to ship coal there was bitter
resentment on the part of the union
miners The coal company asgra-
waited this resentment by employing
armed guards and closing for the
public use certain established high
WAYS traversing the mine property
and treating as trespassers eltizehs
attempting to use the aecustoHieu
highway The Haunting of arms n n
community devoted almost exclusive
ly to mining was conducive to strife.
1t was a challenge and certain TO De
accepted. and for four or five days
preceding the tragedy 1t was known
that a conflict was inevitable.
The state administration showed 1t
undoubtedly realized the acute situa-
ton by sending to Williamson county
Col. Hunter of the ad)utant generais
staff This representative OF the
state government testified that he
recognized upon his arriva! in Marion
an imminence of a conflict and i'm
mediately asked the adjutaat gen
eral to send state troops to protect
the property and conserve the peace;
This request Col. Hunter renewed
several times before the actual conflict
and was Invariably asked by the
adjutant general of Illinois II the
sheriff of Williamson county had ask
ed for the troops. The adjutant gen
eral denied his authority Z to order
them into Williamson county except
on the sheriff's question. which. as your
honor knows. is not the law.
Charge Sheriff Sympathetic.
Melvin Thaxton, the sheriff OF
Williamson county, is the holder OF
card in the miners union and a candi-
date for county treasurer at the
forthcoming election. Either because
Of loyalty to the union or from fear
Of injuring his candidacy. the sheriff
would make no demand for troops nor
did he take adequate measures to pre-
serve the peace.
From the evidence heard the at
tack of June 81 upon the men en-
ployed at the strip mine was the re-
suit of a conspiracy which had been
several days in the perfecting, the
object of which was the closing of
the strip mine. Sheriff Thaxton could
not have been unaware Of the de-
ve1opments of this plan.
On June 10 State Senator William
"A. Sneed. district president OF the
received from john L. Lewis. presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers of
America. a telegram reading as fol-
lows: William Sneed. president sub
district 10, district 12, United Mine
Workers of America, Herrin, ILL.,
Your wire eighteenth. Steam Shovel
Mems Union was suspended from at
lfiliation with American Federation of
Labor some years ago. 1t was also
ordered suspended from the mining
alton of Labor at the Atlantic City
convention. We now find that this
outlaw organization is permitting its
members to act as strikebreakers at
numerous strip pits in Ohio. This or
engineers to work under guards with
ratrikebreakers. 1t Is not true that
any form of agreement exists by and
between this organization and the
mining department or any other
branch of the American Federation
Of Labor permitting them to work
under such circumstances. We have,
through representatives. officially
taken this question up with the off,
GERS of the Steam Shovel Mems Union
and have failed to secure any salts
faction. Representatives Of our or
E2nization are justified In treating
this crowd as an outlaw organization
and in viewing its members in the
same light as they do any other COM
mon strikebreakers (Signed) John
l. Lewis
Attack Follows Telegram.
Following the publication of the
telegram. preparations for en- attack
upon the mine were made. The hard
ware stores in all the cities of Will
Hanson county were searched for fire.
arms. The weapons were either taken
by force or upon q verbal assurance
the local would pay for them
''rhe men working at the strip mine
were evidently ignorant of being
strikebreakers. The men operating
the steam shovel were affiliated with
a union. even though unrecognized
by the American Federation OF La
bor"
Describing how the non-union men
were killed after being captured at
the mine. the report says:
The active men were marched down
the road toward Herrin in double
1ile. After they had marched about
one mile Supt. Mcdowell, being Grip
pied and unable to keep up with the
procession. was taken aside by MEM
bers Of the mob and shot to death.
The remainder Of the captives were
marched on the public road and were
stopped at the power house Of the In
tsrurban railroad about three miles
from Herrin.
'HSre q change in Leadership took
place, and the man who had Guaran.
teed the safety Of the men who had
surrendered, was deposed and another
leader installed. The new commander
ordered the captive men to march
into the woods adjacent to and beyond
fha nower house HAre tba ra.r,