Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-04-27
THE MINERS TRIALS ARE ON

/
ihe trials of the coal miners and
union officials from Minco, Logan and
otner coal fields Of West Virginia are
ROW under way at Charles Town II
VIII be recalled that these cases were
removsl from that section of the State
10 JeseTSon county, where they might
| De neard IN court far from the scene
OF The disturbances and decided hv
!uTymen who are unpreiudiced and un-
influenced by either side to the contro-
verSy. Judge j. Nj. Woods is presid
! ing
lhe indicted men, their Counsel. their
witnesses and their friends 10 the num-
Der OF several hundred are in Charles
| Town, many OF them having come on
SPECIAL train that arrived there from
charleston last Saturday. All have
oeen comfortably CHARTERED, notwith-
standing that il was feared that suit
able accommodations might not be
available. The group representing the
prosecution have headquarters AT the
JEFFERSON Hotel, a few Of the more
prominent being located at the Hilltop
! housc in Harper's Ferry. while the
detehdants' headquarters are at the
rain Hotel The Charles Town Inn
is accommodating a number, and others
OF the miners and witnesses are at
boarding houses about the town. The
people of Charles Town have been es-
pecially interested IN seeing that all
OF the persons who have come to the
community are comfortably provided
| for
The court proceedings began on Mon
| e..
that the defendants mean 10 contest
every inch of the way, and there was
sparring between the opposing counsel
at every stage. The ATTORNEYS for the
prosecution are John Chain, prosecut-
ing attorney of Logan county: c. l..
EStep, assistant prosecuting attorney OF
the same county; c. w. Osenton. of
Fayette county; A. NJ. Belcher, of
Charleston; and Forrest W. Brown.
Geo. NJ. Beltzhoover, IT,, and John
T. Porterfeld, Of Charles Town. Coun-
sci for the defense are H. w. Hous-
ton, PC. Townsend and Chas. j. Van
Fleet, of Charleston; p. Hager, Of
Madison; Samuel B. Montgomery, of
Kingwood; James M Mason, Jr., Of
Charles Town.
When court was called on Monday
there was considerable confusion, ow-
ing to the difficulty OF providing COM
fortably for all parties interested. First
of all, il was seen that there was no
room for the general public in the main
room, and those who had no business
connection with the cases we're rele-
gated to the gallery. Judge Woods oc-
cupied his usual seat, with 4 stenog-
rapher on either side; long table in-
mediately in front Of the judges bench
| was given over TO the sixteen newSpa-
paper reporters, representing the press
| associations and newspapers from New
| York, Washington, Baltimore, and
other important cities; next were the
attorneys to the number OF dozen or
more. The balance of the bar was oc-
cupied by other lawyers and persons
vtally interested. The indicted men
we're seated on the raised seats to the
left and right of the Judge. On one
side Of the court room, in the space
usually devoted to spectators, were
other accused miners, their witnesses
and friends, while on the other side
were the States witnesses and friends.
| Indicted men wore pink ribbons in the
lapels Of their coats and their witness
es blue ribbons. The space to the right
of the bar, facing the judge, was oc-
cupied by members OF the families OF
the miners and union officials, includ-
ing their wives and few children.
At the very outset Of the proceed
ings counsel for the accused men at
tackled the Indictment which charged
twenty-three miners and high ofticials
of the unions with treason, in "levying
war against the State OF West Virgin
ia" in connection with the march Of
armed men last fall when they invad-
ed the non union coal fields OF Logan
and Mingo counties. Counsel for the
defense took the ground that the indict-.
ment was faulty, in that 1t omitted
/ the word "feloniously." The attor-
neys for the State declared that trea-
son is a separate and distinct offense,
and that the word "traitorously," which
was used, was all that was necessary.
After considerable argument, Judge
Woods. took the matter under advise-
ment and court adjourned Tor the day.
| A brief session was held Tuesday
morning, but adjournment was made
until afternoon, as the judge was NOT
ready to pass on the demurrer 10 the
indictment. At 2 o'clock court recon-
vened. In an exhaustive statement
Judge Woods overruled the demurrer.
Following this there was legal sparring
over the order Of further proceedings.
Although the defense had lost on the
demurrer decision, il won a victory IN
securing an order that the prosecu-
ton file a bill OF particulars, showing
the specific overt act OF the defendant