The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-11-02
All About the ''Red
Men, Act, Figuring
In Trials Of Miners

The Red Men act. under which
many indictments have been returned
In recent years by grand jurics in the
courts % West Virginia. IS a measure
enacted during reconstruction days. I'M
mcdiatcly following the Civtl War. ana
was intended primarily 70 suppress Sc
crct organizations OF maraudeTs ana
rioters opera ting under the names OF
Rcd Men" Regulators" vigilance
Committees and other monickers,
which carried on a reign Of terror and
pilfering. murder and property destruc-
con. during the troublesome times the
last half Of tho sos.
Contrary 10 the prevailing opinion.
the act has no connection with the
term Red Neck having been enacted
hy the Legislature more than hall CEN
fury before the latter term originator
Tho expression OF Red Neck" had ia
origin In the armed march OF union
miners on the nonunion coal fe!ds OF
Logan and MnEO counties in Angus
and September If 1871, through the
wearing Of red handkerchief around
The neck by members OF the union army
as an identification mark. Il was a2-
pl!cd as A sort Of nickna ne by one mem
Der Of A company Of the invaders ,"
tho other in much the same manner AS
'Yanh" and "UouGhboy" were Used with
In tho ranks o: Lmer!ca's lighting forces
In the word war. and its use is not gen
orally resented by those who rlarchei
on the non union coal teids in the south
ern part OF the. state bent on organ'2-
Ing the non-ua!on counties by force -
arm sand rclca sing martial law pris-
oners from the MinrO Jail.
Not Bolsbevists
Neither term has any particular ref
erence 10 radicals or bolshev!sts' IRE
quently referred to as Reds.
The Red Men act is covered by sec
ton nine and ten Of Chapter 1873. Of
lenses against the PEACE, West Virginia
Code OF Laws OF 1918. and IS headed:
Conspiracy 10 innict injury 10 person
or property." Besides hundreds OF m
ictments returned by grand juries or
Logan. Kanawha and Boon" counties
against participants In the armeI
march under this act. on ~h!ch
change OF venue IN 100 or more cases
was obtained by defendants from these
counties to Jefferson county for tTia!'
there have been a numo Der o. CONVICTIONS
under the act recently!
The most recent conviction was o.
tanned by the state IN PocaAontas coun-
- where George Barrett, an !nterna-
Workers. was convicted FOR participate
Ing IT. acts in connection with tha
dvaAm!t!ng O. Wills Branch, on tbs
Rale!gh-Fayette county line, where
coal town was literally shot OF the map
IN 1920 when owners Of the mine re-
fused % operate 1t on strictly union
basis.
What the Act Provides
The So-cal!ed Red Men act provides
that ~ two or more persons combine
or coaso!re together for the purpose o:
INJECTING any punishment or bodily m
Jury upon any other person or persons.
o. for the purpose OF destroying. ia1ur-
Ing. taking OF carrying away any pro-
Terty. real or personal. not their own.
snd IN pursuance OF that conspiracy
or combination" carry out their project
'Sshal DC guilty O! a felony and con-
fined TO the Pen!tenttary not less than
two nor more than ten years" 1t IurtA-
er rrov!des that all persons who shall
be present. aiding and ahett!ng al tho
commission o! any oHeHse' mentioned
n the &C, shall be deemed cons7ira-
tors within the meaning .. the act"
In q succeeding section ~ The act'
The state Is authorized to grant I'M
run!ty from prosecution 70 any wit
nesses who turn states evidence IN the
prosecution OF persons under the ac'.
V-h!!e stating specifically that no PEI
son called as witness shall ne eN-
cu.ed from answering any question
which shall Re asked him as such Wit
ress.' the Ian adds that no such VII