Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-02-24
TREASON
CHARGED
TO MINERS
200 Workers Go On
Trial for March to
Logan County; Scene
of John Browns Trial
By Robert Starr Thornburgh

By Robert Starr Thornburgh
Charlestown. W. Va, Feb. "a.
Sixty three years ago John
Brown, abolitionist, was hanged
to a sour apple tree in the court
house yard OF Charlestown for
treason against the United States
government.
In April, 1922. two hundred
men charged with treason against
the government of West Virginia
and other offenses, will be put on
trial here as the result OF the
armed march of miners last Au-
gust.
The trial of John Brown was
one of the Fifteen famous trials
OF American history" That of the
United Mine Workers officials
and their followers will probably
be one of the most remarkable in
dustrial hearings OF modern his
tory.
Comparing the two cases there
is queer similarity. Brown,
northerner, with Theodore Park
er and other famous abolitionists,
hatehed a scheme TO establish a
free negro colony in the Virginia
mountains, where slave liberating
forays could be made into the
surrounding country.
October 6, 1859, with nineteen
comrades, John Brown captured
a United States arsenal. Two days
later he was wounded and taken
prisoner by federal forces COM
manded by Robert f. Lee.
Brown was convicted of treas
on in the historic Charlestown
court house and hanged December
2. 1859. His body was taken to an
old farm house near North Elba,
jefferson county, where to this
day his grave is marked by huge
rock.
Affair Created Sensation
The affair created sensation
throughout the north, and while
sympathy was not with Brown
for his treason against the gov
ernment II gave rise TO a famous
war song which goes:
'John Browns body lies a-mould-
ering In the grave,
But his soul goes marching on"
Trial OF the union miners was
transferred from Logan to Jeffer-
son county on plea OF the miners
that they could not get fair and
impartial trial In Logan for the
reason that most OF the eligible
Jurors had taken up arms against
the miners army.
The 1921 march was organized
at Marmet, w Va, in August OF
last year. Before the authorities
realized what had happened n big
army started march toward Lo-
gan. with the avowed intention of
unionizing the coal fields there,
On federal Intervention the
miners halted near Madison,
Boone county, where they were
urged TO disband by Frank Kee-
ney, president OF district II, Unit
ed Mine Workers OF America.
5000 Storm Logan County
A day later second march was
organized, and an army of more
than 5000 stormed the Logan bor-
ders. Logan residents and vol
unteers" from many other coun-
ties OF southern West Virginia
took up arms in an effort to halt
the march to the Upper Guyan
coal fields.
The big mine army was held in
check until the arrival OF United
States troops, when it was dis
banded. Grand juries In Kauawha
Boone and Logan counties brought
indictments against various mem
hers OF the United Mine Workers
organization and participants in
the march.
Charges upon which the miners
We're indicted range from pistol
toting to conspiracy, insurrection.
murder and treason,
Charlestown lies about ten
miles from Harper's Ferry. where
the Brown raids were organized.
II is much visited summer re-
sort, lying on the Shenandoah
river, The population is about
soo0 persons, The northern dis
triet federal court is held there.
To be editor Of the wireless
news which will be published by
the Daily Emerald at the Univer-