Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-05-02

Va, Crayton McCarty, president; M.
A. Mabre Thomas, treasurer.
Local Union No. 2018, HARDWOOD
W. Va, president, Ed. Reynolds.
Local Union 1887, Blair, w. Va.
president, A. C. Morson; treasurer
George Savinus.
Local Union No. 1867, Burnwell
W. Va, president, j. H. Miller
treasurer, Martin Oller.
Local Union No. 262, Spruce Val
ley, president, K. D. Pratt.
Local Union No. 1478, Blair, W.
Va, president, Jim Morson.
West Branch Local Union No.
1918.
Local Union No. 1884, president,
Oscar Farthing; treasurer, Greve
Holt.
Highcoal Local Union No. 2542,
president, Wilson Cole; treasurer,
A. J. Watts.
Local Union No.. 3046, Sovereign,
W. Va.
Ohley Local Union, Ohley, w. Va.
The opening address to the jury
for the State was made by Attorney
A. M. Belcher on Thursday after
noon, and was an eloquent and able
portrayal of the alleged facts in
connection with the charge of
treason against William Blizzard
from the standpoint of the prosecu-
ton.
Mr.. BeIcher indicated what the
State would attempt to prove in its
case against Blizzard. His survey
of the evidence included reference
to the existence of martial law in
Mingo county, charge that Blizzard
and his associates had for more than
year prior to the establishment of
martial law waged campaign, finan-
ced by his organization, in the
Mingo field, that Frank Keeney, Fred
Mooney, Blizzard and others had
protested martial law in Mingo and
that threats had been made that the
union workers would fill the jails in
Mingo county. About August first,
1921, Attorney Belcher charged,
Keeney and associates issued cir
cular in Charleston which called for
action rather than further protests
which was followed by visits to the
mine locals in the field urging ac-
ton, and this in turn was followed
by the assemblage of armed miners
at Marmet and Lens Greek from
which the march is alleged to have
started. Miners who were not in
clined to join the ranks of the army
were coerced and, in two instances
which were cited, were actually
killed, Mr. Belcher said.
The miners were deaf to appeals
to turn back, according to the state
ment. Appeals from the governor,
from Mother" Jones and from the
President were Intellectual. The mill
tary forces of the state were unable
to cope with the situation, accord
ing to Attorney Belcher, and the
federal government was asked to
send help which came first in the
form of Major-General Bandholtz,
who urged the leaders to turn their
army back. According to the state
Keeney and Mooney went with the
federal representative to Racine or
Danville, Boone county, and asked
the miners to go home, but the State
sal dit holds that the act was only
turn back. Instead it continued to
march forward, commandered train
on the C. and O., and within a few
days the army was in Logan in
armed conflict with state forces.
Even after the Presidents proclama-
ton, it was alleged, Blizzard and his
associates continued to supply the
army with arms and ammunition,
and the march was finally stopped
only when federal forces were NOV
ed into the field.
Attorney Belcher recounted INCL
dents of the alleged conflict between
the forces and particularly regard
ing the killing of Deputy John Gore,
who, he said, was killed without hav-
ing fired a shot.
The State, Attorney Belcher said,
believes these men levied war against
West Virginia,-tha their acts were
more than an unlawful assemblage
and that their real purpose was to
destroy the sovereignty of the state.
Prosecuting Attorney John T..
Porterfield, of Jefferson county by
permission of the Court explained to
the jury the change of venue proce-
dure by which the cases were trans
ferred from Logan to Jefferson coun-
ty and as result of which prosecut-
ing attorney of Logan became the
prosecutor in Jefferson Just as
though he had been elected by the
Jefferson county electorate.