The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-21
UNION.LEADER'S
.NANE:NEN7IONED
IN H.E|"R.RIN trial |.
Witnesses Not Positive Of
Identification on Cross.
Examination.

MARION, nj, Dec. 21.-(By the
Associated Press.)-The name Of
Hugh Willis, member Of the Illinois
Mine Workers executive board,
was brought into the testimony to-
day In the trial Of five men charged
with murder In connection with the
Herrin riots by two state witnesses.
Under cross.examinatioh, however,
both witnesses said they would not
be positive. in their Identification.
/. A. w. Steel, foreman Of the cleo
trio power house, near the barb
wire fence where fourteen bodies
were found after the non.union
miners had been marched from the
Lester strip mine the morning of
June %, was the first witness at
the morning session. He said he
observed crowd near the power
house between 6:4O and a a. M,
and then saw two men, one OF
whom he believed was Hugh VIII
lis, drive up in an automobile.
The witness said the crowd aft
Ter waiting about twenty minutes
went to the edge1of the woods and
he heard several hundred shots.
Later. he added, he went to the
woods and found the bodies.
He said he could not recognize
any one In the crowd and had not
seen any Of them since.
Ward TroYillon, the. next witness,
said he was "a rural mail carrier and
had known Clark for a year. He
testified that after the riots ne saw.
Otis Clark, one Of the defendants,
showing a bulletin and said: This
is the lead Oft cartridge we used
out here to kill Mac
G, T. shatfner. "a Herrini hard.
ware clerk, testified three or four
men came into his store the morn.
Ing Of June 1, and asked me TO.
give them some guns and ammunt-
ton" and said The local Is, good
for them" The witness said he re-.
fused to give the guns without an,
order.
Then, about q dozen came in,
the witness said, and he told
them: s95( (esi,
Hold on, boys, Willis was Just
In here and he told me not TO give
you any gtrs without an order:s'
"Did Willis tell you that ~ -
"No, hut I wanted time To- hide.
the guns. Ssg :
did some one call you on the
telephone later? 4
Yes, a man whose voice /
thought / recognized as that Of
Hugh Willis said, Charlie, some
Of the boys want some guns to-
shoot birds with. You may make
a duplicate Of tie order and bring
the bill tome" ~. IVA
Then he testified men came In
and got twelve shot guns, six re-
volyeEs and more than 800 rounds
Of ammunition. Shaffner said he
had been a resident OF Herrin
eighteen years and had known
Willis for about twelve years.
George Drew, a farmer, testified
that about 10 O'Clock on the morn
ing of June 81 he heard shots,
went down the road and found a
bullet rlddled truck, the driver OF
which was shot in the shoulder,
and two other wounded men, ali
OF whom he sent to the hospital.
He said that an automobile &C.
companying the truck turned back
toward Carbondele after. the
shooting. A previous witness had
testified that guards and nonunion
workers had been brought from
Carbonate to the Lester mine in
a truck.
Melvin Thaxton testified he Wis.,
tied the scene where the truck
had been fired upon. Later, he
said, he met Maurice Delaney,
known as captain of the guard, at
the mine, in Carbondale and Sid
ney Morrison, guard, who was
shot through the spine. He said
he had inspected the truck but
had found no guns.