The Washington herald., 1922-06-26
JURY BLAMES
Mine OWNERS
FOR MASSACRE
Declares 19 Deaths Due
To Acts of Coal Com
pany Officials.
VICTIMS BURIED
IN POTTERS FIELD
Terrible Mutilations of
Slain Men Told by
Witnesses.


nineteen nonunion workers and
two union miners resultig from the
riots and massacre at a strip mine
near here last Wednesday and
Thursday wac laid upon the on
cials OF the Southern Illinois Goal
Company, mentioned specifically
by name In the verdict rendered by
eoroner's jury here today.
The portion Of the verdict on this
point reads: We, the Jury. md
from the deaths of the deceased
that the deaths were due 10 IN.
acts. direct and Indirect. OF the
officials Of the Southern Illinois
Coal Company. We recommend thA,
Investigations be conducted for the
purpose Of fixing the blame upon
the individuals responsible"
brands Mcdowell Murderer.
The jury declared that George
Henderson. union miner. met
death from gunshot wounds by the
hand Of c. X. Mcdowell" and
branded Hendersons death as
murder" Mcdowell was super
intendent OF the death mine" and
was killed in the bloody massacre
following the surrender Of the mine
workers The verdict was based on
the deposition of one of the
wounded nonunion men. who de-
clsred he saw Mcdowell shoot
Henderson.
In the case of Joe PftchayItch.
another union miner killed. the Jury
found that he met death from
gunshot wounds by the hands of
parties unknown.
The jury contained three union
miners. OF whom one was foreman.
The other three members Of the
jury were business men Of Will
hanson County.
Four Minister. NJ Burial.
Mangled bodies OF sixteen OF the
victims were buried today. The
bodies were placed in plain nine
boxes. each bearing an aluminium
tag. AT Rest" They were buried
in the Potters' Field and pine sIahS
were pushed down at the head of
each. with this inscription hastily
/ painted on: Died June %. lses"
-Four ministers representing m.
Methodist Presbyterian ana BAN
/ tistc hurches oficiated.
They sang a few hymns and Of
| fered prayers for Che dead. Only
a handful Of persons attended the
services. On the outskirts OF the
l little group at the graves were a
few women and girls.
Union Men Honored.
In striking contrast to these sim
pie services was the burial OF the
two union miners who had been
1 killed by mine guards. The pr,-
1 cession was led by hand and
J u-n -
I flowers and a showing Of union
strength in numbers who Joined in
the march to the church and thence
10 the cemetery.
Newspaper men who wftnes.e5
the work Of the mob and who bav.
reached points OF safety. are giy-
ing details OF the affair These
men say the population Of Heron
and vicinity is overwhelmIngly for
eign. chiefly Italians. Lithunians
and Polish. with a liberal sprink-
ling OF refugee negroes from the
Kentucky fields, and men OF var
ious nationslities from other states.
upon whose heads there is a price.
Dry Law Is Ignored.
The sheriff is a complacent per
son and all his. deputies are union
miners. No attention whatever iS
given to the prohibition law and
booze is plentiful. Much hard liquor
is consumed by the miners. The
state senator from the district is
! union miner.
witnes.e. of the Murder. Tell Of
Terrible Deeds.
After men were dead their bod
les were kicked about until the neck
was dislocated and they were other
] ] ~ssa 4
cannot be told. Especial attention
was given Superintendent Mellow
ell. who was a cripple with a wood
en- leg. One of the rioters had split
open his head with a pick as he
was staggering along the road. try
Ing to obey orders TO walk faster
to the place OF execution. He was
holding his Gaping forehead to
staunch the flow of blood which was
binding him One OF his torment
ors walked UP and struck him a
terrible blow under the ear with the
butt of a heavy pistol and ordered
h.:n to -alx .--s-=
Il know what is at the end OF
this journey" said Mcdowell. I
am making the best time ! can"
well, we will end Il for you
right now" said his guard. as he
stepped back a pace or two and
emptied his automatic pistol into
McDowelrs abdomen. Later a group
OF miners passing that way found
Mcdowell lying on his side as he
had fallen. They turned him over
on his back with their boots. and
Lone Of them took a cigar from Nc
Dowell's vest pocket and Jsmmed it
into the open mouth OF the dead
man.
The Williamson County Miner. Of
fcial organ OF the Miners Union. IN
its description OF the slaughter. lays
all the blame upon the murdered
men. but tells how the miners In
vaded the camp and insisted upon
counting the plates and exam ming
every nook and corner Of the place
for hidden machine guns They
also ordered the searchlights dis
continued. but when this order was
not obeyed they cut the wires and
threw the place in darkness pre-
paratory TO the massacre. In its
concluding paragraph the miners
paper says:
THE faces OF the 'scabs' present.
ConffnUed on Paof Mac