New Britain herald., 1922-06-23

Herrin. H., June 23.-(By Assocf- ated Press. )-Herrin today remained quiet after the wild disorders in which at least 27 men were killed and an unknown number wounded when 5000 union miners and sympathizers attacked approximately half a hum dred imported steam shovel men and laborers working in the Lester strip of the Southern Illinois Coal Co.
 Say Troops Aren't Needed. County offidals4 maintained that strce no one temAlhed to york in the | strip pit that of itself was a guar antee against further outbreaks and i asserted that one thousand members of the Illinois National Guard ordered to demobilize in Chicago for possible duty here were unnecessary.
 An inquest into the carnage was set for today. The slaughter was wrought by the miners and supporters when drunk with moonshine whiskey and angered at the efforts of the strip pit workers who had been termed in a telegram from the mine workers in- ternational chief common strike- breakers they bore down at dawn on the huddled group.
 No Arrests or Inquiries.
 Until late last night no official step to investigate the affair had been talk en, no grand jury had been summon ed and no arrest had been made.
 Miners in Herrin streets openly boasted that they participated in tho infliction of deaths by gunfire, hang ipD pI ctr in veritabe Roman holiday, but there was no action against them.
 15 Victims Drowned.
 That the death list would be ir- creased today seemed to be assured.
 Fifteen bodies were weighted about the necks and cast into a pond. a miner told the correspondent for the Associated Press, and the area where killing occurred was estimated at IS square miles of hilly, timbered land.
 The statement of Frank Earring ton, president of the Illinois branch of the United Mine Workers of America, issued at Cincinnati, that his informa- ton indicated A men had been killed was taken to mean that the entire of besieged strikebreakers had perished.
 The correspondent could account for but 27 bodies. Mir. Harrington was expected to reach Herrin to- night.
 The dead at first were reported &C., counted for in a pitched battle be- tween the strikers and sympathizers and the imported pit shippers when the local men attacked the barricaded at dawn.
 Cruelty Massacred.
 Later. however, open statements from scores of persons on the streets here were that the workingmen sur- rendered at the first onslaught and. liter having been tied into groups of hree and six, were cruelty massacred, hey were ordered to run gauntlet of rife fire. only to be shot to death 1t distances of a few feet when, wounded, one or two of group fell md dragged others to the ground.
 Dragged Back of Auto.
 They were stabbed and hacked to leath with knives. beaten with clubs, md at least three of them hanged, while six men were said to have been ragged over a rough rocky road be- lind an automobile.
 The women, some carrying infants, lrged the men on, and in at least one instance the Associated Press cores oondent observed almost unbelievable 'ruelty by woman. He came lcross a group lying in the road. one # the men badly mauled and his houlder shot away Begging for water and evidently near death. the yorker was only peered at by the men nd women about The correspondent lashed into a house and obtained water. but was restrained by men vho pointed pistols. A moment later woman carrying a baby spurned the wing man with her foot and told him he would "see him in hell" before e could drink
 Death List Incomplete.
 In the wounded list there were IS q the Herrin hospital. three reported
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