Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-09-05

the courthouse, and incidentally in
tended to kill Don Chafin and clean
mp on his deputies. On cross exam.
nation he said the men to whom
these checks were Issued told him
they intended to buy guns and am
munition with the money.
Mrs. d. L. Reed. testified to prae-
tically the same thing as her hus-
band as to the visit of the armed
men to their house. She added that
later she was compelled to surren.
der gun to one of the armed
miners.
Walter Hancock, of Dry Branch,
testified that his local gave $3.50 to
the march.
D. w. Ester, OF Boomer, Fayetto
county, testified he ~was in the
march and first learned OF it from
an Italian who made a speech to the
miners at Boomer and who told
them that the purpose was 10 kill
the Logan deputies, overthrow mar
tial law in Mingo and release the
prisoners there. They went 10 Lens
Creek from Boomer, most Of the
party being armed. He visited the
Office OF Sub-District No l where a
friend was given orders to draw on
his local treasurer for funds for the
march, and this advice was followed
when a sun OF approximately $50
was secure which was used, he
said, for train fares and supplies.
General talk among the marchers,
he said, WIS to get Don Chafin, In
wade Logan and Mingo counties and
in the latter county overthrow mar
tial law and release the prisoners.
EStep WIS sent back from Lens
Creek to get the men from Boomer
who did not join the march at first
and he said he was instructed to
tell the men that they would he
compelled to join il necessary. Most
all the men thereupon Joined from
Boomer, he said, and they returned
to the march but were turned back
at Indian Creek when they heard
that President Keeney had ordered
the march called off. Estep testified
that he went a second time from
Boomer, going to Jeffrey, where he
was given a gun which, it was told
him, lad been sent by Ed Reynolds.
ThoY "1t on to Jeffrey in trucks
and from t2ere on into the battle
front Reynolds was in charge of
the fighting on the sector where
Estep was located
On cross examination Estep de-
MED being on a flat car train on
August 25th which moved from Ra.
cine down to Strowl and also denied
,,,1 -l,b frr In
with Reynolds on August 26th, ex-
planning that he joined Reynolds
crowd at Jeffrey on the both or 31st.
He admitted that he joined the
march the second time after he had
heard reports of shooting by Logan
deputies in some Of the mining
camps and that the shooting was
the main cause for his second ven
ture.
o. w. Martin, of Boomer, a taxi
cab driver and special officer, was
present at meeting in Boomer ad-
dressed by Dave Ware, cOlOred, who
told the men that Mother" Jones
speech at Marmet was a fake and
that they should disregard her nd
vice. Immediately after this he said
miners began to move in the direc-
ton OF Marmet. He heard the men
say they were going to organize Lo.
gan, kill Sheriff Chafin and his dep
mites, go to MingO, overthrow mar
tial law and release the prisoners
there.
Bruce Toney, of Boncar, Fayette
county, was at the meeting at
Boomer when Dave Ware spoke. He
was not very close 20 the gathering
but he recalled having heard Ware
describe the march, its purposes and
declared all those who did not rs.
sist were yellow and he recalled |
that collection was taken at the !
meeting for arms. ammunition and,l
supplies. AT the same meeting he
said two men volunteered TO join !
the force Immediately and shortly |
after the meeting the arming of |
men and their departure for Lens
men to Racine and made two trips |
to Marmet but he said he went I'M
der compulsion.
Cleve Holt, of Monclo, Logan
county, said that his local gave I
about $1,000 in cash and he took up
a collection Of between $500 and |
$500. The amount contributed by |
the local was used for guns and !
and he paid it by check
as treasurer of the local. The col.
lection was taken after the begin
ming of the assembly at Marmet. !
The collection which he raised him !
self was made up mostly Of script |
which he gave to the store manager !
in payment of certain bills author
lied by the local members. He re-
called that c. H. Kiser was sent by /
the local as a delegate to Marmet !
and came back and told of the /
gathering on Lens Creek after
which the local gave the money.
Holt also recalled the clash be-
tween state police ana union armed |
miners at Sharples on the night Of |
August 81. He said that during
the night, early, man excitedly re-
ported that 500 deputies were com
ing down toward the camp. Holt