Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-23
HUNDREDS OF UNION
MEN FACE TRIALS
IN WEST VIRGINIA

Continued from First Page)
which witnessed the trial and con-
viction Of John Brown, abo!itionist.
who 'ired the first gun of the civil
war"
The trials are expected to reveal
many heretofore unknown facts con-
corning the armed march" OF last
year.
Since the beginning Of Industrial
strife in West Virginia, with the
Cabin Creek and Paint Creek dis
turbances of 1918. the eyes of the
country have been turned upon this
The wiser ones shook their heads
when, last summer, wires east OF
Charleston were cut and 1t was
learned that some 800 armed miners
had assembled on Cabin Creek with
the avowed intention of marching TO
the aid of the miners in Mingo fields.
However, officials checked the march.
Then came developments thick and
fast David Robb, international
agent for the United Mine Workers.
and number of others were arrested
by military authorities and expelled
from the state by the supreme court.
Sid Hatfield. notorious gunman, who
figured in the Matewan battle, and
Ed Chambers of constable fame, both
friends of the Mingo miners. were
shot to death on the steps CT the
Mcdowell courthouse.
Fighting on Thirty-Mile Front.
In the early hours of a Sunday
morning in August along the Boone
Logan border there was a battle in
which two were killed. Monday
afternoon a new army was on the
scene.
The fighting began on a thirty
mile front. Thousands of volunteer
defenders, largely non-union miners.
rushed to the aid of Logan, and the
hills re-echoed with the spat of rifles.
the tattoos of machine guns, the
whirr of aeroplane propellers On gov
eminent machines, and the occasional
bursting of bombs.
The fghting lasted several days
before the arrival Of federal troops
sational casualty OF the war was the
wreck Of a government bombing
plane in the wilds Of Nicholas county
in which four officers lost their lives
The plane was found only after three
days of searching of territory
twenty miles square.
And as an aftermath came hun
Ind Srtp Rome nd
Logan county grand juries. All de-
PENDANTS obtained a change of venue
to jefferson county, in the eastern
panhandle. far removed from indus
trial strife and peacefully engaged
in agricultural pursuits. And now
tlefield. the strength of the respec-
tive parties will be tested in courts.
Hardly realizing the enormity of the
charges preferred against Keeney and
his hosts. the native people here are
backward about entering into any
definite discussion of the case.
Names ON Jury Panel Secret.
The names of the panel of thirty
four men are stillsa big secret. guard
ed carefully by Sheriff McCaughtry
and his aides. knowing that this
number will be drawn from the towns
(, A. 900 population. every eligible male
IS wondering IL IL is possible that he
has been selected Then, too. there
are many women who wish to know
more of the case.
Practically every available room in
every house adjacent to the court
house has been taken by those who
must be in daily attendance at the
trials. The two hotels were practi-
caIIy leased by the two sides inter-
ested, the Jefferson by the operators
and the Palm by the miners and the
union officials. The response of resi-
dents to the call for more accomm oda-
ton was all that could be desired.
This enabled the clerks to book rooms
in many private homes. where wit
nesses, late to arrive, arc now quar-
tered.
,uresoue view. The women. used to
such life. seem to go about their
household duties. as though they
we're living in "Flahertys Flats" on
New York's East Side. unmindful az
the throngs who watch them, seek
ing to get the atmosphere from West
Virginia's rebels. ;.
which case 1t will try first, taking
advantage Of Its legal privilege in
this matter, and thus forcing the de-
Tense into the position of having to
prepare immediate defenses for all
Of the cases This means answering
fifteen different indictments, in some
of which los defendants are named.
Asherin Ready for Trials.
Anticipating large crowd of spec
tators anxious to witness the titanic
legal battle of unionism, the sheriff
has made all arrangements for their
reception, but indicated today that
he would not stand for any crowd
ing or unseemly conduct in the court
room.
Alleged defiance. of the law and
constituted authority of the state will
be stressed throughout the trial of
the treason cases, counsel for the
state asserted.
The murder charges grow out of
the killing Of John G. Gore. deputy
Shsrriff, and several other. officers.
Velasco Carpenter heads the list of
those held on this charge. while Messrs;
Keeney, Mooney. Blizzard. Petry and
other high, uhiop officials are under
Indictment for alleged Indictment of
the movement that resulted fatally
for guardians OF Jaw and order.