Evening star., 1922-06-23
Officials Act on lnsistent De-
mands of Governor-Re-
suits Are Secuted.
QUIET NOW RESTORED;
TROOPS HELD UNNEEDED
Miners Openly Boast of Part in
Massacre-Fifteen Bodies Re-
ported Sunk in Lake.

The coal strike situation, and
particularly the mine disorders in
southern Illinois, wns understood
to have largely occupied the at-
tention of the cabinet at tOday's
meeting. Secretary Of Labor Davis
conferred with President Hard
ing for some time after the meet
Ing and 1T was indicated that the
Department of Labor would have
a statement to make soon with
regard to the mine disorders.
Declaration that those responsible
for the southern Illinois mine dis
orders should be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law was made
today by Secretary Of Labor Davis
Tn a statement issued after con-
sultatiOn with President Harding.
HERRIN, ILL.,, June 23.-Oficial in
vestigation of the mine war which re-
suited in the death of from twenty
seven to forty-five persons near here,
began today In response to insistent
demands from Gov. Len Small for ac-
tion by local authorities. Coroner
McCiown announced an inquest would
y,
torney DeIous L. Duty said that spe-
cial grand jury would be convened
following the inquest to investigate
the massacre.
The states attorney expressed doubt
that any definite results would be
obtained through the investigation,
saying that 1t was virtually impossible
to obtain evidence. He insisted. how
ever. that every possible step would
be taken and telegraphed Gov. Small
to that effect.
simultaneously Sheriff Melvin Thax-
ton at Marion, the county seat, sent
kilograms to Gov. Small in response
10 the governors demand for informa-
tion. saying that the situation was
we'll in hand and there was no danger
of future outbreaks.
Mr.. Duty, in a statement MADE 10
the Associated Press, said that Gov.
Small seemed to have jumped q little
too quickly" in his demands for i'm
mediate action.
Must Await Inquest.
IT have received insistent demands
from the governor asking why no ar
rests have been made and what steps
have been taken to apprehend the
guilty persons" said Mr.. Duty Gov.
Small does not seem to realize that
the first step must be the coroner's s
inouest. I cannot move officially until
that is over. l.
"As soon as the coroner finishes his
work. l will recommend to Judge d.
T Hartwell that he call special
grand jury to investigate the analr;
evidence, however, will be very hard
TO obtain The wounded rikebreak-
crs tell me they cannot identify any
of their assailants and that they do
not know their names. No one knows
anything about it so far as 1 can
learn"
"Did you question the wounded
miners" the reporter asked Mr.. Duty.
"Oh. yes" he replied.
Miners in Herrin streets openly
boasted that they participated in the
inliction of deaths by gunfire, hang
ing and dragging through the streets
in veritable Roman holiday
That the death list would be in
creased seemed to be the consensus
of opinion. Fifteen bodies were
weighted about the necks and cast
into a pond. miner told a corre-
spondent for the Associated Press,
and the area over which killings oc-
CURED was estimated at fifteen
square miles of hilly, timbered land.
The statement of Frank Earring
ton. president of the Illinois branch
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
ica. issued at Cincinnati, that his in
formation indicated that forty-four
men had been killed. was interpreted
as meaning that the entire number
of besieged strikebreakers had per-
ished. although of his own knowl-
edge the Associated Press corre-
spondent could account for but seven
more than a score of bodies. Mr..
harrington was expected to reach
Herrin tonight.
In the wounded list there were six
teen in the Herrin Hospital. three re-
ported in the Carbondale Hospital and
number of others. union striking
miners. believed to be lying in their
homes.
There was little question that the ex-
Rct number of dead never will be known.
No one seemed inclined to drag the pond
where bodies were reported thrown. and
no searching parties have been organ
jzed to seek bodies in the woods
Called Rightful Act.
Many persons in the county upheld
the slaughter as a rightful act of judg-
nent. Citizens gathering on street cor
ners last night and today laughed and
ioked over the affair and proudly boast
ed that some of these days people will
realize that it doesn't pay to try to
break strike in Williamson county.
In the morgue women and children.
es they passed through, commented on
the accuracy OF the shooters who
brought down these victims
Men who openly boast that they were
sn the attacking force related with ap-
parent pride the stories of what in war
times would be called brutality.
TIE mine safe was looted and one
man. with some $500 in bills. stood
with semicircle of men around him
and dealt out the bills like cards, ac-
cording to wounded men who were there
The correspondent saw men wounded
Rlr,,ost to death kicked around In the
scorching sun in dusty roads. He saw
anen chased through fields like rabbits
b. shouting persons, who opened fire.
Surrounded by armed men, he saw a
knife plunged into the throat of a
wounded man.
No Word of Sympathy.
He watched a man walk to the bed
side of a dying man and curse him
and jeer at him as he breathed his
last Through it all, although the
fight area was traversed dozen
times. there was not a word of SYM
pathy heard for a victim. The senti-
Snent seemed to be that strikebreak-
rrs deserved slaughter and that these
lad received it.
Few of the dead could be positively
identified. Most of them had been
Sihed of all effects. After lying piled
,G the morgues yesterday. they were
6nbalmed last night. Scores watche ed
tie processes all through the night