San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-21
WORKING MAN
WONAV|CTORY
IN HERR|N CASE
Verdict Of Jury in Mine Mas
sacre Trials a Triumph
for Laborers.
COUNTY IS "BR0KE"
No Money to Pay Jurors or
to Prosecute Further
Law Violations.
COUNTY IS "BROKE"
BY THOMAS e. CRAIG.

Copyright. 1898, by The san Antonio idsnt'
Herrin. ILL.,, Jan. c0.-"The verdict
was a victory for the working man."
This statement by the chief attorney
for the defendant miners in the Herrin
) ..xnassacre trial. expressed perhaps the
majority sentiment OF the residents Of
"bloody Williamson county" over the
acquittal of the first five men accused
of last summers sordid murders.
The miners all over the country to-
day are openly rejoicing in the verdict.
Business men of Marion and Herrin
take the result philosophically yet with
many shakings of head.
The general opinion is that further
prosecutions of the other accused min
ers would be but time and money vast
ed. The next cases have been set, but
there is likely to be long postpone
ment and eventual abandonment OF
them.
County in a Bad Way.
Williamson county, meantime is in
bad way. 1t is deeply in debt. 1t
has no money to pay the jurors or the
other expenses of the trial just closed.
1t is facing a suit filed by the Southern
Illinois Coal Company, owners OF the
strip mines where the massacre oc-
Cured. for damages aggregating almost
S250,00O There also is another dam
age suit growing out of the massacre,
one for S4,000,000 filed at Fast st.
Louis against the United Mine Workers
of America.
There will be no money at all in the
Williamson county treasury until the
taxes begin to come in this spring. In
addition to attorneys fees. the jury in
the recent trials cost S36 day for
over two months, together with board
bills and mileage, bringing the aggre-
Juror. Deputy sheriffs and bailiffs also
must be paid. But for the time being
they must wait.
Williamson county has a population
OF about 10000 most of whom are min
ers. These miners control the county
politically as well as morally. Even
before the case Of the men just ac-
quilted was given to the jury wagers
were offered at 10 to /. with no takers
that there would be no convictions.
Real Fight Was Made.
Yet IL is apparent that some OF the
Jurors held out a long time for convie-
tions. The fact that approximately
score of ballots were necessary before
the verdict Of mot guilty" was rendered
in court shows that a real fight was
made in the jury room. The jury had
been held together for more than two
months. The men had grown weary.
At least one, George Cox. was seriously
i'll and the services of physician Were
required after the case had been placed
in their hands.
While il had been common talk for
weeks that the defendants would be ac'
quilted, most observers felt that the
best the defendants could hope for in
view of the evidence was hung jury.
As a consequence the verdict was re-
ceiyed with gasp of surprise. II is
felt by many here today that William
son county still is under a very dark
cloud and that nothing can now be done
to avenge the victims of the striking
miners fury. Efforts have been made
by those in favor of the defense to make
IL appear that the massacre was the re-
suit of 5000 citizens against imported
gunner" Evidently that is the view
the country must accent in the light Of
the acduittal Of the first five men TO
face a jury.
More Delay IN Sight.
The prosecution made its strongest
case against the men freed by the jury
late yesterday afternoon. OF course
there Is the possibility that different
Jury might see the evidence In n diff
ferent light, but the prosecutors are
not sanguine on that point. They re-
member the difficulty they had in get
ting a Jury Mt all and realize that the
prospect OF future convictions Is indeed
SLIGHT.
Under the Illinois law the cases I'M
der other indictments returned by the
special grand jury must begin in court
before February :. Judge Hartwell
has stated that this will be done and
the cases probably then continued to an
other term Of the court. by which time
IL Williamson county does not have n
little change in the treasury.