Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-03-06
CONVICTED OF
KILLING UNION MINER
GIVEN ANOTHER TRIAL

BY International Labor News Service
INDIANAPOLIS Ind, March 81
The action Of the State court of ap-
peals Of Alabama in reversing the
decision of the lower court in the
case of the Commonwealth against
Robert Lancaster for the murder of
William Baird on January IL, 1921,
recalls the history Of that tragic kill
ing and indicates there is slight
chance of Lancaster or any one else
serving time for murder.
The killing was one of the many
murderous incidents connected with
the strike of coal miners in the State
in 1920-21.
A union coal miner named North
colt, who was also a preacher and a
kindly disposed man, incurred the dis
pleasure of the State militia used by
the non-union coal operators in help
ing to break the strike, and who had
full control of the situation in the
strike zone. A squad of soldiers
went to the Northcott home at Jas
per, Ala, to arrest him on some
trumped-up charges. Northcott was
found in the woodshed of his home
working.
Two Killed in Shooting
William Baird, a union coal miner
and son-in-law of Northcott, arrived
home while the soldiers were brow
beating his father-in-law. Baird pro-
tested the treatment to the elderly
man, whereupon soldier by the name
of Morris whipped out revolver and
shot Nprthcott to death and then
wheeled in an attempt to kill Baird.
Baird, however, was quicker on the
draw and got his gun in action and
killed Morris. Although he had COM
mand of the situation, he submitted
to arrest by the other soldiers on the
ground that he had acted in self
defense. Baird was taken to the
county Jail at Jasper,
Some time later in the night a
squad of nine soldiers said to be in
command of Sergeant Robert Lam
caster visited the Jail ostensibly to
get some information from Baird.
Entering the small cell room, the. sol
diers overpowered the jailer and, OBJ
tanning the cell keys, dragged Baird
out. A mask was thrown over his
face and he was hustled to a waiting
automobile and carried several miles
into the country and into an edge of
woods. Here he was thrown from
the car and without mercy and. with
ont yar0yOoak;o,. kho v,.slsko,xx acme 4
literally shot Baird to pieces and left
his riddled body lying in the road
way where it was subsequently found
and taken to the morgue at Jasper.
Investigation Forced
Through the efforts of the United
Mine Workers an investigation of the
lynching was forced and a county
grand jury brought in indictments
against the nine soldiers for partici-
patton in the murder. Robert Lam
caster, the sergeant, from Tuscaloo-
sa, Ala, and in charge of the squad,
was among the indicted and the first
to be tried.
There were two mistrials of the
case, but on the third trial Lancaster
was found guilty of murder and SEN
fenced to the penitentiary for 18
years. He appealed the case and
pending the appeal had been confined
in the county jail. The higher court
few days ago reversed the decision
of the lower court and ordered that
Lancaster be given another hearing
This fourth hearing is about to be
called, and it is the opinion of many
miners that Lancaster will never serve
his time and that there will be no
other convictions.
Many Murders During Strike
The lynching of Baird and the
shooting of old man Northcott were
the most brutal of the many murders
committed in that section during the
coal strike. Northcott was a man of
local reputation as a preacher and a
quiet, peaceable citizen. His only
Offense was that he belonged to the
union and he was hated accordingly.
His staying was without the slightest
provocation as he had not even vio-
lated the law.
The killing of Baird, who had at
tempted to defend his father-in-law
and himself, was equally brutal.
Baird was a peaceable citizen and
had never been in trouble until he
protested against the brutalities of
the State militiamen.
The outcome of the fourth trial of
one of his alleged murderers is be-