Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
SEVEN ACCUSED
Of |NC|T|NG RIOT
Five Union Miners and Two
Woman Lawyers Cited.
Sheriff Faces Custer.

ry the Associated Press.
COLUMBUS, Ohio. August I3.--Five
union miners and two OF their women
attorneys stand charged in a Belmont
County Justice Court of melting a riot
and assaulting, with intent TO kill. as
a result Of massed attack on non.
union miners who tried to reach the
Provident mine near ST, Clairsville
Friday.
The seven entered pleas OF not
guilty when arraicned. and Vsrc AS
signed hearings next Friday. Mean
while they were released on $1,000
bond each. Col. l.. s. Connolly,
cleveland. I45th Infantry, Ohio Ma
t:onal Guard Observing the situation
in Belmont County, announced toul ~
that four more arrests are expected.
Sheriff L. Accused.
An aftermath OF theSattack. in which
500 men and women are alleged to
lave broken through gordon of mine
guards. was the announcement of
Prosecutor Paul V. Waddell that he
plans to bring custer proceedings
against Sheriff {. Z. Hardesty.
Waddell said he has procured i've
affidavits charging that Hardesty was
drunk" last night following the dis
turbs nee. and was therefore inCapaCi-
tated for duty. The prosecutor and
sheriff have been in disagreement over
the mine situation in the county for
some time.
The incidents cl.maNcd Quiet
week IN the mine regions which have
heen internationally agitated during
the last few weeks through con-
1inuarca Of tho wage dispute be
tween union miners and coal oper-
ators. 1t came. however. directly
on the heels of an announcement III
Cleveland by s NJ. Robbins. chair
man OF the Ohio Coal Operators AS
ISOLATION. that operators are deter
III ned" 10 open their mines by en-
blowing. such labor as they may be
able TO secure" regardless OF the
union miners strike.
This announcement. also contained
IN \ letter from Robbins to Gov.
Donahay, was looked upon rs an III.
timatum TO the miners. 1t followed
collapse OF the governors plan to get
central competitive field miners and
operators in wage scale conference
1T Toledo. The conference failed
through the operators claim that the
interstate competitive field no longer
exists.
THE Ohio coal operators have been
compelled to come TO the conclusion
that the only way out for them Is 70
resume operations in their mines
Robbins said in his letter, declining
to participate in the proposed con-
ference. Their right to do this and
20 employ such labor as they may be
cb.e to secure cannot be denied.
Union Held Responsible.
Apparently carrying out this policy.
operators of the Webb, Florence and
Provident mines in Belmont County
sent automobile loads of non-union
miners to the mines yesterday. inc
automobiles returned from the Nebo
and Florence mines without suffering
violence, but mob OF 800 men and
women set upon the machine return
ing from the Provident mine and c. '.
Nichols, Wheeling, ". Va, taxi
driver, was injured.
First steps toward rounding up
those charged with the attack were
taken by Col. Connolly, who reported
to Adjt. Gen. Henderson that Sherl1
Hardesty was not present when the
assault occurred inasmuch as he had
lot been notified Of the operators IN
tention of sending men to the mines.
Col. Connolly announced that ne
would hold the union officials respon-
Bible and later Prosecutor Waddell
brought formal charges against the
men and women.
While the officials were rounding
up the suspected leaders in the as
Eault, Monroe Mecklin, superintendent
of the Provident mine. operated by
the Clarkson Mine Co, announced
that his company is determined to
ppen the mine and that it would con-
tinue TO recruit non-un!on men to
rarry on the work.