The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-09-17
2 NEGROES DIE
IN Mine RIOTS
Sequel to Clash Between
Workers and Deputies in
Alabama Sunday

BIRMINGHAM Ala, Sept. IL
OUP)-Bloody rioting that broke
out when a cavalcade of 1000
union miners tried to uniomzef
25O employees of the Porter Coal
mine near here late Sunday took
a toll of two lives and more than
score wounded.
The dead were negro members
of the group of union men from
nearby mining communities that
marched on the homes of work
.ers at the village of Porter.
Sheriff James Hawkins and 10
deputies were on the scene when
the group of union men estimated
at 1000 arrived at Porter. Ihey
had been told they would not be
molested if the cavalcade did not
leave the highway.
Officers said that when the
union crowd reached the mine
village, some negroes in the van
apparently got out Of control OF
the leaders. The negro invaders
rushed homes of negro miners,
kicking in doors, dragging out IN
mates and beating them.
After the bodies were taken to
mortuaries they were identified
as Ed Violin, Powhatan, and Har-
rison Collins of Flat Creek.
More than a score were lnJur-
ed some from bullets and some
from beatings. None of the
wounded was believed hurt criti-
cally.
The list of injured included
George w. Kennedy, Bradford,
leg broken by shot; H. P. CARR
son, coal valley, fractured rib
Jones, Flat Top, shot in hip; An
drew Boue, Summit, fractured
right hand; John Robinson, Por,
ter, badly beaten; Ebert Grain
Port Birmingham, collapsed dur
ing melee; Jim beard, negro,
Flat Creek, bullet in thigh; John
Small, negro, Boothton, injured
foot; Nathan Woods, negro, por-
ter, Lacerated wrist
As screams from the hand-to'
hand fighting rent the air, some,
body fired a shot. Instantly, the
shooting became general. Wit
nesses said when one of the non-
union workers would try to flee,
he would be followed by a hail of
bullets.
The officers then turned loose
a barrage of rifle, shotgun and
pistol shots. In a few moments
the battle ceased. The indaving
mob retreated.
Only one arrest was made. A
driver of a truck in which some
of the union men were riding
was held on a charge of carrying
concealed weapons.
Sheriff Hawkins said he did
not know whose shots killed the
negroes that fell dead. He said
the fatal firing might have come
from either side.
The coal mine at Porter is a
small one, owned by +. ]. Rowe
and Carson Adams. 1t is the only
one in the mining region of west
ern Jefferson county not organ
lied.
The crowd of union men that
converged on the village was said
to be about 70 per cent negroes.
1t was made up of miners from
Lewisburg, Dolomite, Flat Top,
Powatan, Bradford, Palos, Flat
Greek and Mulga, all mining COM
munlties near Porter.
Members of the union group
gave versions of the shooting diff
fering from that of the officers.
Garrison, one of the wounded
men said 100 to $50 shots rang
out from a wooded hill into the
crowd. Our men became disor-
ganized and ran. We were not
armed and contemplated no dis
order"
Talmadge Latham of Sayre
said Eat the same time shooting
came from a garage at the road
side. We ran into bitches and
behind trees. There were some
women among US. They screamed
and ran"
Latham charged that one OF
the deputies killed the two ne.
groes Sin cold blood"
Bolton Youngblood, president
of the Powhatan Mine Union 10.
cal, also charged the Officers
Tired without provacation and de.
med that any of the marchers
| did any shooting. "Our meetine
was to be peaceable and soci
able" Youngblood said.
National guard officers survey
ed the situation last night anC
recommended that no troops b.
sent to Porter after obtainins
promises from union leaders tina
there would be no further trou