Evening star., 1937-01-10
HOODED BEAT|NGS
ARE ECHARGED TO 25.
Criminal Syndicalism Law
Invoked Against Al
Ieqed Black Legs
By the Associated Press.

PRESTONBURG, KY, January "
A story of Kentucky mountaineers who
wore old stockings with eyeholes over
their heads on midnight raids on
cabins to beat up neighbors OF whom
they didn't approve was related here
today, following indictment Of Is
alleged "black legs"
The indictments, specifically charg-
ing them with beating country store
keeper and farmer, were returned
under Kentucky's criminal syndicalism
and sedition law. Its maximum
penalty is 81 years and $4,000 fine.
In addition, five of the band were
indicted on charges of banding and
confederating and bonds fixed at $2,-
900 each.
Commonwealth's Attorney o. C.
Hall said the indictments followed
investigations Of beatings of men and
women by groups of hooded men and
Of reports that in some cases they
ravished wives of victims of the
"switchings." Miles Barnett, the
storekeeper-farmer who told the
grand jury about being whipped, was
said to have been punished for criticiz-
ing the gangs activities. I'm going
to send them all to the penitentiary
in that case" Hall declared. He said
they probably would be tried before
the end Of the present term Of court
here.
Is Indicted Year Ago.
Tha ham oil 1.
OF Floyd and adjoining Magofin
County. and some IS Of them were in
dicted in Magoffin more than a year
ago for beatings. Hung juries followed
their trials. Two pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor and paid $3.50 fines. The
others were put under 1000 peace
bonds and the Magoffin beatings
stopped. according to officials in that
county.
Eight Of the IS indicted here we're
placed in Jail in default Of sl0,-
900 bond each. and one, George Cole,
came in today and gave $4,000 bond.
1t was signed by S. B. Allen, county
clerk Of Magoffin County, and Lewis
Marshall. Albert Marshall also sur
rendered today but went to Jail. Seven
were arrested Wednesday and bench
warrants have been issued for the
others.
Alex Adams. Magoffn County attor-
ney. said Carl Hall, country store
keeper. was the leader of the band
and that it appeared the black legs
helped him collect bad debts. Cole
blamed the indictment here on his
having aided in evicting one of the
band from house owned by friend.
Jim Marshall, 30-year-old farmer,
one Of those indicted and who Hall
said had offered to turn States evi-
dence, told about the band today in
the presence Of Hall and County At
torney Forrest Short And I'd rather
stay right here in Jail than go back
to Magoffn County" Marshall said.
Is or 80 in Band.
"They called themselves the black
legs" said Marshall, who at times
also referred TO the band as the
legion" There were 25 or 80 of them
in it. They were part of an unem-
ployment league over in Magoffin
County. and their job was to go out
and whip anybody who talked about
them or wouldn't work or had bad
character.
The legion members decided for
themselves who should be punished.
Groups o. five to eight men then pro-
ceeded to carry out the punishment
decided on. 1t was a sort of a lodge
affair. There we're regular meetings
and We were going to have some signal
TO give us warnings. but We never
got that worked out. The members
paid 81 cents to join the legion and
the dues were IL cents and more a
month. The president got the dues
I'VE met wherever We could when
there was beating to be done. The
ones that did it went armed. They
wore sacks, dresses or anything else
they could find and put old stockings
over their heads, with hole cut for
the eyes. Switches were used for the
beatings. They whipped anybody who
was having bad carvings on"
Oath Permitted Killings.
Besides seven whipping instances
he knew about, Marshall said, II heard
Of others being whipped. Whenever a
man joined the organization he took
an oath to stand by the others and if
1t meant taking anybody's life to save
one of the gang from being hurt it was
all right to do that"
Marshall said "a whole lot of the
members of the gang went to the
court house for the trials tin Magoffin
County,. Every member Of the gang
was warned that he would be killed,
hanged or burned up if he talked"
Il don't know what the purpose of
the gang was or what was its aim,"
Hall said. They just wanted to be
smart and band themselves together
and take the law in their hands and
they did that. Sentiment here is high
against them"
Hall said he did not believe the
band had any outside connections, but
that he was investigating reports that
automobiles with other States licenses
had been seen at some of the meetings.