The Washington times., 1938-05-23
TOWN AWAKENED

The sudden influx Of hundreds
Of witnesses, investigators, guards
and lawyers has jolted this
shaded little town in the foothills
of the Cumberlands out of its
normal somnolence.
AS the second week of the
momentous trial started, it had
the busting air Of an industrial
town, mingled with the carnival
spirit of q football center at home
coming.
In less than a week, the popula.
tion has jumped from 1000 to
nearly 5000 with shifting crowds
that have made the trip to court
an occasion for holiday in addi.
ton to the numbers actually en-.
gagged in the trial.
A business boom of no mean pro
portions has been the result. Even
the three well equipped and
modern hotels have been taxed to
capacity and are still taking reSer.
vations far in advance. The shops
and stores are crowded.
HOMES ARE RENTED
Homeowners have been cajoled
into accepting boarders willing to
pay any price for a roof over their
heads. In some instances entire
houses have been turned over to
special groups.
Agents from the Department of
Justice moved into one home and
have q teietype machine in opera
ton with headquarters at Wash
1ngton. The jury was given an
other house set well back from
the street and with broad lawns
beyond which all visitors are kept.
An entire dormitory at the Sue
Bennett College was rented for
prosecution witnesses. The trial
is costing the Government more
than $4,000 a day.
The % coal operators and a.
former peace officers on trial have
also undertaken heavy expenses.
The more wealthy mine owners
have rented temporary residences
and headquarters are maintained
for out of court conferences 18th
the defense legal staff of 10
lawyers.
NO NOISY PARTIES
Despite the sudden swarm Of
strangers, there was nothing Of a
riotous nature apparent. However,
Q strictly enforced local option
kept any celebrations at a mini
mum, and the very nature of the
proceedings dampened a desire for
hijinks.
Openly wary. if not antagonis-
tic, for the first few days at being
linked with the "doings" in Har'
Ian county, the residents of Lon.
don have come to accept the I'm.
usual crowds and swirl Of activity
In friendly fashion.
The trial is providing the town,
with its third period of excitement
in 40 years. In 1900 the State
capital was moved here for a time
following the assassination of Gov.
ernor william Goebel. In 1882
Dudley Field Malone sought per.
mission in Federal court to have
the American Civil Liberties Un.
ion investigate the Bell county
coal camps.
After the first wave of appre.
hension that their town was to
be turned into an armed camp as
police and Omen herded witnesses
through the streets, the residents
have come to joke about the sit.
uation and in most cases enjoy it,
Whatever their attitude, they
will have to make the best Of it
for at least q month or six weeks
and perhaps longer. There will be
no letdown in the interest as far
as the 10000 people of Harlan
county's coal fields are concerned
The outcome, according to union
leaders, is of almost as vital con
Germ to everyone in the Southern
coal fields, which they claim have
been damaged by the lower prices
of Harlan county coal due to
cheaper, nonunion labor.
Only two alternateS remained to
be chosen for the jury today be.
fore Assistant Attorney General
Brian Mcmahon summed up the
trial picture and called the first
of the Omen to the witness stand.