Hellraisers Journal: Rev. John E. Wilburn Will be Witness for Defense at Trial of Miners at Charles Town, West Virginia

Quote Re Wilburn, Miner n Preacher, WVgn p11, Apr 28, 1922 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday April 29, 1922
Charles Town, West Virginia – Rev. John E. Wilburn to be Witness at Trial of Miners

From The West Virginian of April 28, 1922:

PASTOR ACCUSED OF TREASON
MAIN MINERS’ WITNESS
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Kept in Solitary Confinement More Than
a Month and Then Handcuffed.
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By C. C. LYON

CHARLES TOWN, W. Va., April 27.-Counsel for the hunreds of West Virginia miners on trial here for alleged treason and murder in connection with their armed March to Logan county last August are only waiting a chance to put the Rev. John E. Wilburn, for five years pastor of the Baptist church at Blair, Logan county, on the stand as their star witness.

Rev. Wilburn himself has been held without bail, he was brought in handcuffs to Charles Town from Logan. He is now in jail here.

In court he is the center of all eyes.

Reign of Terror

On the witness stand the Reverend Mr. Wilburn will tell a story of the reign of terror in the Logan and Mingo county coal fields of the “‘battle of Blair Mountain” where men died on both sides, of the alleged mistreatment of miners and their families by the deputies said to have been hired by the coal operators, and of his own mistreatment in the Logan county jail following his arrest.

A round-shouldered, tired little man, with kindly blue eyes, a soft voice and an almost saintly manner-that’s Mr. Wilburn.

Not a word of complaint against anybody has passed his lips.

His Experiences

Mr. Wilburn told me his story here in the Charles Town jail.

[He said:]

I am 45 years old and was born in the mountains of Tennessee. I received a common school education and at 16 I was converted to Christ and joined the Baptist Church.

The ambition of my life was to become a minister, but we were very poor, so I went to work in the coal mines to earn a living while I studied.

I was miner and student for nine years before I was ordained a minister. That was 22 years ago.

I saw that my field of usefulness lay with my own people in the mining camps. But they were too poor to maintain their churches so I went on working in the mines to support my family while I preached.

Family Prayer Daily

I am the father of five sons and three daughters and never has there passed a day at our home that we haven’t had our family prayers.

Five years ago I became pastor of the Baptist Church at Blair, Logan county. At the same time got a job as track-layer in a union mine. My three sons also worked in this mine.

I was put in solitary confinement [because of?] all the trouble there.

In September I went back to my old home in Tennessee to conduct a series of revival services and it was not until January that I learned that the Logan County grand jury had indicted me for alleged participation in the “battle of Blair Mountain.”

I immediately wrote Sheriff Don Chafin that I would come back if he wanted me, but, not hearing from him, I continued my revival meetings. When I returned to Logan County in March I was dumbfounded to learn that I was under indictment for murder and treason.

I was jailed at Logan. My two sons, John 18, and Frank 16, had been in jail without bond since December 31. A third son, Isaac, had been in jail but was admitted to bond.

The authorities offered me many inducements to turn state’s evidence and testify against the miners but I spurned their offers.

I was put in solitary confinement in the Logan jail on March 14 and remained in solitary confinement until Saturday, April 22, when I was handcuffed to another miner and brought to Charles Town.

Hungry In Prison

In the Logan jail I was denied all communication with my sons or other persons and was not permitted any exercise except what I was able to get in my narrow, twelve foot cell.

My breakfasts consisted of a bit of rice or hominy, a slice of bread and a cup of coffee. For dinner and supper they gave me a piece of corn bread and some beans.

Prom March 14 to April 22 in the Logan County jail I lost twenty pounds.

Rev. Wilburn’s most treasured possession in jail is a package of letters from a number of Baptist preachers assuring him of their sympathy and confidence in his innocence.

[The little man said sadly:]

I haven’t the remotest idea why I should be connected with the killing of any man. Why, in all my life I’ve never had as much as an unfriendly argument with any man. My whole life has been spent preaching love and peace.

But right will prevail. I pray for those that are persecuting me and as soon as I am free I shall hurry back to my wife and children and resume my preaching.

[Emphasis added.]

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Frank Snyder with Mrs. Snyder, Frank Keeney with wife and son,
Isaac Scott with Mrs. Scott, Fred Mooney with Mrs. Mooney

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Courthouse at Charles Town, West Virginia

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