Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday May 31, 1921 Mingo County, West Virginia – Union Miner Dead After Battle Near Nolan -Senate Committe to Investigate Conditions Along the Tug
From The New York Herald of May 27, 1921:
THIRD VICTIM DEAD AFTER MINGO FIGHT ———- George Crum in Ante-Mortem Statement Denies Attempt to Start Trouble. ———-
Wheeling Intelligencer May 26, 1921
WILLIAMSON, W. Va., May 26.-George Crum who was shot in a fight between a detail of State police and Kentucky National Guardsmen on one side and a party of men they encountered in a road near Nolan, W. Va., last night, died in a hospital here this afternoon. A State policeman and a Guardsman were killed in the encounter.
Gov. Morgan in Charleston to-day announced that ten thousand rifle cartridges shipped from St. Louis and consigned to Sid Hatfield, feudist, at Matewan, W. Va., are being held in the office of the American Railway Express at Bluefield.
The cartridges are being held at the request of Gov. Morgan, made to the president of the Norfolk and Western Railroad. An embargo was placed on the shipment of arms and munitions into Mingo county last week.
State and county authorities to-night watched with extreme caution the situation along the West Virginia-Kentucky border after the events of last night at Nolan. Capt. Brockus of the State police, reported that the region was quiet. A similar report came from Sheriff A. C. Pinson of Mingo county.
Soon after Crum was admitted to the hospital he told the authorities that he had done nothing to excite the trouble at the Nolan ferry, where the fight started, and during which Private Charles Kackley of the West Virginia State police and Private Manley Vaughan of the Kentucky National Guard, were killed.
An arrest under Gov. Morgan’s proclamation of martial law for Mingo was reported to-night. Sheriff Pinson announced that Ross Perry was arrested by deputy sheriffs near Gilbert, W. Va., and charged with having ammunition in his possession. He was held without bail.
Discussing the announcement at Washington to the effect that a Semite committee would investigate the situation in Mingo county,David Robb, international financial agent of the United Mine Workers of America, said:
So far as I am concerned I welcome any investigation that will help clear up any economic or industrial misunderstanding in southern West Virginia.
Representative of the Williamson Coal Operators’ Association made no comment on the question of an investigation by the Senate. Major Tom B. Davis, personal representative of Gov Morgan in the Mingo region, is en route to Charleston, where he will confer with the executive.
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SENATE COMMITTEE TO PROBE DISORDERS ———- Kenyon of Iowa Plans to Take Charge. ———-
WASHINGTON, May 26.-The Senate Committee on Education and Labor voted to-day to investigate recent disorders in the coal mining region along the Kentucky-West Virginia border. A subcommittee probably will begin hearings at Williamson, W. Va., about June 10.
The committee ordered a favorable report on the resolution by Senator Johnson, Republican (Cal.), to authorize the investigation. Senator Kenyon, Republican (Iowa), committee chairman, plans to take charge personally of the inquiry at Williamson. Other members of the subcommittee are to be appointed later.
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