Hellraisers Journal: Company Gunthugs Beat Up and Shoot Down Union Coal Miners in Harlan County, Kentucky

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Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, ed, Ab Chp 6, 1925———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 14, 1920
Harlan County, Kentucky – Company Gunthugs Shoot Down Miners

From the United Mine Workers Journal of May 1, 1920:

HdLn Harlan Co KY Gunthugs, UMWJ p4, May 1, 1920

Reports which have reached the Journal indicate a terrible condition of affairs in the Harlan coal field of Kentucky. Gunmen and thugs in the employ of the coal companies run wild in that section, without fear or hindrance. They are shooting down innocent and helpless miners and members of miners’ families. Three members of the United Mine Workers were shot down in cold blood by these ruffians and murderers on March 20 at the Banner Fork Coal Corporation Mine No. 2. The following are the names of the victims:

K. S. TAYLOR, instantly killed. Leaves a widow and seven children without any means of support.

JAMES BURK [John Burkes], deputy sheriff, fatally wounded. Died the next day in a hospital at Harlan, leaving a widow and family without support.

GENERAL GIBSON, fatally wounded. Died on an operating table in a hospital at Harlan, leaving a family without support.

One of the gunmen, Jim Hall, was severely wounded and was sent to a hospital at Harlan [has since died]. Banner Fork Local Union No. 3319 has adopted resolutions of condolence to the families of the deceased brothers, all of whom were good men and highly respected. They gave their lives to uphold the principles of the United Mine Workers of America.

Since the shooting the membership of Banner Fork local union has reached 100 per cent, and the coal company has locked out its employes.

According to reports from Harlan county, Jim Hall, the thug, beat up and disfigured a young son of K. S. Taylor, afterward locking him up in a boarding house. When attempting to give bond for the release of his son the father was shot down. The thugs suddenly appeared from the office of the coal company and ordered the miners to throw up their hands. There was a hailstorm of bullets for ten minutes. Hall is said to boast that he kills a miner a month. He and five other thugs are said to receive $10 a day for their bloody work. Hall wore a steel breast plate as a protection against bullets, but it did not save him.

Following the shooting, the sheriff searched the company boarding house and another house and found three machine guns and two cases of high-power rifles with an ample supply of ammunition ready for instant use.

[One of the reports said:]

This is what they use on American citizens whose only offense is their effort to protect themselves and their families. Everything is peaceful at present, but the miners are greatly stirred up over the outrage.

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WE NEVER FORGET: Oct 1, 1917, Pineville, Kentucky, Gunthugs Shoot Down Unarmed Local Leader of Coal Miners

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Pray for the dead
and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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WNF, Pineville KY, Shipman L & F, UMW, Oct 1, 1917

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From the United Mine Workers Journal of October 4, 1917:

Gunmen Murder Unarmed Miner

Pineville, Ky., October 1. — On the pretense of serving a warrant on Luther Shipman, a leader among the miners on strike in this district, a posse headed by County Judge Ward of Harlan county called at the home of Mr. Shipman.

They ordered him to dress and accompany them. As he turned to get his hat one of the gang shot him in the back of the head, instantly killing him. They then opened a general fusilade on the other occupants of the miners’ cabin and mortally wounded Frank Shipman, a relative of the other murdered man.

Press dispatches, inspired by the influential men who headed this murder raid, state that there was a battle. There was no battle; the gang of gunmen had made the boast they would shoot down the leaders and drive the other miners back to work on the company’s terms.

Luther Shipman was a quiet, religious man, well liked and trusted by the miners. The men are very bitter, but the leaders hope to prevent reprisals in kind.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Oct 1, 1917, Pineville, Kentucky, Gunthugs Shoot Down Unarmed Local Leader of Coal Miners”