John S. McKeever testimony
(transcriber may have made spelling and punctuation changes)
JOHN S. MCKEEVER.
A witness of lawful age being first duly sworn.
Q: You have been sworn, have you not?
A: Yes.
Q: Where do you live?
A: At Longacre in Fayette County.
Q: What is your business?
A: I am general superintendent for the Kanawha & Hocking Coal Co.
Q: Where were you during August, 1921?
A: I as at Longacre part of the time and I don't remember where else. I go to Cleveland and Columbus right often.
Q: Is there a Local Union at your place?
A: Yes.
Q: What is the name of that Local?
A: It is called the Longacre Local. I think I have a memorandum of the number of the Local, but I have not it in my mind now.
Q: Do you recall what is known as the armed march of the miners into Logan County?
A: I do.
Q: Prior to the march or the assembling of these men at Marmet, preparatory to marching into Logan and Mingo counties, I will ask you whether you attended a meeting of the Local.
A: No, I did not attend a meeting of the Local.
Q: Did you attend a meeting of the union miners there?
A: I attended an open meeting at the school house which was said to be called for the purpose of establishing an association. That is what the notices said.
Q: Were these notices posted?
A: Yes.
Q: Were they printed or in handwriting?
A: The one I saw was typewritten.
Q: Did they give the time and place of meeting?
A: I do not recall that, but the man who posted the told me the time and place.
Q: What was the name of this man?
A: Frank Radcliff.
Q: Was he connected with the Local there?
A: He was an official. A chairman, president or secretary.
Q: When was this meeting held?
A: On Sunday sometime in August.
Q: Can you tell the jury how long before the assembling of the men at Marmet this meeting was held?
A: It was about ten days or two weeks before. It was just a short time before.
Q: Who had charge of the meeting?
A: James Corbett was the chairman.
Q: What connection had he with District 17?
A: He was one of the officials of Subdistrict No. 1.
Q: Subdistrict No. 1 is under the jurisdiction of District No. 17, is it not?
A: Yes.
Q: Who else was there on that occasion? Give the names of any that you remember as present besides Corbett.
A: They were going to hold the meeting outside, but it rained and they went inside the school house. There were possible 100 people there, maybe not over 90 or 80. I know the people around there pretty well, and many of the people lived there, and it would be hard for me to pick out the names of those that were there.
Q: Were there a number of speeches made?
A: Yes, several.
Q: Who made them?
A: I think the first one was by Corbett when he introduced a man by the name of Holt.
Q: What was his first name?
A: He was introduced as "Brother Holt" and someone told me later that his name was Savoy.
Q: You heard Savoy Holt make a speech on that occasion?
A: I did.
Q: Tell the jury what you heard him say on that occasion.
Objection.
Objection sustained.
Leave is asked to amend the Bill of Particulars, which matter the Court takes time to consider.
Witness dismissed for the present.