John Jones
(transcriber may have made spelling and punctuation changes)
JOHN JONES.
A witness of lawful age, being duly sworn-
Q: Have you been sworn?
A: Yes.
Q: Where do you live?
A: At Mont Eagle.
Q: Are you a member of the United Mine Workers of America?
A: Not at the present time.
Q: Were you a member in August, 1921?
A: Yes.
Q: To what Local did you belong?
A: It was No. 4823.
Q: Where is that Local located?
A: At Ed White in Kanawha County.
Q: In what district?
A: In District 17.
Q: I what subdistrict?
A: I believe it is Subdistrict No. 1, but am not sure.
Q: What official position, if any, did you hold in that local in August, 1921?
A: I was President.
Q: Who were the other officials in the local union at that place?
A: Robert Jones was Secretary, and John Hocum was recording secretary and treasurer, I think, but I am not positive.
Q: Do you know anything about the armed assembly of men at Marmet in August, 1921?
A: Yes, I was there.
Q: Did you go to Marmet on that occasion?
A: Yes.
Q: Why did you go to Marmet?
A: There was a report that a mass meeting would be held at Marmet on Saturday and we were all notified by the committee man that we were wanted there.
Q: Who was the committee man?
A: A. J. Munsey was the committee man who notified me and there were two others with him whose names I do not know.
Q: Was A. J. Munsey a member of the United Mine Workers?
A: He was supposed to be.
Q: What local did he belong to?
A: To the Mont Coal Local, I think.
Q: Just what was said to you by these committeemen when they gave you the notice and the information that there would be a mass meeting at Marmet?
A: They said there would be a mass meeting on Saturday. They told me this on Thursday evening, and that they wanted all the miners to meet there and bring their arms with him, and we would get information there.
Q: They did not tell you why they wanted you to bring arms with you?
A: No.
Q: Did the members of your Local attend this meeting?
A: Part of them did.
Q: How many answered the call of this committee?
A: Between thirty and forty went.
Q: Did they go on instruction?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were armed?
A: I could not say, but the majority of them were.
Q: What kind of guns did they have?
A: Mostly rifles and pistols.
Q: When did you first reach Marmet?
A: About ten o'clock on Saturday.
Q: The meeting was not to be held until Sunday, was it?
A: It was to have been on Saturday.
Q: When you got to Marmet, did you find any other men there?
A: Yes, lots of men were there.
Q: How did you and those with you travel from your Local to Marmet?
A: By the Coal River train down to Cabin Creek, and then we [took] the Cabin Creek train to the Junction and came on down by street car.
Q: About what distance was it from your Local Union to Marmet?
A: I do not know how far it is from Ed White to Eskdale, but something like fifty miles I think.
Q: How many men did you find at or near Marmet at the time you got on the grounds?
A: About 200 or so.
Q: Were any of them armed?
A: Yes.
Q: You say you came on the train?
A: No, we came on the street car to Marmet.
Q: But from your place to Cabin creek junction you came on the trains, did you not?
A: Yes.
Q: Did any other members of your Local get on the train with you?
A: Yes.
Q: About how many were in the party that landed at Cabin creek [j]unction on the day you came down?
A: I judge about 150 came down with us.
Q: How many of these were armed?
A: I could not say about that.
Q: At that time you did not know the purpose of the meeting, did you?
A: No.
Q: Who was in charge of the situation at Marmet when you got there?
A: I don't know.
Q: What did you do when you got there?
A: We stayed at Marmet until evening trying to find out who had charge of the situation and who was leading us. Up at Beech Grove was where the largest crowd was. There was a short man up there by the name of Tally, some sort of foreigner, who seemed to have charge of them. I went up there to find out what to do and he told me to stay at Marmet, that he was not going to allow anyone to leave there.
Q: Of what nationality was this foreigner?
A: Hunky of some kind.
Q: After he told you to stay at Marmet, what did you do?
A: We stayed there until Monday. We went back and forth from Marmet to the camp.
Q: Where did you pitch your tents, or did you have any tents?
A: We did not have any tents.
Q: Where did you stay at night?
A: Partly on the street and partly in the barn of Mr. Miller.
Q: How long did you stay there on that occasion?
A: From Saturday to Monday.
Q: Did the men continue to come in after you reached Marmet?
A: Yes.
Q: About how many men had come in and were there on Monday?
A: I suppose there were several thousand there on Monday.
Q: How many of them were armed?
A: I would judge about a third of them were armed.
Q: What was done while you were there?
A: On Monday evening we got order to move up the hollow. We moved about six miles up the hollow then. That was Monday night.
Q: Who gave the order for you to move up the hollow?
A: I don't know. The order was passed around to leave Marmet and go up the hollow. Then we went about six miles up the hollow and pitched camp there.
Q: Was that up on Lens creek?
A: Yes.
Q: How long did you stay there?
A: Until the next morning.
Q: What did you do then?
A: We moved about two miles further up the hollow that night, Tuesday night, and camped there again.
Q: Had you talked to anyone prior to the time you went into the second camp concerning the purposes of the assemblage?
A: No, not to any official.
Q: Had you talked to anyone?
A: We had talked among ourselves back and forth. The idea in moving the second time was to get our Local to themselves.
Q: How were these several thousand men provisioned and taken care of in the way of supplies?
A: Some furnished money from the different Locals and different parties went around collecting grub.
Q: How much money did your Local contribute?
A: I think between five and six hundred dollars.
Q: Were you on Lens creek the day Mother Jones spoke?
A: Yes.
Q: Did you hear her speak?
A: No.
Q: Were you near where the meeting was held during that day?
A: Yes, I passed just over the creek.
Q: What did you observe as you went down through the camp where Mother Jones made her speech?
A: I came up through the camp.
Q: Did you see, as you came up, any of the officials of the United Mine Workers?
A: We passed Mr. Keeney and Mr. Mooney in a car.
Q: In what direction were they going?
A: Toward Charleston.
Q: What time of the day was that, Mr. Jones?
A: Some time before dinner.
Q: What were you doing down there on that occasion?
A: Taking some provisions.
Q: Did you have them with you at that time?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How were you taking them?
A: In a wagon.
Q: Did you observe any guard lines?
A: Yes, sir. There were guard lines thrown out to keep the men from going out.
Q: Now, as you came up by the point where Mother Jones had made her speech, did you talk to anyone there?
A: Not particularly. All of them were talking.
Q: Did you learn what Mother Jones said on that occasion?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Tell the jury what it was.
Objection.
Sustained.
Q: Did you receive any information concerning the movements of Mr. Keeney and Mr. Mooney on that occasion?
A: No.
Q: Where did you then go, on up to your camp?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How long did you remain there?
A: Until about 9 o'clock that night.
Q: Then what did you do?
A: Moved to Indian Creek.
Q: Why did you move there?
A: We had orders to move there.
Q: From whom did you get those orders?
A: Well, sir, from Bill Blizzard. I didn't get them direct from him. I got them through Charlie Green.
Q: Was Charlie Green down at the camp where Mother Jones had made her speech?
A: He was on the creek that morning.
Q: Was Charlie Green connected with the United Mine Workers?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Was he acting in that part?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Tell the jury just what it was that Charlie Green told you that night.
A: We were going up the hollow. We were in the last camp in Marmet hollow. Jim King came to me and told me not to leave until we got further orders. Mr. Cantley had told us not to move. Charlie Green came and said we were to move to Indian Creek and I told him I had orders not to move, and he said he had orders from a real man, that he had got his orders from Bill Blizzard.
Q: What were those orders?
A: To move to Indian Creek that night.
Objection, and motion to strike out the above questions and answers.
Overruled.
Q: The Bill Blizzard you refer to is the defendant here?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Had you seen the defendant, Bill Blizzard, down there at any meeting at any time before that?
A: No.
Q: Mr. Jones, what, if anything, do you know about the killing of a negro at the head of Lens Creek?
A: He was killed about 200 yards above our camp.
Q: Did you hear the firing?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How many shots were fired?
A: 75 or 100.
Q: When was that in reference to the time you moved?
A: We moved right after that after receiving these orders from Green. Part of the men had gone, all except a few waiting to take the provisions.
Q: Were there any armed men beyond your men on Lens Creek prior to the time your men started out?
A: Not until the march started.
Q: Had a number of these men marched by your camp?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: At that time, how many men were in your camp, at the time you started to march to Indian creek?
A: About 80.
Q: How many of them had guns?
A: About 45
Q: What kind of guns did they have?
A: All kinds, rifles and pistols.
Q: Well, what kinds of rifles?
A: All kind of high-powered rifles.
Q: After you started on this march, where did you go?
A: To Indian Creek.
Q: What time did you reach Indian Creek?
A: The Local reached Indian Creek along in the night, but I didn't reach there until the next morning about nine o'clock.
Q: How long did you remain at Indian Creek?
A: Until 1 o'clock the next morning.
Q: Then what did you do?
A: Went to Danville.
Q: Were there any speeches made at Indian Creek?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: By whom?
A: Savoy Holt, Okey Johnson and Mr. Kirk.
Q: After these speeches were made, where did you go?
A: To Danville.
Q: Where were you going?
A: We were starting to Logan County.
Q: Anywhere else?
A: Mingo.
Q: After you received these orders, tell the jury what was your purpose in marching into Logan and Mingo County?
A: I understood we were going to Mingo to release prisoners.
Q: What was the understanding as to what was to be done in Logan?
A: We were going to organize Logan County.
Q: Was there anything said about the authorities of Logan County?
A: Well, there were lots of remarks made.
Q: What were those remarks?
A: About cleaning up the thugs in Logan County and organizing.
Q: Did you hear any statement made of and concerning the sheriff of Logan County?
Objection.
Overruled.
A: Yes, sir, I heard lots of statements made.
Q: What were those statements in substance?
A: Lots of talk about hanging him to a sour apple tree and that they were going to kill him.
Q: Was there any statements made by these armed men as to just how there were going to release the prisoners?
A: They were going to take them out of jail.
Q: In what way?
A: Take them out by force. That was the only way.
Q: You knew that martial law was existing in Mingo County?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you hear any protest made about martial law or the existence of martial law in Mingo County?
A: No, sir.
Q: How long did you remain at Danville?
A: We got there about five o'clock and stayed until about three o'clock the next morning.
Q: Did you see General Banholtz at Danville?
A: No, sir.
Q: Did you see him in that vicinity?
A: I passed him on the road.
Q: Where were you?
A: At the foot of the hill going across the first mountain from Indian Creek to Danville.
Q: You say you stayed there until about five o'clock the next morning?
A: No, three o'clock. That was when the special train left there.
Q: Then did you leave there?
A: Yes, sir, I went home.
Q: How did you go out?
A: On the special.
Q: Who provided that special?
A: I don't know.
Q: It was a special on what railroad?
A: C & O.
Q: Did you at that time learn from any of the men there that the United Mine Workers of District No. 17 were paying for it?
Objection.
Sustained.
Q: Where did you go after you left Danville?
A: I went home.
Q: Did you have anything to do with the second march?
A: I started on it.
Q: How far did you get?
A: I went to Van, West Virginia.
Q: Where is Van?
A: On Coal River.
Q: How far is that from your starting point?
A: 20 or 25 miles the way we went.
Q: How did you travel?
A: Part of the time on foot and part of the time in automobiles.
Q: How many left from your Local at that time?
A: About sixty at that time.
Q: Did they carry arms on that occasion?
A: Part of them did and part didn't.
Q: After you reached this point, Van, did you return home?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Do you know what day it was you reached there?
A: We reached there on Tuesday morning.
Q: When did you return home with reference to the time the Federal troops came in?
A: I reached Van on Tuesday morning and returned home Tuesday night.
Q: When did the Federal troops come in?
A: I do not know.
Q: Did you hear they were coming in before you turned back?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And that was the reason you turned back?
A: No, sir.
Q: Who was it you say came to you and told you Cantley had ordered you to remain there on Lens Creek?
A: Jim King.
Q: Mr. Jones, did you give any orders for money or other aid while you were in that march?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: To whom did you give those orders?
A: Mr. Reed.
Q: Who is Mr. Reed?
A: Secretary of the burial fund.
Q: Is his name E. L. Reed?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Tell the jury what you mean by burial fund.
A: It is a fund appropriated to take care of death. Each man pays so much money each month, and we borrowed the money from that fund for the march.
Q: I hand you a paper and ask you what it is, and if you signed that paper?
A: Yes, sir, I signed it.
Q: Which signature is yours? It is signed twice.
A: The first signature.
Q: Who is Robert Jones?
A: He is a brother of mine.
Q: State whether or not that is your brother's signature, if you know.
A: I don't know whether it is or not, Mr. Belcher.
Mr. Belcher: We now desire to introduce this paper in evidence.
Objection.
Overruled.
Q: Who is Mr. Reed to whom you gave this order?
A: He is an electrician.
Q: Was he a member of the local union?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And did he have these funds in his possession?
A: Yes, sir. He was the secretary and treasurer of the burial fund.
Q: Who were the members of a committee you refer to in this paper?
A: Charlie Green, John Griffey and Clyde Montgomery.
Q: At the time you wrote this order, where was Mr. Reed?
A: At Ed White.
Q: And where were you, at Marmet?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And the committee went to Ed White for these funds?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Do you know whether or not Mr. Reed turned over the $250 requested by you?
A: Yes, he did.
Q: What was done with it?
A: We bought provisions with it.
Q: Mr. Jones, I hand you another paper and ask you what it is and if you signed that paper.
A: I did not.
Q: Do you know anything about it?
A: No, sir.
Q: Mr. Jones, I don't recall whether I have asked you this question or not, but if I did you have not answered it. I will ask you about how many men were on Lens Creek on the day that you started to march over to Mingo County.
A: I do not know. I can't answer that question. There were several thousand in there, Mr. Belcher.
Cross Examination
By Mr. Houston.
Q: When did you come over here, Mr. Jones?
A: To Charles Town?
Q: Yes, sir.
A: Friday evening I got here.
Q: Last Friday evening?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Where did you come from?
A: Charleston.
Q: Who did you come with?
A: Alex. Jones and Bob Jarrell.
Q: Have you talked to any of these gentlemen here since you arrived in Charles Town?
A: I talked to Mr. Belcher last night.
Q: That is the only one?
A: that is the only one, yes, sir.
Q: Did you see Mr. Porterfield?
A: I don't know Mr. Porterfield.
Q: The prosecuting attorney of Jefferson Co.?
A: I don't know him.
Q: Where are you stopping?
A: At the Jefferson Hotel.
Q: Who paid your way here?
A: Mr. Koonce gave me a check here.
Q: Is it Mr. Coates or Mr. Koonce?
A: Bob Koonce, ain't it? I don't know what his name is.
Q: Bob Coates, the detective?
A: I don't know.
Q: Where did you first meet him?
A: In Charleston, in Mr. Belcher's office.
Q: How long ago?
A: He gave me this ticket last Thursday evening.
Q: Who took you up to Mr. Belcher's office?
A: They 'phoned for me to come to Charleston.
Q: Who 'phoned for you?
A: Coates did.
Q: Where did you first hear of this man?
A: The first time I met him was a month ago?
Q: Where was that?
A: In Mr. Showls' office in Charleston.
Q: Who is Mr. Showls?
A: He is the general manager of the Raleigh-Wyoming Coal Co.
Q: When did you first talk to Mr. Showls about this?
A: I was working for him.
Q: Working for him?
A: Yes, sir, when I am at home.
Q: Had you been working for him since this alleged march?
A: Except for about a month.
Q: What work do you do there?
A: Operate a machine.
Q: Did you meet with an accident there?
A: I met with an accident at Glen Rogers.
Q: That accounts for your appearance.
A: No, sir.
Q: What is the matter with your face?
A: I got burned in a mine explosion.
Q: Where was that?
A: At Glen Rogers.
Q: Did you have a talk with Mr. Showls before he telephoned to you?
A: Not on this case, I didn't.
Q: You never mentioned this case to him until he telephoned to you?
A: I was supposed to have been on that train last Saturday, but Mr. Showls released me because he wanted me to start the machine at the mines.
Q: When was the first time you talked to Mr. Showls about this case?
A: I got a summons to come up here.
Q: When did you talk to him about it?
Objection.
Overruled.
A: I have talked with Mr. Showls several times.
Q: When did you first talk to him about it?
A: A few days after we went back home.
Q: How long after you went back?
A: About a couple of weeks.
Q: Where was that, at your home?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You are living in one of the company houses, are you?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you talk to Mr. Showls at your home?
A: No, I talked to him on the job. He was just making some remarks about it. He was not talking particular about the case.
Q: Then you didn't have any talk with him about this march?
A: No.
Q: I thought you said you had several talks with him about it?
A: He never asked me any questions about it.
Q: Did you tell him anything about it?
A: Nothing particular.
Q: Did you tell him anything about it?
A: Nothing particular.
Q: Did you tell him anything that was not particular?
A: No.
Q: Have you never talked to Mr. Showls about the case?
A: Only like talking to any of the other miners.
Q: When you talked to him what did you say?
A: We talked about how the march went on and what we thought about it.
Q: And you told him the same thing you have told here today?
A: I did not.
Q: Then you told him a part of it?
A: No.
Q: Did Mr. Showls telephone you to come to Charleston?
A: No, Mr. Coates did.
Q: And you went to Mr. Belcher's office?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: About a month ago?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you told Mr. Coates about this march?
A: No.
Q: Did you tell Mr. Belcher after you arrived here?
A: I told him the particulars of what I knew.
Q: And that is the first time you have told anyone about it?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did Mr. Coates have your statement taken down?
A: Yes, sir, part of it.
Q: There was a young lady there taking down what you said?
A: No, Mr. Coates took it down.
Q: Did he take it in shorthand?
A: No.
Q: Then Mr. Coates gave you a ticket to Charles Town?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did he give you any money?
A: No, sir.
Q: Have you ever been indicted in connection with this march?
A: I don't know whether I have or not.
Q: Do you know Mr. John Chafin here?
A: No, sir.
Q: Have none of these gentlemen here informed you whether you were indicted or not?
A: I have never been told I was indicted.
Q: You have never been arrested or taken to Logan County jail, have you?
A: No, sir.
Q: Coming back to this burial fund, I believe you said you had been a member of the Local?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What position did you occupy?
A: President.
Q: How long did you serve as president of Ed White Local?
A: Near a year.
Q: When did your term of office expire?
A: The first of February.
Q: Last February?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you took office about a year before that?
A: No, I had not been in only a few months the last time.
Q: Were you in office in August, 1921?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How long before that was it that you became president of the Local?
A: Along in the spring.
Q: Were you elected for a regular term or appointed special?
A: I was elected for no limited time.
Q: I wish you would tell the jury how this burial fund is created.
A: The miners of Ed White contribute $1.00 each a month.
Q: And does anyone else?
A: Every employer on the job.
Q: And this was a burial fund existing at the mine at Ed White?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And it was a joint fund created by the employees of this coal company and the coal company itself?
A: The coal company and the men.
Q: What proportion of this fund was created by the coal company?
A: Each and every man paid $1.00 a month.
Q: And what did the coal company pay?
A: $25 for every death.
Q: Who was the custodian of this fund?
A: Mr. Reed was the treasurer.
Q: And Mr. Reed was the electrician of this company?
A: No, he was assistant electrician.
Q: Did he have any other position with the coal company?
A: No, sir.
Q: Mr. Reed was not a member of the United Mine Workers?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Are you not familiar with the contract existing between the operators and the miners?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Does it not provide that the electrician shall not be a member of the union?
A: I don't think so.
Q: Do any of the electricians belong to the union?
A: All except the head electrician.
Q: And you had an understanding with Mr. Reed that he would honor any orders you might draw?
A: No more than I was president of the burial fund.
Q: You had an agreement didn't you?
A: No, no more than I was president and he was secretary, and I wrote the orders to him from Marmet.
Q: Mr. Reed didn't accompany you on this trip, did he?
A: No.
Q: Did he ever accompany you to market?
A: No.
Q: This order is dated Marmet, August 21, 1921. Had you an understanding with him to honor your orders?
A: No.
Q: You just drew this order and he paid it?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Who took this order to him?
A: Clyde Montgomery, John Griffey and Charlie Green.
Q: And they got the money on it?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you consult with anyone about drawing this order?
A: A crowd of men got together and we decided we would send for this money.
Q: The rules of the constitution provide how the orders shall be drawn, do they not?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you knew it was a violation of the rules to draw an order for anything other than payment of burial expenses?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You know Mr. Blizzard, here, do you not?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you know Mr. Keeney and Mr. Mooney?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: They never had anything to do with drawing this order, did they?
A: No.
Q: So far as you know it was drawn without their knowledge?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you ever advise these officials that you had drawn this money for a purpose forbidden by the rules?
A: No.
Q: I believe you said you bought provisions with it?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You say lived at Amigo last August and September, or what is the name of that place?
A: I never lived there last September. I lived at Ed White.
Q: On Coal River?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you heard about a meeting on Lens Creek?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And you and a crowd went to that meeting?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What day was that?
A: On Saturday we struck Marmet.
Q: Was that on the 20th of August?
A: Along about the 20th, along the last of August some time.
Q: Was it on the 27th of August?
A: I don't remember what date it was.
Q: Can't you come within a week of it?
A: I guess it was long about the 20th.
Q: Saturday came on the 20th. That must have been the day, was it not?
A: I won't say it was.
Q: You say you cannot say what Saturday in August it was?
A: No.
Q: After you arrived there where did you go?
A: We stayed in Marmet until Monday morning.
Q: Did you attend the meeting.
A: Yes, sir. I attended a meeting on Sunday.
Q: Did you attend a meeting on the Saturday, the day you got there?
A: No, sir.
Q: Did you attending a meeting on the following day?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: That must have been the 21st?
A: It was Sunday following the day we went to Marmet.
Q: Where was that meeting held?
A: At Beech Grove.
Q: Where is Beech Grove relative to Hernshaw?
A: It is about a mile and a half above Marmet.
Q: How many men attended that meeting?
A: About several hundred.
Q: When did you leave there that day?
A: That evening.
Q: Where did you go?
A: Back to Marmet.
Q: Then where did you go?
A: We stayed in Marmet Sunday night.
Q: You attended that meeting on Sunday, the 21st of August and stayed in Marmet that night. Then where did you go?
A: Back up Lens Creek.
Q: What time in the day did you go?
A: Some time before noon.
Q: Where did you go from there?
A: To the head of Lens Creek.
Q: How far above Hernshaw did you go?
A: About six or 7 miles up Lens Creek.
Q; You stayed there until Tuesday?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Where did you go from there?
A: We moved to Indian Creek Tuesday night.
Q: Where is Indian Creek?
A: On Coal River.
Q: Is that the creek you come down from the top of the mountain to Racine?
A: No, we were camping on Indian Creek.
Q: And the road that leads down to Racine is not Indian Creek?
A: I don't know which is Indian Creek.
Q: You crossed the mountain?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How far down the mountain did you go?
A: We went down to the first hollow.
Q: Where did you stay that night?
A: At the mouth of Indian Creek until about one o'clock.
Q: You moved at one o'clock at night?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Where did you stay Wednesday night?
A: We stayed there until one o'clock Friday morning.
Q: Then where did you go from there?
A: To Danville.
Q: When did you reach Danville?
A: On Friday.
Q: Then you must have reached Danville on the 26th of August, Friday?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And that was the day Mr. Mooney spoke at Madison?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: There were, when you left Lens Creek, how many in that body?
A: There were several thousand.
Q: How did they march, in procession?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How many sections?
A: I don't know.
Q: How many did you see?
A: Our local traveled by itself. We had about 60 men in the march.
Q: Whose command were you under?
A: Kirk's.
Q: Were there more than two bodies crossing the hill?
A: Yes, sir. Several of them.
Q: Did you see any bodies of about 3 or 4 hundred men?
A: There were different locals.
Q: Kirk was the commander of this entire body of men?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: He was the general of the army?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Were you an officer?
A: I was president of the local, yes, sir.
Q: I mean of the army?
A: No, I was not.
Q: You were not placed in command?
A: No.
Q: And you took your orders from Kirk?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Who else was in command of any section of the army?
A: He was the only man that had an office.
Q: And all the time you were there he was the only person in command of that army?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: He was put in charge at Indian Creek?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How did you go to Danville from Racine, through Peytonia [sic]?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you walk?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you see any trains captured there?
A: No.
Q: Did you see a train of 8 flat cars and an engine on that trip?
A: No.
Q: You did not see or hear of a committee going towards Sproul and getting a train which came back with eight flat cars and an engine?
A: No.
Q: Do you know a man by the name of Ed Reynolds?
A: Since I came here is the first time I knew him.
Q: Never knew him before, did you?
A: No.
Q: He said he commanded one-half of this army that went across there. Did you notice that?
A: No, I did not.
Q: Did you see Bill Blizzard in command?
A: No.
Q: You never saw him after you left Lens Creek?
A: I never saw him on Lens Creek.
Q: You knew him personally?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: If you had seen him, would you have recognized him?
A: Yes, sir. I would.
Q: While you and your body of men were camping on Lens Creek, you noticed men passing, did you not?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You were there and if Mr. Blizzard was in any of those crowds you would have been likely to have seen him, would you not?
A: I judge I would.
Q: Had you known him sometime before that?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You heard about a speech being made at Danville at the Ball Park by Mr. Keeney?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did you hear that speech?
A: No, sir.
Q: What information did you get as to the purpose of that speech?
A: Mr. Keeney notified the men to return home, the same as he notified me to turn back.
Q: And as a result of that information you went home?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How did you go home?
A: On a special train.
Q: Going down from St. Albans to Danville?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You never saw Bill Blizzard at any time during that trip, did you?
A: No.
Q: Did you go to the city of Charleston?
A: No.
Q: Did you go straight home?
A: I went up by Big Cove River home.
Q: You never saw Blizzard at that time?
A: No.
Q: When you reached Marmet the first time, did you notice guard lines being thrown across the mouth of the creek?
A: There was no guard line there.
Q: Did you ever see any guard line there?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: When did you first notice it?
A: Sunday I saw the first guard line there.
Q: That was the day after you arrived there?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And I believe you said you could not tell the day of the month?
A: No, sir.
Q: Well, if you reached Danville on the 26th of August on Friday, it must have been the Sunday before that, was it not?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And if that was the 21st, that was the day you first noticed the guard line
A: Yes, sir.
Q: You heard about Mr. Keeney being there, didn't you?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: It was thrown out before he got there, wasn't it?
A: Yes, sir. He spoke on Tuesday.
Q: He spoke on Wednesday, did he not?
A: He did not.
Q: Are you certain about it being Tuesday?
A: No, I am not positive whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday.
Q: The guard line was there when Mr. Keeney spoke there?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: He didn't make a speech, did he?
A: He made a talk.
Q: You didn't hear him?
A: No, it was my understanding he made a talk.
Q: You were not there?
A: No, sir.
Q: So you do not know whether he spoke or not?
A: No, I am not sure.
Re-Direct Examination
By Mr. Belcher.
Q: Mr. Jones, your men were at the head of the hollow. Is that the furthest up the hollow men were?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How far was that from the point where Mother Jones made this speech?
A: About a mile and a half or two miles.
Q: Then your men were the first to move out?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Instead of going down the railroad to Sproul, you cut across the country, didn't you?
A: We went down the railroad to a hollow.
Q: You didn't go from Racine to Sproul down the railroad?
A: No.
Q: And you cut across the railroad and went through the country along the country road?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Of course you do not know what route the others had taken.
A: No, sir.
Q: You don't mean to say Mr. Kirk was in charge of all those men, do you?
A: He was supposed to be in charge of all men on Indian Creek.
Q: At the time you were there?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What time did you leave Indian Creek?
A: In the morning about one o'clock our local left there.
Q: That was at night?
A: Yes, sir, early in the morning.
Q: How far did you march before daylight?
A: I cannot answer that question. The men were ahead of me, I followed them up. I had to walk about six miles to get a wagon to haul the provisions.
Q: So, at the time it was daylight the day after you started and left the vicinity of Racine and was going towards Danville?
A: Yes, sir.