A History of Organized Felony and Folly - The Clarence Darrow ...

A History of Organized Felony and Folly
The details of the slaughter will be related in another
article, but it may be said here that when the sheriff's party
arrived at the mine that morning the massacre was taking
place two miles away in the woods.
Unionists Mutilate Bodies
There are many horrible details in connection with the
Herrin massacre that mark it as the most atrocious crime
in the name of American union labor, such as the savage
m.utilation of bodies, but as there is no desire here to color
the facts, they, as determined by the Grand Jury, will be
permitted to speak for themselves.
Beginning with the surrender of the strip miners, the
Grand Jury report follows:
"A long range conversation was held and it was agreed
by a spokesman from the attacking party that safe conduct
would be accorded the men if they laid down their arms and
would march out with hands up.
"This was done and from behind the earth embankments
created by the steam shovel operators came a great number
of armed men and more from the surrounding hills until the
forty-seven surrendering men were surrounded by many hundreds
of men, mostly armed.
"The captive men were marched down the road toward
Herrin in double file. After they had marched about one mile,
Supt. McDowell, being crippled and unable to keep up with
the procession, was taken aside by members of the mob and
shot to death.
"The remainder of the captives were marched on the
public road and were stopped at the power house of the
interurban railroad, about three miles from Herrin. Here a
change in leadership took place and the man who had
guaranteed the safety of the men who had surrendered was
deposed and another leader installed.
"The new commander ordered the captive men to march
into the woods adjacent to and around the power house. Here
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