Herrin massacre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Herrin Massacre |
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| Part of Coal Wars | |||
The upper photograph shows the remains of a supply house that was dynamited and burned, while the lower shows the remains of an oil house, near which two of the striking workers were shot and killed.
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| Date | June 21–22, 1922 | ||
| Location |
Herrin, Illinois, U.S.
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The Herrin Massacre was a terrible event that happened on June 21–22, 1922. It took place in Herrin, Illinois, a town known for coal mining. This happened during a big strike by coal miners across the country. The miners were part of a group called the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA).
The owner of a local mine had first agreed to join the strike. But when coal prices went up, he decided to hire workers who were not part of the union. These workers were called "strikebreakers." He needed money because he had just started his mine and had many debts.
Union miners were very angry that the owner broke his promise. On June 21, they shot at the strikebreakers who were going to work. The mine had armed guards. When the striking miners surrounded the mine, the owner's guards shot and killed three union miners. The next day, the union miners attacked. They killed the mine superintendent, Mr. McDowell, and 18 of the 50 strikebreakers and guards. Many of them died in a very violent way. A twentieth non-union worker was killed later. In total, 23 people died: three union miners and 20 non-union workers.
Contents
Why the Conflict Started
The Big Coal Strike of 1922
On April 1, 1922, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) started a nationwide strike. This meant coal miners all over the country stopped working. W. J. Lester owned the Southern Illinois Coal Company. His mine was a strip mine, located between Herrin and Marion, Illinois. At first, Mr. Lester agreed to join the strike.
Owner's Debt and Broken Promise
Mr. Lester had just opened his mine. He had a lot of debt from starting his business. He talked with the UMWA and they agreed he could keep his mine open. But he promised that no coal would be shipped out during the strike. Some UMWA members even kept working under this agreement. Mr. Lester thought local union leaders were friendly with him. However, he was warned that he might not control all the regular union members.
By June, Mr. Lester's miners had dug up almost 60,000 tons of coal. Because of the strike, there was less coal available. This made the price of coal go up a lot. Mr. Lester realized he could make a huge profit, about $250,000, if he sold his coal. So, he decided to break his agreement with the union. When the UMWA workers objected, he fired all of them.
Bringing in Strikebreakers
Mr. Lester then brought in mine guards and 50 strikebreakers. Union members called these new workers "scabs." These strikebreakers were hired from agencies in Chicago. On June 16, 1922, Mr. Lester shipped out sixteen railroad cars full of coal. Later, it was revealed that his mine guards had machine guns. They were very aggressive. They searched people passing by and scared women.
Tensions Rise
Union President's Message
A reporter asked Mr. Lester about his workers. He said his steam shovel operators and railroad workers were part of their own unions. John L. Lewis, who was the president of the UMWA, sent a telegram on June 20. He said the Steam Shovelmen's Union was an "outlaw organization." He claimed they had also provided strikebreakers in other places. Mr. Lewis stated that UMWA members were right to see these workers as "common strikebreakers."
Confusion Among Unions
There was some confusion between Mr. Lewis and William J. Tracy. Mr. Tracy represented another union, the International Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and Dredgemen (IBSSD). Mr. Lewis publicly said that UMWA representatives had tried to talk to the IBSSD but got no help. He also mentioned that the Steam Shovel union had been suspended from the American Federation of Labor. The United Mine Workers also belonged to this larger group. Mr. Lewis claimed the IBSSD was also helping break strikes in Ohio.
Mr. Tracy responded that he had sent four people to the Herrin mine when asked by the owner. But they left when they saw the armed guards. He said no one from his group was working in Herrin. Mr. Tracy also criticized the UMWA for not talking to them enough about the situation.
It is not clear if Mr. Lester was telling the truth about contacting the IBSSD. He might have just wanted to hide that he was using non-union workers. For Mr. Lewis, it did not matter. Mr. Lester's workers were not UMWA members. The UMWA believed they should be the only union for all coal miners.
Miners Take Action
Mr. Lewis's message was printed in newspapers. Miners in the area decided to act. Early on June 21, a truck carrying Mr. Lester's guards and strikebreakers was attacked. This happened near Carbondale, Illinois. Three men were hurt, and six others jumped into a river to escape. Later that day, hundreds of union miners gathered in the Herrin cemetery. Mr. Lewis's message was read to them, making them even angrier.
The union miners marched into Herrin. They took guns and ammunition from a hardware store. Around 3:30 p.m., they surrounded Mr. Lester's mine. Mr. Lester's guards started shooting. They killed two UMWA members and seriously injured a third, who later died.
The Mine Under Siege
Calls for Help
The mine superintendent, C.K. McDowell, called National Guard Col. Hunter. He told him the mine was surrounded and being shot at. Mr. McDowell said he could not reach Sheriff Thaxton. He begged for troops to be sent. Col. Hunter called the sheriff's deputy. He told him to ask the Illinois National Guard Adjutant General for troops. He also told him to go to the mine with as many men as possible to stop the attack.
Sheriff Thaxton's men did nothing. Col. Hunter then called the adjutant general himself. He convinced him to get troops ready. Mr. Lester, who had left the area days earlier, was reached by phone in Chicago. He understood how serious the situation was. He agreed to close the mine for the rest of the nationwide UMWA strike.
Failed Truce
Col. Hunter and a group of citizens planned a truce. They called Superintendent McDowell and told him to raise a white flag. They also asked Fox Hughes, a UMWA leader, to go to the mine and do the same. The plan was to figure out how to safely get the guards and nearly 50 strikebreakers out later.
Superintendent McDowell later called Col. Hunter. He reported that the shooting had slowed down. Col. Hunter and the citizens' group felt hopeful that a disaster would be avoided. They decided the National Guard troops were not needed after all. Mr. Hughes went to the mine with a white flag. But he never took it out or raised it. He later said he did not see Mr. McDowell raise a white flag. So he thought Mr. Lester's men had not kept their part of the deal. He went home and did nothing. He later claimed he learned his boss, Hugh Willis, was involved. He felt his role was finished.
Growing Mob
During the evening, more union supporters took guns and ammunition. They made their way to the strip mine. Mr. McDowell was supposed to call Col. Hunter when the truce began. But when Col. Hunter tried to call the mine, he found the phone lines had been cut. No police officers went to the mine. No government officials went with Mr. Hughes to make sure the white flags were raised. No troops were sent by the National Guard. This happened even though it was clear Sheriff Thaxton could not be trusted to act. Nothing was done to make sure the truce happened.
Late in the evening of June 21, Sheriff Thaxton finally agreed to go to the mine. He was supposed to make sure the truce was carried out. He was also supposed to ensure the superintendent and strikebreakers were safe. Even though he was urged to go right away, he said he needed to rest. Sheriff Thaxton promised to meet Col. Hunter and Major Davis at his office at 6 a.m. the next morning.
That evening, Hugh Willis, a local UMWA leader, spoke to union supporters in Herrin. Mr. Willis said about the strikebreakers: "They should have known better than to come here. But now that they are here, let them face what's coming." Gunfire continued all night. The angry crowd started destroying equipment to stop the mine from reopening. They used hammers, shovels, and dynamite to wreck the machines. They kept the strikebreakers trapped inside coal cars and behind barriers.
The Surrender
The strikebreakers sent out a mine guard named Bernard Jones. He had an apron tied to a broomstick as a white flag. Mr. Jones told the crowd that the men would surrender if their safety was promised. He was told, "Come on out and we'll get you out of the county." The nearly 50 strikebreakers, guards, and Superintendent McDowell did as they were told. The union miners began marching them all to Herrin, which was five miles away.
After about half a mile, the strikebreakers met more men waiting at Crenshaw Crossing. One of them shouted that the only way to get rid of strikebreakers was to kill them all. The crowd became more angry and violent as they marched the prisoners. Some people hit the strikebreakers with their rifles and shotguns.
The Tragic End
The Chase
About half a mile past Crenshaw Crossing, at Moake Crossing, Superintendent McDowell was already bleeding and limping. He could not walk any further. A union man told him, "I'm going to kill you and use you for bait to catch the other men."
He and another man took Mr. McDowell down a side road. Gunshots were heard. The rest of the prisoners were forced to keep going toward Herrin. A farmer later found Mr. McDowell's body. A car drove up to the group. A man got out whom some people heard being called "Hugh Willis" and "the president." According to the survivors, Mr. Willis said, "Listen, don't kill these fellows on a public highway. There are too many women and children and witnesses around. Take them over in the woods and deal with them. Harm as many as you can."
The strikebreakers were taken into the woods. They reached a barbed wire fence. They were told to run for their lives. A union man shouted, "Let's see how fast you can run between here and Chicago!" The crowd started shooting as they ran. Many of the non-union men got caught in the fence and were shot. Others made it over the fence but did not know where they were. They ran through Harrison's Woods toward Herrin, about a mile north. The chase continued into the morning of June 22. Six men were shot and killed outside Smith's Garage in the town.
At the Cemetery
Six strikebreakers were caught again. They were told to take off their shirts and shoes. They were ordered to crawl to Herrin Cemetery. By noon, about 1,000 people had gathered at the cemetery to watch. They saw the strikebreakers tied together with ropes. Union men took turns beating and shooting them. A reporter tried to give a dying man some water. He was told that if he did, he "wouldn't live to see the next day."
What Happened Next
Discovering the Scene
Sheriff Thaxton did not meet Col. Hunter and Major Davis at his office at 6 a.m. as he promised. He finally showed up at 8 a.m. By then, Col. Hunter and Major Davis had already heard rumors of the violence. When the three finally arrived at the mine, what was left of it was on fire. They learned the crowd had left three hours earlier.
When they followed the path of the crowd, they found terrible evidence. There were dead, dying, and wounded men. Injured men were taken to Dr. J. Taylor Black's Herrin Hospital. In total, 19 of the 50 strikebreakers died during the massacre. Another was killed shortly after. Three union miners had been shot and killed during the attack on the mine the first day. This brought the total number of victims to 23.
Public Reaction
The dead strikebreakers were laid out in the Dillard Building in downtown Herrin. Most of the town came to see them. Some people looked quietly, while others cursed. Sixteen of the 19 strikebreakers killed were buried in a public burial ground in Herrin Cemetery on June 25, 1922. A seventeenth victim was buried in October 1922. He died after surgery for his injuries. Thousands of people attended the funerals of the three union miners who died at the beginning of the attack.
The whole country was disgusted by the massacre. One newspaper said Herrin, Illinois, should be cut off from the rest of the world. President Warren Harding called it a "shocking crime, barbarity, butchery, rot and madness." Others compared the people of Herrin to the behavior of German troops during World War I.
Mr. Lester, whose actions had started these tragic events, made a lot of money. The union bought his mine for "a handsome price" to avoid lawsuits.
The Trials
Initial Findings
At first, an investigation by the coroner concluded that all the strikebreakers were killed by unknown people. It also stated that "the deaths of the decedents were due to the acts direct and indirect of the officials of the Southern Illinois Coal Company." The coroner suggested that the company and its leaders should be investigated to find out who was responsible.
Court Cases
Two trials were held. The first began on November 7, 1922, and the second in the winter of 1923. Only six men were officially accused of being involved in the massacre. Both trials ended with all the accused people being found not guilty. The lawyers for the state gave up and dropped the remaining accusations. Otis Clark was the first man to be tried on a total of 214 charges. Two years later, Mr. Clark was shot and killed by someone unknown. Another accused person died in a mine accident.
A grand jury in Williamson County investigated the incident. They blamed the Southern Illinois Coal Company for bringing in strikebreakers and armed guards. They also blamed the company for illegal actions, like closing public roads. The jury criticized the state government for not doing enough once the trouble started. Herbert David Croly, a writer for The New Republic, criticized the state of Illinois. He said it allowed the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to pay for the investigation.
Mr. Croly described the revenge for the deaths of two strikers as "atrocious." He noted that union miners were likely to avoid punishment for killing the African-American strikebreakers. He also pointed out that officials who had harmed strikers in other events, like at Ludlow or Bisbee, often also escaped justice. Mr. Croly noted that the local government and public opinion were on the side of the union. He said that in such situations, the union had a responsibility to control its own members.
Herrin Massacre in Media
- Paul Cadmus painted a picture called The Herrin Massacre (1940). It is now in the Columbus Museum of Art.
- A folksinger named Jerry Swan wrote a song in 2006 called "The Herrin Massacre."
- The podcast Criminal made an episode about the events. It was titled "Herrin Massacre."
