The Huntington Dispatch
Twenty-Three Peonage Indictments Are Reported
JURY HAS FINISHED ITS WORK
AT NINE O'CLOCK GRAND JURY OF JUDGE KELLER'S COURT BROUGHT
SENSATIONAL FINDINGS AGAINST PROMINENT MEN
SAMUEL DIXON
IS MADE DIRECT DEFENDANT ON NUMEROUS COUNTS WHILE HIS COMPANIES
AND EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO DEFENDANTS
April 12, 1908.
The long expected sensation in connection with the United States court now in session in Huntington materialized at nine o'clock last night when the grand jury's final report was formulated. This report, among many indictments for lesser offenses, included twenty-three true bills against persons charged with peonage and conspiracy to restrain the liberties of persons held against their will.
The bulk of these indictments are against the Dixon mining interests in Fayette county, Mr. Dixon's name appearing in the counts in four distinct instances.
The indictments recite that the defendants conspired to hold and did hold in a state of involuntary restraint, the following laborers:
John White, Robert Holder, William Trussler, Matthew Jones, _____ Stephenson, Alfred Blackburn, Adam Beverly, _____ Knock, and _____ Ward.
The firs[t] batch of indictments were brought under Section 5440 of the Federal Statutes, and charge conspiracy. On this charge indictments were brought against John Wilson, M. L. Parker, A. G. Felts, _____ Harris, (bookkeeper) Sam Dixon, Frederick Dixon, William Dixon.
Indicted under the same section on another count were:
John Wilson, Samuel Dixon, M. L. Parker, A. C. Felts.
Indicted under section 5526 (peonage): John Wilson, M. L. Parker, A. C. Felts, _____ Harris, Samuel Dixon, Frederick Dixon, William Dixon.
The indictments as enumerated were for holding the laborers named above.
The report of the grand jury has been awaited eagerly for several hours. Although no definite information has reached the outside, it was known that the question of peonage was being made, the subject of a rigid investigation and the report created no surprise when made public.
General Charles W. Russell, assistant attorney general of the United States, arrived in the city Wednesday, and assisted District Attorney Northcott in conducting the investigations before the grand jury. General Russell has for a number of years been actively engaged in prosecuting offenses of this character.
Mr. Dixon is one of the wealthiest of the New River coal operators, and is the chief owner of many of the most important mines in that territory.