At this time, Jellico was the toughest place in the states.  Scores of men were killed there.  Even school teachers were in danger from drunken and hasty parents.  This condition kept up for at least fifteen years and then improved slowly.  The influences of churches and schools were making conditions better.  There were also firm rules among mine managers to discharge those who caused any disturbances in the mining camp.  This had a quieting effect.  The laws were lax.  A discharge was more effective.

To give an idea, let me give a few personal experiences of my own.  In the year of 1884, I accepted a position as mine foreman, then I followed it up a little later on by becoming general superintendent.  This position I filled until the year 1896, leaving it to take charge of the Procter Coal mine; at that time one of the largest mines in the Southern coal field.

At the East Tennessee Coal Company my first experience happened on a Sunday evening, sitting on David LEWIS' porch with Harry WYNN, Walter LEWIS and Thomas LEYSHON.  There was a wire fence built around the house with the gate directly in front.  While we sat talking, I could hear yelling and it was getting closer.  I could not see who it was as there was a slight hollow and also a turn in the road coming from Jellico and leading to the mining camp.  The one doing the yelling came in sight, swinging a nickel plated revolver over his head.  I could see he had been drinking and was hunting trouble.  His name was MALCOLM, a bricklayer.  He came to build chimneys in the camp.

I noticed that he came out of his way so that he would pass close to the house where we four sat.  Mr. LEWIS told LEYSHON to get the shotgun and place it near the door so that he could get it quickly should MALCOLM try to make trouble.  He was getting near and still swinging his revolver and yelling.  He was doing this for our benefit, thinking we would leave and go into the house.  When he reached the gate, he stopped and looked fiercely at us.  Then he rested his gun on the gate post and sighted it at us as if taking careful aim.  Elder M. LEWIS shouted at him to go on away.  Walter LEWIS reached for the shotgun and I ran down the steps and leaped over the fence close beside him.  He was a heavy built man, but before he could point his gun at me I caught his arm and twisted the gun out of his hand.  He kept swearing all the time and demanding his revolver.  LEWIS shouted to me to see if the gun was loaded.  I told him yes, that it was fully loaded.

Mr. LEWIS reached over the fence and placed the muzzle of his shotgun against his forehead, leaving a round ring of burnt powder but did not fire, but looking as though he would fire he told him to leave.  MALCOLM turned to me and wanted his gun.  I told him he could have his gun back in a few days.  He left swearing and saying he would go to his cabin and get his rifle and come back.  When he reached his cabin, he got his rifle and began shooting and kept it up for some time.

The next morning LEWIS and myself received word that he would get us.  After we had breakfast, LEWIS and myself started over to the store.  LEWIS had a gun over his shoulder and I had the heavy revolver.  Looking up the tramway, I saw MALCOLM with his rifle on his shoulder going to make good his threat.  As we drew nearer to each other, he turned in another direction.  He had seen LEWIS with the shotgun and backed off and went back again to his cabin more slowly.  The next day, a team came into the camp to move him away.  I sent his gun back to him.  I do not know what ever became of him.

The following Sunday morning while walking down the track to the coal chute, I noticed several men crowded near a large tree close by the L. & N. Railroad bridge.  From where I stood I could see the body of a man hanging from a limb.  He was hung early that morning by lynchers.

He was a colored man and kept batch on Black Oak.  It was caused by a white woman visiting him.  I knew several of the men that did the hanging.  I told them they did wrong.  If they had whipped the woman it would have a better effect.  The colored man was very quiet and a hard worker.