TNCAMPBE-L Archives

From:
Subject: Fesler Murder
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 06:58:40 EST

Mine Boss Killed
By Sniper's Shot
LAKE CITY, Tenn. (&) A
sniper's bullet killed a coal
mine owner Monday as he
worked his machinery on a
federal flood control project
here in defiance of threats of
sabotage or death.
Five persons were questioned
at length in the slaying of
Jess Fesler, 53. of Sunbright,
Tenn., shot in the back as he
stood beside his bulldozer on
the project near the Lake City
High School.
Anderson County Sheriff
Glad Woodward questioned two
of the men in Clinton, south
of Lake City, and Campbell
County Sheriff Rose Kitts
held three men for questioning
in Jacksboro.
Lake City is located on the
Anderson - Campbell county
line about 30 miles northwest of Knoxville.
It is in the .coal-field area extending through
southeast Kentucky and northern
Tennessee.
The area has seen numerous
cases of violence since the United
Mine Workers began a drive to
bring all mines under
union contract. Three persons
have been killed in Ketucky.
Sheriff Woodward said, however.
"We are positive this
shooting is in no way concerned
with union troubles."

Source: Oswego Pallendium Times, Oswego, New York, 6/9/1959

Sniper Kills
FormerCoal
Mine Owner
LAKE CITY,Tenn. (AP)A sniper's bullet killed
a former coal miner owner Monday as he worked his
machinery on a federal flood control project here in
defiance of threats of sabotage or death.
Five persons were questioned at length in the slaying of Jess Fesler,
53, of Sunbright,Tenn., shot in the back as he stood beside his
bulldozer on the project near the Lake City High School.
Anderson County Sheriff Glad
Woodward questioned two of the
men in Clinton, South of Lake City.
and Campbell County Sheriff Rose
Kitts held three men for questioning
in Jacksboro.
Lake Cityi s located on the Anderson
Campbell county line about
30 miles northwest of Knoxville.
It is in the coalfield area extending
through southeast Kentucky
and northern Tennessee.
The area has seen numerous cases
of violence since the United
Mine Workers began a drive to
bring all mines under union contract.
Three persons have been
killed in Kentucky.
Sheriff Woodward said, however,
"We are positive this shooting
is in no way concerned with union
troubles."
Sued For 534,111
The UMW welfare fund sued
Fesler in 1957 for $34,111 it claimed
he owed for back contributions
to the fund.
He filed a crossbill contending
he had signed the union contract
under duress.
However,Woodward said he is
probing mainly in other directions
for possible motives. Among other
things, the sheriff said. Fesler:
1. Was the complaining witness
in an armed robbery case against
Franklin D. Smith, which was to
have been heard by the Campbell
County grand jury next week.
2. Had been seen frequently with
women other than his wife.

Source: Lancaster Eagle Gazette,
Lancaster, Ohio, 6/9/1959

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