POLICE ARE UPHELD IN LOGAN SHOOTING
February 16, 1927
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Double Slaying is Justified, Judge Naaman Jackson Decides Logan Feb.16- An inquiry in circuit court here last night into the slaying of two men Friday during a raid om a moonshine stine substaniated declarations of state policemen who made the raid. That the slain men began the pistol battle that ended in their deaths. Lewis Conley, 22, It was said at the inquiry, replied with a pistol shot when officers surrounded the still on Smoke House Fork of Harts Creek and called its operators to surrender. He was fatally wounded and his cousin George Conley,35, was instantly killed in the gun battle that followed. A third man Brice Conley,20, brother of Lewis, surrendered without resistance and was held under a $15,00 bond last night to await trial in federal court at Huntington on charges of operating a still. C.S. Wilson, Roy Hinkle and H. W. Paul state policemen who conducted the raid, were brought into court on bench warrants, but were discharged by Judge Naaman Jackson following the inquiry. At the hearing before Judge Jackson last night, a statement from Brice Conley was read by Prosecuting Attorney L. P. Hager, Conley was quoted as saying that the three boys were making liquor when the officers approached and commanded them to hold up their hands, "Lonie" Hager shot at the officers and the state police replied to the fire, he said in his statement. Conley's statement said that he did not know that Lewis and George Conley were armed until they began shooting and that he himself was not armed. All three had been drinking he said. Following reading of the statement, the attorney for the officers C.L.Estep, former Logan County circuit Judge cross-examined them. Their story talied closely with previous statments and Mr. Hager announced he would make no argument but leave the decision as to whether they be held to up to the court. Judge Jackson then decided that the shootings was justified and was in performance of duty and exonerated the officers of all blame
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STATE POLICE KILL TWO
Alleged Moonshiners Shot During Raid in Logan: Officers Say They fired in Self Defense: One man Captured Logan, Feb15- Two men were shot and killed in an isolated section of Logan county by state police who raided a liquor still on the Smoke House Fork of Harts Creek late yesterday. The police claimed the men opened fire when officers demanded that they surrender. George Conley, 35 was killed instantly. His cousin, Lewis Conley 22, was fatally wounded and died last night. A third man Brice Conley, 20, brother of Lewis, was in the Migo County jail today, having surrendered to the officers without resisting. Privates Wilson, Hinkle, and Paul of the Logan County detachment of the State Police said they found the men making moonshine and burst upon them with commands to surrender. The officers said both of the men who were killed drew revolvers and began shooting. The police returned the fire and the men fell. State Police headquarters in Charleston Friday received reports that two alleged moonshiners had been killed in Logan county. The official report on the shooting coincided with the press dispatches from from Logan. Superintendent R.E. O'Connor said that no additional officers had been sent to Logan.
George Conley was the son of Ulyssis (Woob) and Laura Auford Conley Brice and Lewis Conley were the sons of Nimrod and Nina (Mary) Hensley Conley
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