The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-09
Ordered by a Committee Of Strikers
to Remove the Rails,
Which Resulted in the Death Of Engineer
Clark and the SoIdiers-The Con-
fession in Worden's Hand
writing and Witnessed BY
Warden AuIl.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. S.-Salter D.
train, bearing guard of United States
soldiers near Sacramento during the
great railroad strike in 1884, and in
whose behalf the Supreme Court of the
United States declined to take favorable
action on his plea for a new trial. has
confessed his crime to Governor Budd,
with a view to receiving a commuta-
ton of the death sentence from the EX-
ecutive Of the State.
Worden's confession covers 800
words, and gives full details of the
crime; telling that he with several others
had been. ordered by sa>aommittee os
strikers to remove the rails near the
Yolo bridge. for the purpose of wreck
ing the train carrying the troops. He
gives the names of his accomplices, and
makes known many details of the work
CT the strikers heretofore unknown to
the general public.
Ex-President Cleveland interested
himself in Worden's behalf, out of SYM
pathy for the mother of the condemned
man, and Governor Rudd determined to
probe the matter 70 the bottom before
deciding the case, with the result that
Worden made the confession in the
presence of the Governor, Warden Aull
OF the Folsom Penitentiary and a stem
ographer.
The confession, which is a long. ramb
ling document, is in Worden's own hand
writing, his signature being witnessed
by Warden Aul of the Folsom prison,
who filed the document with Governor
Budd to-day. Worden was induced TO
make the confession by the entreaties
OF his relatives, aided by the advice of
the prison Warden.
The latter declares that the confession
was voluntarily made, without hope of
reward or mitigation of his sentence. but
it is said that Worden had reason to be-
lieve the death penalty would not be i'm
posed if his lips We're unsealed.
Worden throws the blame for the
PATCHING of the train wrecking plot on
Harry Knox. Chairman of the Grievance
Committee of the Sacramento Lodge,
American Railway Union, who, he says,
gave him all his instructions and de-
coyed him into accompanying the gang
OF wreckers to the Yolo bridge He also
charges completely in the plot to Mullin
and Compton. the other two members
of the committee, who with Knox man
aged the strike on the Sacramento di-
vision of the Southern Pacific.
The confession begins by Worden stat
ing that he arrived in Sacramento early
ln 1894 in search of work. In May OF
that year lodge of the American Rail-
way Union was organized, and he be-
came a member. He was elected as
delegate to represent the lodge at the
Chicago convention of the order. held in
June. and was to be paid s. day. He
returned to Sacramento on June 10Th,
and found that the strike had been de-
clared He adds:
"As soon as | changed clothes l a:
once sought the officers of the lodge
TO report. and found that the Griev-
ance Committee, consisting of Knox,
Mullin and Compton. were in charge OF
the strike. and there was to be a meet
irg that evening. at which ! was 10
make my report 10 the convention on
matters of bylaws and new legislation.
and while so making my report il
was adjourned on receiving notice
that there was some trouble at the
depot That was the only meeting at
which | tried 10 make my report. II
was generally understood. and all
seemed to be satisfied to let 1t go until!
the strike was ended.
in the days after my return to Sac
ramento / became again member only.
and was no longer an officer OF the
lodge, had no authority except as AN
organizer. which was given me by the
General Secretary while in Chicago in
any way, nor had any one else 10 my