The San Francisco call., 1899-07-11
COEUR D'ALENE
OFFICERS OUSTED
Decision Against Sheriff
and Commissioners.
JUDGE STEWARDS RULING
HOLDS THAT THE CHARGES
HAVE BEEN PROVED.
Close Guard Kept Upon the Jurors
Now Trying the Case of Paul
Corcoran on Charge of
Murder.
STEWARDS RULING
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WALLACE, Idaho, July 10.-Judge Stew
art this morning rendered his opinion in
the actions brought by the Attorney Gen
eral for the removal of the County Com
missioners and Sheriff. He held that the
charges had been proved to his satisfac-
ton, and ordered their removal from Of
fee. There were a number of charges
against the Commissioners, the chief
among which was that of approving the
official bond of the Sheriff and that of the
Tax Collector in q sum less than that pro-
vided by law. A few of the sureties on
these bonds did not appear upon the as
sessment roll, and some had allowed their
taxes to become delinquent. In each case
legally qualified sureties were upon the
bonds for more than the amount required
by law, but the court held that the sure
ties must qualify in double the amount
required, and that therefore the Commis-
sioners had not performed their duty in
accepting the bonds. There were several
other charges but they were of trivial
nature
Judge Stewart rendered a lengthy opin-
ion, covering eighteen pages of type-wrlt-
ten matter. In the case against the Sheriff
the charge was failure to prevent the riot
of April % and refusing TO identify par
ticipants therein. The Sheriff has main
tanned that he was unable to recognize
any one in the mob, but the court thought
otherwise and ordered his removal from
ofrlce for failure to perform his duty.
The Commissioners have been allowed
the liberty of the town for several days,
but the Sheriff has been confined in the
Wallace jail, and is still kept there. An
appeal will be taken to the Supreme Court
of the State.
Governor Steunenberg has been here for
several days and will at once appoint
Commissioners to fill the places declared
vacant by the court. The Commissioners,
under the Idaho law, will appoint Sher-
The trial Of Paul Corcoran began in
earnest this afternoon. Acting Prosecut-
ing Attorney Forney made his opening
statement to the jury before lunch and
outlined the case of the State. He stated
that the prosecution would prove con-
spiracy on the part of the members OF
the union acting as such organlzat0h,
to destroy the Bunker Hill mill ana drive
out of the country all non-union men en-
plOyed by the company that In pur-
suance of this conspiracy guns and masks
were placed IN the union halls in Burke
Gem and Mullan; that on the morning
of the 29th the union miners at Burke
repaired to their hall, where they armed
and masked and marched to the depot
where they captured the train Whlch TOOK
them to Wardner; that they We're met
at Gem and Wallace by delegations from
the other unions and at Warmer by
members of that union. Forney promised
to show that the defendant was NOV
ing spirit in this conspiracy, and that he
was one of the men who shot at Cheyne,
for whose murder he is now being tried.
In the afternoon but two witnesses
were examined, one of whom, Sheriff
Young refused a number Of times to
testify on the ground that he was in the
custody of the military authorities and
did not know what charge might be
placed against him, and that his answer
might incriminate him. He only answered
questions on being ordered so to do by
The other witness, Thomas Ames,
proven rather favorable to the defense.
He testified that he was member of the
Wardner Miners Union, and that he had
been told by certain members of the
union to keep away from the train on
the day of the riot because he could be
easily identified on account of mutt
lated hand.
on cross-examination he said that the
instructions of the officers Of the union
were never to destroy property or molest
any one and that he knew nothing of any
contemplated riot, and did not believe
any member of the Wardner union knew
of it. Witness did not go TO the scene
of the disturbance and had no personal
knowledge He also testified that he had
been discharged by the Bunker Hill Com
pany because he was a union miner.
Beds have been placed in hall adjon-
ing the courtroom for the jury, who are
not allowed TO receive papers or letters
or speak to any one without permission
from the court. The trial cannot be
finished short OF ten days.