The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-13
AN IDAHO GRAND
JURY SUMMONED
Judge Stewart Reviews the Circum-
stances Leading Up to Mar
tial Law.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

WALLACE, Idaho, June 1.-THE
trials of some 800 prisoners who are
charged with completely in the riots at
Wardner on April %. when the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan Mill was blown up
with dynamite by a mob of 1000 min
ers and two men shot and killed. began
to-day in the State District Court,
Judge Stewart presiding
The trouble which eliminated in the
destruction of the Bunker Hill and Sui
Ivan property has been of long stand
ing. The miners unions of the Occur
d'Alene district have been very power
full and for many years only union men
have been employed in the mines. ex-
cepting the Bunker Hill and Sullivan
and the Last Chance mines at Ward
ner, which employed non union men.
Great pressure had been brought to
bear, particularly on Bunker Hill and
Sullivan, and even threats had been
made to compel the owners to recognize
the miners union and to employ only
union men. The Bunker Hill people
steadfastly refused to employ union
men.
On April % about 1000 men took pos
session of a train a Wallace and rode
to Wardner, where they blew up the
mill with dynamite, destroying prop
erty valued at $500 900. In order to pre-
serve order and protect property, Gov
ernor Steunenberg of Idaho called upon
the federdl Government Tor troops, and
within five days from the destruction
of the mill 500 United States troops
were in the Occur d'Alene mining dis
trict under command of Brigadier Gen
eral Merriam. Governor Steunenberg
declared martial law, which was en-
forced by the Federal troops. In all
about 800 miners were arrested charged
with completely in the riot, but more
than half of these have been released.
Among those arrested were Sheriff
James d. Young of Shoshone County and
County Commissioners Boyle and Slim
son.
The cases of the officials charged
with aiding and abetting the riot were
called in court to-day in the form of
Impeachment proceedings.
The State was represented by Attor-
ney General Hayes and Attorneys Be-
rah and Forney and the defense by
Hon. Patrick Reddy and Messrs. Jones
and Morphy.
Jones presented and argued a motion
to quash and strike from the records
the accusations against the defendants,
claiming that the citation to appear
had been issued in an illegal and irreg-
ular manner.
This afternoon Judge Stewart grant
ed the motion to quash the indictment
against the County Commissioners,
Boyle and Stimson, holding that Judge
Mayhem had no right to issue. a cita-
ton to appear while holding court in
chambers. The prosecution then with
drew the information against Sheriff
Young. New informations were filed
in both cases. The statute requires five
days notice to appear, so both cases
went over until next Monday with the
understanding that they might be
taken up earlier by consent of counsel.
The defense then endeavored to have
Young reinstated as Sheriff, but the
court would not hear them here.
The Grand Jury was then called and
Judge Stewart delivered his instruc-
lions, which fill over eight typewriter
pages. He commented on the import
ance Of their duty on the rights of all
men in court, stating that men have a
right to assemble or organize for law
full purposes. Then he went infinitely
into the law regarding conspiracy, riot,
unlawful assemblage, intimidation,
failure of officers to dispense riotous
gatherings, murder, destruction of
property and especially by explosives
Regarding the special purpose for