Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-13
SIBERIA OF HORRORS
WAS TIE BULL PEN.
A witness Tells of Terrorism Em-
ployed to Extort' Confession.
He Was Stood Up and Guns Were
Aimed at Him-BrutaI Treatment
of Prisoners--Man Who Became In
sane Shot by Soldiers.

WASHINGTON March 12.-L. j..
Simpkins, an electrical engineer at
Wardner. Idaho, testified in the Couer
d'Alene investigation to-day. He said
he did not participate in the riot, but
was arrested by a squad OF United
States troops, who went about the
streets arresting those persons point
ed out by Bunker Hill spoilers"
Two spectators on the streets who
stopped to see the soldiers and their
prisoners were promptly arrested and
put with the other prisoners. The
witness said one of the prisoners, a
Swede, was taken with fit, whereup-
on a negro soldier struck him sense
less with the butt of gun. The cor
peral of the guard came up and turn
ing over the fallen man, said: Il
guess you've fixed that fellow all
right" Simpkins said one of the pris-
oners was robbed of $50.
He said he was taken from the "bull
pen" by squad of four soldiers and
marched to an open enclosure where
he was placed with his back against
q building. The soldiers stepped back
and cooked their guns, apparently
making ready to shoot him. AT this
point, he said, high Official OF the
Bunker Hill mine appeared, and said
they had evidence enough to hang the
witness or send him up for many
years but that if he would tell who
blew up the mill he would be turned
loose. Simpkins said he protested
that he did not know who the guilty
parties were, and the effort to get evil
dence from him was finally given up.
The witness stated that at another
time, while in the bull pen,' party,
who said be was authorized by an otii-
cial. offered $4,000 to implica'e two
persons in the blowing up Of the mill.
The party said It did not matter mucn
who were implicated, but the names
of certain miners and the county as
SCISSOR were given, whom it was most
desired to implicate, for tie purpose,
the witness said, Of hanging them or
getting them out of the country. The
witness detailed an interview with an
army officer, in which the latter de-
clined to permit priest to be SUM-
moned to one of the prisoners who
was dying, and also refused to allow
him to communicate with his part
ner as to the disposition of his prop
erty. He detailed many other in
stances OF alleged cruelty.
One of his recitals was as to brief
visit by General Merriam to the bull
pen," and the refusal to allow pris-
oners to communicate with him.
In telling of the shooting OF Johr-
son, the prisoner who went insane.
the witness contributed the additional
testimony that while Johnson was
running away, certain mine official
shouted: Shoot, shoot" and the SOL
diers accordingly shot.
The witness said he helped to dig
the tunnel intended as means of es-
cape, as he was dying by inches"
He also gave his experience on the
standing line" and while in solitary
confinement
When Representative Sulzer, who
directed the examination, asked the
witness concerning this Siberia of
horrors" objections were made to the
Characterization. but on vote the
committee permitted the question.