The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-31
STEUNENbERG A WITNESS.
CONTINUES HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE.
Describe. His Several Trips to wash
ineton and Conferences With the
President - Protested Against the

WASHINGTON, March 30.-Gov. Steu-
nenberg resumed his testimony at the
Occur d'Alene investigation today, Mr..
Sulzer conducting the cross-examination.
The governor related his various talks
with Gen. Merriam He first met him In
May last, and went over the insurrec-
tionary conditions and the necessity for
troops. The governor said he requested
Merriam to order the troops TO Shoshone
county. and he did so. When asked who
was in supreme command in Shoshone
county, Merriam or Sinclair, the governor
stated that he. himself. was the response
bic head OF affairs, although he did not
exercise any control or command OF the
troops There was no agreement with
Gen. Merriam. said the governor, that
labor organizations were to be broken
up nor was there any talk of supprcssing
them.
The governor again went over his trips
TO Washington and his call on the presi-
dent. When questioned as TO what the
president said, the governor replied that
the president listened to his brief recital
Of conditions and the need of the con-
tinued presence Of the troops, but made
no reply The governor was also exam
ined as to his calls on Secretary Root,
and said the latter intended 10 withdraw
the troops from guard duty on october
-. The governor called to protest against
this. He found that the secretary was
quite determined to withdraw the troops.
an order to this effect having been issued.
and most Of the governors efforts were
directed to showing to the military au-
thorities that the troops should not be
withdrawn. The withdrawal was finally
postponed
The governor denied that there was any
talk OF politics in connection with the
postponement He told the secretary there
al.
time TO raise a local guard before the troops
were to be withdrawn. and these represen-
taticns brought about the postponement.
At present the troops were not on guard.
but were in garrison. Further questioned
as TO calls on the president. the governor
said the president told one Of the delega-
tions that he had acted as an official. send
ing troops on the governors cali. and that
any other course would not have been a
compliance with his sworn duty.
when Mr.. Sulzer referred to the reign
OF terror you inaugurated." Gov. Steunen-
berg answered emphaticaliy: II did not in
augurate a reign Of terror. It was there
before | got there. and had existed for
the last seven years" He said further to
Mr.. Lentz Il know that country has
been a hell on earth for the last ten years"
Representative Dick opened the redirect
examination. When cross-questioning had
closed he said he was sorry politics hal
been brought into the inquiry, hut as
this had occurred, he would pursue that
course to some extent. He asked Steunen-
berg a. TO the reports Of his communica-
ton with Senator Hanna or with himself
CDickl. TO which the governor replied that
he had never seen either Of them until he
came to Washington.
The governor said he was elected as a
Democrat in IS and % Did you support
Bryan?' asked Dick.
II DID"
Would you support him again?'
Most assuredly. II he IS nominated
afa,n. / will support him by all means"
Dick inquired IL Bryan had ever written
or expressed any protest or disapproval
OF the governors course Sulzer and Lentz
protested. and Hay OF Virginia objected on
the ground that Bryan was not present
But he will be soon" remarked Iseutz,
who added that Bryan would not declare
martial law The committee voted to
allow the question as 10 whether Bryan
had protested. and Steunen5erg said he
had never heard from Bryan. in protest
or otherwise.
HAS any prospective vice presidential
candidate on the Democratic ticket pro-
tested to your" asked Dick. amid much
laughter. the question being dira1fed to-
wards Sulzer The governor fzid there
had been no such protest Inquiry was
then directed 20 showing the Circumstan-
ces under which the governor had called
for troops. At noon the committee took
a recess until the afternoon.
Alleged Acts of Cruelty Denied.
Representative Dick continued the ex-
animation Of Gov. SteunenoerE during the
afternoon session. going over d number
OF the alleged acts Of cruelty occurring
In the bull pen. As 20 statements OF the
killing Of a prisoner Johnson. the COVER
nor said that on investigation he learned
that il was a case OF suicide OF an insane
man. As 20 the charge that "a dying pris-
oncr had been refused the services %
priest The governor said that an invcstl-
CATION showed the story 90 be absolutely
false