The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10
THE coEUR D'ALENE TROUBLES.
More Testimony by Sovereign Before
the House Committee.

The Occur d'Alene enquiry occupied the
time of the Committee on Military Affairs
o. the House of Representatives yester-
day, the sessions being devoted TO the
cross examination of James r. Sovereign
by Representative Dick Mondell and other
members OF the committee.
1t was sought TO be shown that martial
law in Idaho was declared by the State
and not by the Federal authorities, but
the witness reiterated the statements
made by him under direct examination
that martial law existed in the Occur
d'Alene district before it was declared by
the State authorities. One OF the orders
issued by General Merriam, calling for
the arrest OF suspects and saying This
is martial law" was read. The despatch
of Adiutant General Corbin TO General
Merriam. approving the latter's action in
declaring martial law, was also read.
These dispatches antedated the proclama-
ton of the Governor OF Idaho.
The witness was asked: Did you ever
see any arrests made by soldiers"
"Oh, yes, sir; in a number of instances"
Are you sure that the persons arrested
were not taken into custody by deputy
marshals, and then turned over by them
to the soldiers?'
II saw the soldiers take the men into
custody, and heard them on several occa-
sion say: Consider yourself under ar
rest "
The witness said he did not know the
names of the men arrested by the soldiers.
In those days We we're not going 100
close to men who were being put under ar
rest"
Were not the military forces sent there
10 Dreserye the DeaCe2''
Il don't know what they were sent there
for. but / know. AS a matter of fact, that
they not only did not preserve the peace,
but that they acted in a contrary way"
In your examination n-chief you have
said that the soldiers prosecuted limo
cent citizens and treated them without
mercy. Now in wha. manner were these
citizens prosecuted and cruelty trested?"
We'll, to take men into custody with
their wet clothes or stand them up in
the cold and refuse TO permit them to
change their clothes or to get a blanket
l certainly consider chat TO have been
cruel" tr
Mr.. Dick wanted to know from the wit
ness IL it were not true that the State of
Idaho declared martial law.
Mr.. Sovereign said it was his under
standing that the W'.i Department had de-
clared martial law ~
10 YOU hHo" Why int men III tHe DuIl
pen were at one time sentenced to nine
days on bread and water?"
We'll, l think that was inflicted as
punishment for the refusal of some of the
men to dig ditch around the bull pen
II may have been, though. that this order
of starvation was issued by Captain Ed
wards because OF the fact that some of
the men threatened to make a break for
liberty"
can you make an estimate of the per-
centage OF American citizens who were con-
fined in the bull pen?''
II think that nine-tenths of those piis-
oners were American citizens, either ma
tive born or naturalzed.
Then you say that only 10 per cent of
them We're foreigners"
Not more than that
The attendance yesterday was not so
large as on other days, and il is gene Tally
understood that the investigation is draw
ing TO a close.