The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-28

The Occur d'Alene enquiry was con-
tinued before the House Committee on
Military Affairs yesterday. The examina-
ton of Bartlett Sinclair was concluded and
Brigadier General Merriam, United States
Army. who commanded the troops in the
Occur d'Alene district, went on the stand
TO defend his actions in Idaho. He upheld
every action on his part as commander,
and claimed to have been forced TO do
what he did
General Merriam, when called and sworn
stated that he had been ordered by the
Secretary OF War 10 hold conference
with Governor Steunenberg. After reach
ing Wardner / met Mr.. Sinclair, and after
a talk with him decided to send another
company to Burke, said the witness.
1.-The men in the bull pen wert without
blankets and overcoats, and must nave
been more or less uncomfortable. When
/ went to Mullen / instructed Lieutenant
Lyon to go into Montana and take charge
of all prisoners turned over by the Gov
ernor of that State.
The witness then read and explained the
many teiegrams received and sent, among
others the following which he stated ex-
planned the situation fully:
Adjutant General Army. Washington, D. G.: a.
Inquest still in progress with closed doors one
hundred and twenty-eight arrests made by STATE
officials under military support. No signs OF
resistance but indications are most leaders Oh
mob have escaped. going east or west INTO MON
tana and Washington; others hidden IN 'he noun
1sins Sheriff at ThompsOns Falls. Mon, reports
many arriving on foot over mountain tlalls. Low
errors Idaho and Montana corresponding ior ar,
rests in Montana. Troops in position 10 DO an
asHHFH g~aFQ l.
;zed resistance MERRIAM,
Brigadier General
Governor S,euuenberg Boise, Idaho:
| am still holding nearly 900 prisoners IN
barn and box cars. All are very uncomiortaoie
and with unsaniiary conditions winch VIII soon
become intolerable Something must be done to
hurry preliminary examination and release OF
those not prma facie guilty 1t is impr1cueabie
TO make this large number of prisoners reason
ably comfortable here without considerable time
and expense Can you not personally inspect the
situation at once and bring help?
MERRIAM, Brigadier General.
No Conference with Mine Owners.
did you ever have any conference with
mine owners or managers"
NO: l have often talked with them and
discussed conditions while in camp.
Ibid you visit the bull pen often?'
Every day l regarded the prisoners as
comparatively innocent men and took an
interest in their condition.
There was lively tilt over the admis-
sion of the report of Capt T. W. Lowell,
who had charge of the bull pen. The re-
port was submitted by General Merriam
as the testimony of an officer unable TO be
present The Republicans voted TO admit
the reyort. and Mr.. SulZer argued that 1t
was simply another case OF the Administra-
tion representatives admitting statements
TO contradict sworn testimony. General
Merriam was permitted to read the report,
but refused to swear 10 it. The report de-
MED every charge made by the miners and
stated that the writer had been father TO
al of them.
General Merriam denied the testimony of
Attorney Robertson. stating that the
former was in attendance at the coroners
inquest and stated that he was never In
side the building. He acknowledged that
The prisoners in the bull pen were COM
PEELED to work on the erection of the new
building
What connection did you have with the
issuance of the permit SYSTEM
Il received a proof Of the permit TO
work, and after reading il added TO it what
! considered an improvement. as follows;
Partis. applying t1r such permits must be pre-
pared: First 10 deny an participation in the
riots OF April %. lSH. in Sh1shone County, and,
second. to deny renounce membership IN any
society which has melted. encouraged or ap-
law.
Il then authorized my name to be placed
at the bottom Of the circular"
General Merriam took up the resolution
TO provide a committee to investigate the
Occur d Alene troubles and answered each
paragraph in turn. He claimed that he was
sent into Idaho by the President of the
United States; that there was a condition
of insurrection; that he made no arrests
and denied no prisoner the right to trial
by jury: that he never subjected houses
or persons to search and that he never or
dered the arrest of the sheriff of Shoshone
County. He stated that be had no personal
kn Wedge of cruelties imposed by Captain
Edwards and could not answer this para
graph. He acknowledged that the charge
that he had enforced the labor permit
proclamation. but said that it had never
been intended to use United States troops
for this purpose.
Captain Bennett Tcstifies.
Capt John B. Bennett, United States
Army. captain of infantry and Judge
advocate, was sworn in as the first
witness. When examined by Attorney
CLANCY, who represented the State as well
as the military, he stated that he was a
lieutenant OF infantry and alde-de-caInI
10 General Merriam during the Idaho trou-
bles. In making his statement as to the
trouble he said that on May l, 1899, Gen
eral Merriam and Governor Steunenberl
met at Glen's Ferry. Idaho, and after re-
quest had been made for troops by the
Governor General Merriam ordered severa
companies TO come TO Shoshone County
On the following night the witness. witt
General Merriam, left Boise for Wardner
That night General Merriam received &
telegram from Governor Steunenberg. or
dering him to stop all trains and arres
all persons suspected of being miners
General Merriam told me that this
lifted a load from his mind, said the
witness. and he ordered that all sus
pected persons be placed in custody
AT Wardner, Mr.. Sinclair asked tha
troops be sent TO Burke. One troop o.
cavalry and detachment of the Twenty
fourth Infantry went 10 that place ac