Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-04
THERE WERE NO
RIOTS IN IDAHO
Minority Of Committees Finding for
Subsequent to April 29, 1899.
PRESIDENT Is CONDEMNED.
say lie IL UNFOLDING a Tyrannical
Course of Idaho's GoyeTnor-G Gen.
Merriam Criticised.

Washington. June 4. The minority
report on the soeur d'Alene inyestga-
ton was given out today by Represen-
tatives Lentz Of ohio, and Hay, Of Viz
glnla. who drafted It. The following
is a summary Of its main features;
"The minority point out that the evil
dence taken during the investigation
shows that there was absolutely no riot
ing in shoshone county. Idaho, after
April %. 1895; that when the United
states troops arrived upon the scene
quiet had been restored. and no resist
ance was being made to the State au-
thoritles. who were arresting as rapidly
as possible those who We're suspected
OF being implicated in the crime Of April
80 1899
IT Is maintained by the minority
that the troops sent 10 Idaho by the
President Of the United States contin-
ued TO be under the control Of the
President and that the military com
mander in charge could only use the
troops in aid Of the civil authorities OF
the state to preserve peace and order,
and TO prevent resistance being mace
by lawless persons TO the process OF the
courts and the proper civil authorizes
Of the State.
"The President OF the United states
has kept and is still keeping soldiers III
that community. and by so doing is up
holding q tyrannical course OF c'hduc'
pursued by the governor Of ldaho.
THE minority points out Migrant M
stances OF abuse OF power ana violation
OF law by General Merriam, the COM
mander Of the troops -, o
"l-General Merriam sent on May
about lj0 troops TO the town OF buIke'
and arrested without warrant the entlre
male population OF the town conslstlilB
OF about 300 persons. IL was an oulraee
on the liberty OF the citizens when mas
no parallel in the annals OF TINS eouH-
try ,-A.....
a2-Gen. Merriam sent a detachment
Of troops into the state OF MohtahS ~.
the purpose Of arresting fugiuves rom
the State Of Idaho, an ineXcusaDie eA-
ercise OF arbitrary power by Gen. MeI-
RAM
"S-Lieut. Lyon acting under the or
der of his superior officer By threats
of violence forced certain citizens 70
work I'm the Tiger Poorman mine
against their viii. No such fragrant IN
vaslon OF the right Of the citizen can De
cited In the history Of this country.
"4-Major Smith suppressed the Null
len Mirror. a newspaper published az
Mullen. thus denying free speech ana
free press. This was gross VIOLA
ton OF law. wholly unjuStihed.
"5-rhe permit system IN facti
blacklist system approved by Cen
Merriam, and kept in operation 20 TINS
dav. by the presence Of the military
forces of the IT, s.. Is violation OF ia"
which cannot be defended
In cumming up. the minority say
they are satisfied from the evidence ad-
duced before the committee that Cen
Merriam Was wholly mistaken as 10
his powers and duties; that his con-
duct has resulted In the gravest inlus-
tice 10 the liberty Of the individual IN
nocent men have been kept In prison
for months without trial and have been
finally discharged without any charges
being preferred against them.
AT one time or another there We're
over LOO men In the prison at Ward,
ner. known az the bull pen Ihey
were kept there many months. Ihey
were not tried. They were not charged
with any crime they were held ana
guarded by United states troops. u
was the duty of Gen. Merriam ana OF
the President Of the United States To
INQUIRE into the causes and reasons ior
the detention OF so many American citl
zens. No such inquiry was ever maue,
| Such Indifference Is hard 20 understand
and harder 90 excuse.
THE plea that Gen. Merriam was ae',
ing al the request Of the governor Oh
Idaho and his State representatiVe.
Bartlett Sinclair is not good. NeitheI
the governor nor Sinclair had the right
10 violate the law. And Gen. Merriam
knew II. or should have known u.
Although the governor ~ ldano ~
| for a year or more been governing
| shoshone county by martial law ne ma
never called the legislature together /.
/ the laws Of Idaho provide that session
/ OF the legislature can be called OF
/ twenty DAYS notice. The minority hoiu
that the President Is not iustihed H
Keeping United States soldiers indeh-
/ nitelv In ShOshone county az the nieI.
! win Of one man, when the leglsiatuI,
! representative OF the people could naSs nav.
| and ought 10 be convened ana theh
wishes ascertained.'