New-York tribune., 1900-06-05
TIE CGUR D'ALENE INQUIRY.
MINORITY OF THE COMMITTEE DENOUNCEs
GENERAL MERRIAM AND THE
PRESIDENT

Washington June 4.-The minority report of the
Cuaur d'Alene Investigation Committee given
out to-day by Representatives Lentz and Hay who
drafted it The following is summary of its main
fea lures:
The minority point out that the evidence taken
during the investigation shows that there was abso
lutey no riorng in Shoshone County. Idaho. after
April % 1893: that when the United States troops
arrived upon the scene quiet had been restored and
no resistance was being made to the State authori-
ties. who were arresttng as rapidly as possible
those who were suspected Is of being implicated in
L is maintained BY the minority that the troops
sent Idaho by the President Of the United States
continued be under the control Of the President
only use the troops in aid Of the civil Authorities
OF the State to preserve peace and order and pre-
the process Of the courts and the proper civil
United States has kept and is still keeping soldiers
tyrannical course Of conduct pursued by the Gov
abuse Of power and violation of law by General
Merriam. the commander of the troops;
s1 snS 4fH e troons to he town Of Burke
and arrested without warrant the entire male popu-
ertV of the citizens which has no parallel in the
second-GeneraI Merriam sent detachment OF
troops into the State Of Montana for tie purpose
OF arresting fugtives from Idaho, inexcusable
exercise Of arbitrary power by General Merriam.
Third-Lieutenanu Lyon, acting under the orders
of his superior officer. by threats of violence forced
me against their viii No such fagrant invasion
Of the right Of the citizen can be cited in the his
Fourth-3Iajor Smith suppressed The Mullan
Mirror" a newspaper published at Mullan. thus
denying free speech and Tree press his was a
gross violation Of law wholly untustifed.
Fffth-The permit systen-in fact a blacklist
systen-approved by General Merriam and kept in
operation this day by the presence or the mill
rarv forces Of the United States is a violation of
law which cannot be defended
IN summing up the minority say:
We are satisfied from the evidence adduced be-
fore the committee that General Merriam was
wholly mistaken 10 MS powers and duties: that
his conduct has resulted in the gravest injuries
10 the liberty Of the citizen and the rights Of ndi
viduals Innocent men have been kept in prison
for months without trial and have been finally
discharged without any charges being preferred
against them
Al one time or another there eleven
hundred men IN IT. tne prison at Waraner known "a, as
the '-bullpen-' They were kept there many months
They were not tried. They charged with
any crime: they were held and guarded by United
States troops. II was the duty of General Merriam
and Of the President of the United States TO in
quire into the and reasons Tor the detention
OF so many citizens. No such inquiry ever
made Such Indifference is hard 70 understand
The plea that General Merriam was acting at
reDresentative Bartlett Sinclair is not good
Neither the Governor Sinclair had the right
to violate the law, and General Merriam knew II,
or should have known IL.
Although the Governor Of Idaho has for year
and been governing Shoshone County by
martial law he has never called the Legislature to-
gether The laws OF Idaho provide that a session
Of the Legislature can be called on twenty days
notice The minority hold that the President is
T10t justified in keeping United States soldiers in
de6nitalv in Shoshone County at the Will of
one man. when the legislature representative OF
the people could be ana ought 10 be convened
and their wishes ascertained
The majority report also completed to-day
and submitted to the minority members but it VIII
not be made public until approved by the House
Military Affairs Committee which conducted the
investigation.