Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-07
SOVEREIGN AS A WITNESS.
Knights Of Labor Leader Tells Of Idaho
Riots
No Talk OF Blowing Up Mill-Heard
Explosions Severely condemns
Military and state Officers.

Washington, March 6.--At the Occur
d'Alene inyestiga ion today James r.
Sovereign, formerly master workman
Of the knights OF Labor, said ne was
In the Occur dAiene district during
the demonstration against the Bunker
Hill mines and was editor Of the OIL
cial organ Of the miners organization
at Wallace, Ida. He attended a la
Dor meeting at Gem. Ida. the night be-
fore the blowing up Of the mill, and
later that night attended a meeting at
Wallace, but there was no talk OF blow
Ing up the mill.
He never heard that any demonstra.
ton was contemplated against the
mining property The next morning,
while standing In front Of his office, a
man on horseback rode by and said,
Sovereign, they are coming.
He asked who were coming, and the
horseman answered, THE Canyon
Creekers."
He saw a train with a number OF
men aboard going down to Wardner,
There were conflicting rumors Of what
would occur at Wardner. He went
down on the noon train and reached
Wardner IN time TO hear the three ex-
plosions when the mill was blown up,
He saw many men, some with Win
chesters, and there was considerable
firing,
To avoid the confusion he stepped on
an engine While on the engine a man
he au IA a nd
demanded that the train be brought
to a stop. and this was done. Mean
time there was some shooting into the
hume Of the mining camp.
The train then proceeded to Wallace.
There was no excitement there. The
same quiet prevailed at Wardner, KEEL
logg and other points.
Mr. Sovereign told OF his appearance
before the coroner when many soldiers
and several lawyers identified with the
mining interests We're present. AS the
military were In control. Mr. Sovereign
applied TO military headquarters for a
pass. He said he told the major in
command that he'was president of
Montana mining company. Thereupon
the officer showed excessive affabllity
and said the military forces proposed
to take care 81 the mine operators. He
heard he was to be arrested, but this
never occurred.
Mr.. Sovereign said he had advised
that the soldiers be used TO assist the
local authorities, but not TO enforce
martial law. Instead Of that, martial
law was enforced with extreme sever
ity. The conditions We're less acute. he
said. than in Chicago during the great
strike. and yet the military system
adopted was far more rigid.
Mr.. Sovereign described scenes at the
bull pen" He said he heard negro
soldiers use obscene language against
the imprisoned miners When the men
were arrested they wore light clothing,
such as Is used M deep mines, and al
though the weather was very cold, they
received no additional clothing. The
witness stated that while one Of the
miners was in the "bul pen" a
party attempted TO force an entrance
to the room Of miners wife. The
man committing the offense was ar.
rested by a local constable, but after
wards released by the soldiers.
When asked who was the RESPONSE
Bile official in charge OF affairs. Mr..
Sovereign said there was 10 difference
bsween Governor Steunenberg. Gen.
eral Merriam, Captain Edwards and
Auditor Sinclair "They all had
-Jorgensens behind them" he dc.
clared. He added that one Of the mine
officials had given the order 20 fire"
AT the time the demented miner. John.
son. was shot Mr.. Sovereign will con-
tinue tomorrow.