Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-12
Witness Describes an Awful Condl-
ton Of Affairs,
SERIOUS CHARGES MADE.
Indiscriminate Arrests ENtorting
Testimony Bribery aud Cruelty
suffers Question.
LAfternoon plspatehes.l

Washington, March Ill, ]. Slmp-
klns. an electrical engineer at Ward
ner. Idaho. testified In the Occur
d'Alene investigation before the House
committee on military affairs today.
He said he did not participate In the
riot but soon after that event he was
arrested by a squad Of United States
troops, who went about the streets ar
resting those persons pointed out by
Bunker Hin mine spoilers Two spec
tators on the streets who stopped to
see the soldiers and their prisoners,
were promptly arrested and put with
the other prisoners. The witness said
one OF the prisoners. a swede was TAX
en- with a III, whereupon a negro sol
der struck him senseless with the butt
OF q gun. The corporal OF the guard
came up and turning over the fallen
man said: II guess you've fixed that
fellow all right"
slmpkins said one OF the prisoners
was robbed OF $50. One OF simpkins
recitals caused something OF a sensa-
ton He said he was taken from the
'bull pen by a squad Of four soldiers
and marched 10 an open enclosure,
where be was placed with his back
against a building. The soldiers stepped
back and cooked their guns, apparent
IL making ready to shoot him. Al this
point, he said. q high official Of the
Bunker Hill mine appeared and said
they had evidence enough TO hang the
witness OF send him up for many years,
but II he would tell who blew up the
mill he would be turned loose.
Simpklns said he protested that he
did not know who the guilty parties
were, and the EFFORT 10 get evidence
from him was finally given up.
The witness stated that at another
time while in the bull pen a party,
who said he was authorized by an Off
clal. offered him $4,000 TO impllcate
two persons IN the blowing up Of the
mill. The party said n did not matter
much who were implicated, but the
names Of certain miners and the coun-
rs assessor were given. whom 1t was
most desired TO implicate, for the pur-
pose, the witness said, OF hanging them
or getting them out Of the country.
He said he afterwards learned that the
assessor had mad trouble with the
Bunker Hill mine over their assess
meuts.
The witness detailed an interview
with an army officer in which the latter
declined to permit a priest 70 be sum-
moned TO one OF the prisoners VINO was
dying and also refused to allow him to
communicate with his partner as 20 the
disposition Of his property He detailed
many other instances OF alleged cruelty.
one OF his recitals was as TO a brief
visit BIZ Gen. Merriam 10 the bull pen,
and the refusal TO allow prisoners to
communicate with him. In telling OF
the shooting Of johnson, the prisoner
who went insane. the witness contrib
uted additional testimony that While
johnson was running away, a certain
mine official shouted shoot shoot, and
the soldiers accordingly shot.
The witness said he helped to dig
the tunnel intended as a means OF es-
cape. az he was dying by inches He
also gave his experience on the stand
ing line, and while In solitary conine-
ment.
When Representative Sulzer. who d.
rected the examination, asked the wit
ness concerning "this Siberia OF hor-
rors." objections were made TO the
Characterization but on vote the COM
mittee permitted the question.