The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-02
WENT CRAZY IN THE BULL PEN
Witness stewart Tells the story OF
One .Iohnson--The "Inquisition-


I the newspaper publisher at Mullan. Ida
I no. today continued his testimony before
1 the house committee on military affairs
concerning the labor troubles in Idaho.
! He said that on June his newspaper
! plant was eonhscated by two civilian Of
: ncials accompanied by a detachment OF
soldiers, causing him considerable loss.
The witness said that throughout his de-
/ tention he was given no trial except be-
| for<-rthe Kangaroo court" He said this
was the name applied TO sn 'inquisidon'
carried on by a local official not magls-
trate He detailed a conversation with
one of the state officials, in which the
latter is said to have asked Stewart 10
resume publication OF his paper "on the
side of law and order" threatening that
If the publication continued to be as Il
had been Stewart might expect to remain
in the bull pen.
The witness testified as 70 the death OF
one Johnson, a prisoner in the bull pen
He said Johnson was taken before the
"inquisition." and an effort made TO learn
from him the names Of those who partici-
pated in the riots Whfn Johnson return
ed 10 the pen he expressed fears that
he would be hanged. lie tried to Kill
himself with Indian clubs. and later.
while fleeing from an imaginary foe he
was shot through the head and killed by
a guard. The witness said johnson was
mentally sound before being put in the
pen" and was pronounced insane after
being there. Other prisoners. he said.
were in fear of being shot, and many
thought the place was 10 be set on IRE.
There were about $50 prisoners. and about
1oG) to 300 soldiers in the Cour D'Alene
district He expressed the opinion that
there had been no occasion for declaring
martial law.
Some OF Mr.. Lentzs inquiries brought
into question the accuracy Of the report
OF the testimony taken by the Industrial
commission as to the Idaho trouble. but
this line OF inquiry was ruled out. on the
ground that the committee had no
authority TO investigate the industrial
commission.
on cross-examinati0n Representative
Parker took the witness over the circum-
stances on the day the mill was blown
up Mr. Stewart said he saw large parties
leave Mullan and return later in the day
but he did not know the purpose Of the
movements. Several members Of the
committee questioned the witness AS 70
the departure fminers on the day Of
the dynamiting OF the mill He said the
party numbered from 40 10 90 The min
ing population OF Mullan was about On
When the parties returned they refused
TO say where they had been CT what had
occurred. He saw one man carrying
shotgun, but none Of them wore masks.
The committee took a recess AZ this point.
At the afternoon session Edward Flan-
agan. justice Of the peace at MuIIan,
related his experience. He said he had
nothing to do with the riots or he blow
ing up OF the mills. that he was arrested
without a warrant and held in the bull
pen" eighty-seven days. Here ne tesd-
fed the treatment was brutal and IN
human and the food was not ~ % eat
He also gave with much detail Instance
Of alleged cruelty. Al one time tho prls-
ouers who refused % DO degrading work
were ranged IN a standing line and
the guards were ordered 20 shoot anyone
who stepped out u his tracks AZ ar
other time a prisoner who did not move
quickly was threatened by an officer wifh
being hung up by the thumbs over night Z
The man was removed. bat The witness 1
did rot know whether the punishment i
was iusictsd.
Chairman HUI asked question banded .
him b. Captain Edwards. who was pre-
srt. as . whether th> order 20 70 oH the
standing He" was rot because the men .
refused 70 fu IN a tunref they had
evacuated for means o. escape. The -it- 3
hess understoo5 such tunne. Sad been
discovered. bit 6la nos know u Was The
occasion fsT the orser NJ Huns azassd r
soldiers who dlsobayed orders Ters uot
treated the Same as she prisoners hai
been treated. The rltueFr auT-ere6 ftat
being cltlze1s me prlsaners were ao'
sb5 ect 20 the sans gii-a as 2a'tlerf
Re said me standing Tine wss main
aimed only one Gay
The committee thez adjou-ned uniH 60