The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-31

Executive Declares the hull Pen
Was Well Conducted Prison,
The Occur d'Alene mining enquiry was
continued by the House Committee on Mil
itary Affairs yesterday. Governor Steunen-
berg being under examination by
Mr.. Sulzer and Mr. Lentz during the
greater part of the morning session and
under redirect examination by Mr.. Dick
during the afternoon session, During the
morning session Governor Steunenberg
testified that the civil authorities and not
General Merriam were responsible for ar
rests and the treatment Of prisoners.
The afternoon session was consumed by
Mr.. Dick in asking questions for the pur-
pose of eontradictinG the allegations made
by the miners and corroborating the Off
cial reports made by General Merriam
concerning conditions in the Occur
d'Alenes the bull pen, and the treatment
of prisoners. Now and then during the
session clashes of more or less severity
occurred between Mr.. Dick and Mr.. Lentz
The witness was asked if General Mer
RAMS report, paragraph by paragraph,
was true. Mr.. Lentz objected on the
ground that General Merriam was present
10 speak for himself and that he could not
be corroborated by a man who was not
witness TO the events described. The OBJ
lection was not sustained, the Repub-
licans voting against it.
Mr.. Dick-This examination must worry
you.
Mr.. Lentz-Oh, no; 1t only amuses me
it's farce.
Mr. Dick-well. much of your examina-
ton did not even amuse us.
Mr.. Lentz-You may think it is evil
dence.
Mr.. Dick-I think it is pretty good evil
dence-right to the point.
Mr.. Dick asked the witness for his YER
sion of the story that a dying prisoner
had been denied the right to see a priest
The witness said he knew nothing about
it other than what had been told him.
Mr.. Lentz objected TO this as the merest
hearsay. The objection was voted down.
Governor Steunenberg said that a Cath
Ollie WON Mrs. Sweeney-had told him
that she had investigated this story and
had found that it was without foundation.
She had learned that Mike Devine, when
asked if he wanted TO see priest, had
replied: TO - with the priest; / do
not want to see one" The witness said
that when this story was at first told it
was that the priest when sent for had
been denied access to the dying man. The
priest had told him that he had not been
denied admittance.
Mr. Lentz-He told you that he did not
know that he had been sent for
Governor Steunenberg-No. sir.
Mr.. Lentz-I move that Father Becker
be brought here on a subpoena
Mr. Capron-What! Just TO contradict
shis one statement?
Nj Lentz-I want to prove that what
the Governor says here on the stand Is
false. l move Mr.. Chairman, that a sub
puena issue now.
Mr. Hull-Call the roll
Those voting against the motion were
Messrs. Brownlow. Dick. Esch. Capron, and
Hull. The only vote in the affirmative was
by Mr.. LentZ. the other Democratic mem
bers of the committee. Messrs. Hay, Sulzer,
Cox, Slayden, and Jett, not being present
at the time.
The Governor. IN reply to questions by
Mr.. Dick. said the bull pen was neat. well
ordered and well conducted and that the
miners were never better fed than while
incarcerated. He knew nothing about the
men being compelled to sleep On bare floors
and made 10 stand for hours in the sun I'M
der penalty of being shot. He said no
complaints were made TO him about the
cruelties of Captain Edwards, L. S. A. or
recall them. He had not heard that Cap
.ain Edwards amused himself by calling
the prisoners "cowardly ours" and other
opprobrious names. The witness thought
that the writ of habeas corpus was not
suspended; at was simply denied" He
was asked about his refusal to permit the
union miners to hold their 18th Of July
celebration. Mr.. Sinclair issued the or
der prohibiting this celebration.
~ha# 4 . f.a~ go
The fight that took place between union
and non-union men at Wallace in 1892
during which three men ON each side were
killed On July II the union miners deco
rate the graves Of their dead and make
speeches
Why did you forbid this?"
ITO prevent seditious utterances."
What about the suppression of the free
press
Il suppressed the 'Mullan Mirror for
seditlous and infammatory utterances.
rs It true that all the union men were
in the bull pen at the time the Industrial
Commission sat at Wallace?"
Il do not think that all the union men
We're in the bull pen at that time"
The witness said he relieved General
Merriam from responsibility for arrests.
He said that meetings of miners unions
were not prohibited. He had not pro-
p.;::~I three meetings. Neither had Cen
eral Merriam. He said he had not Leard
that the wives and families of bull pen
prisoners We're subjected TO insults by
United States soldiers. except in one in
etance. He had referred the case to Mr..
Sinclair for investigation, but did not know
that Mr.. Sinclair had made any report on
the matter.
Governor Steunenberg said that If any
arrests were made in Montana they were
made by Idaho deputies, under escort Of
Federal troops
And with the consent of the Governor
OF Montana" enquired Mr. Dick
y do not know about that"
Mr.. Dick then proceeded to read the
long letter written by Governor Steunen-
berg to President Mckinley in support OF
his appeal FOR the retention of troops in
The mining district At the end of each
paragraph Mr. Dick would ask If the Gov
ernor was still willing 10 affirm what he
had then written. Mr. Hay objected 10
this as tedious process, but after his
(nz0%n%