The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-14
OUTRAGES BY SOLDIERS.
wore Evidence Against the Troops
on Duty in Idaho.

1
| The coeur d'Alene enquiry occupied the
attention of the Committee on Military
AHairs of the House of Representatives
during the greater part OF yesterday. The
committee met in executive session at 10
O'Clock. At IL o'clock the public was ad-
mitted
Representative Lentz said that In view
! Oh the fact that kilograms from capitalists
I TO the War Department asking protection
for their property had been given out for
| publication he thought 1t fair that the
! afiidavits presented to the President
by Senator Heitfeld and others should also
| be made public. He, therefore moved that
the President be requested to furnish the
| committee with copies OF those papers
in which prominent officers of the mining
and labor organizations stated that mar
tial law was unnecessary in the Coeur
d'Alene district
The motion was discussed in executive
session and was voted down.
l.. J. Simpkins. whos- examination was
not concluded on Monday. returned to the
witness stand. Under direct examination
| the witness had testified that the coroner's
jury OF Shoshone county was prejudiced
| and unfit to carry out the obligation of
the oaths taken by them. 1t was along
1
the witness, asking him questions concern
ing the probity and reputation of each
member of the jury. Il explaining why
he considered the jury dnfair the witness
said that it was composed OF persons
drawn from the sca5 faction.
Colonel Dick a ked him what was meant
by scab faction. Simpkins replied:
We'll. you see. there are three factions
in Wardner-one is the scab faction. the
fAfh ha zion, ND ha oil thnr fh,
neutral faction
What did the scab faction stand for?"
THAT was made up of the Bunker Hill
people"
What did the union faction stand for?"
ITO maintain the union scale of wages"
What did the neutral faction stand
fcr?''
They were business men who attended
to their own business and lid not mix up
with either of the other two sides
Now. why do you think the coroner's
jury was improperly constituted?"
Because the business of that coroner's
jury was not to enquire into anybody's
death. but to find out, II possible. who
blew up the MILL therefore. the jury ought
not TO nave been composed of Bunker Hill
men,"
Were they all Bunker Hill men,
Every man of them
ITO which faction should the members
OF the jury have belonged in your opin-
ion?"
TO the neutral faction
How do you know that the business
of the Coroner's jury was to enquire into
the destruction of the mill?'
The statement is based on my own OBJ
servation and experience"
How about the members OF that jury?
What do you think OF Mr.. Rowley?"
He is devoid Of principle
I'm what particular ?"
In every particular"
Was he eve. convicted OF crime
Il do not know that. but he was impli- |
Gated"
rs he member Of the Church,"
Il believe he is
What about r H. Knght,''
He was not fit to serve on the jury be- |
cause he was a Bunker Hill spotter. who |
busted himself with pointing out 10 the |
soldiers citizens whom they should rrest. |
He belongs to the Church. he is an at |
torney- law. and clerk in dry goods |
store"
What about George Bitner?"
He keeps non-union saloon. The |
Bunker Hill men go there to buy the |
drinks for the shift BOSSES
You don't think he was disqualified be- |
cause Of being a saloonist?"
NO. sir; but his money came prin-
cipally out of the Bunker Hill men
What about the reputation OF J. r. |
Campbell2"
His reputation is poor. He is reputed
10 have killed several men"
DO You know that?"
Well he told me, and has told others"
What do you know about PERRIN
Il do not think he is very truthful. He
is under obligation to the Bunker Hill |
people. They gave him leases on certain
properties and gave him advantages above
other men"
He took lease On the Bunker Hill and
did not pay his men for the work they
had done?" asked Mr.. Lentz.
THAT is right" replied the witness.
Mr.. Simpkins insisted that Gay. Wright.
Grant. Wilson. and Smith, of the jury,
we're Bunker Hill men. and therefore enc
raled in tho bull pen.
Colonel Dick carried the witness over a
part of his testimony in chief concerning
arrests of citizens by soldiers
"A scab would just point out union
man" said the witness and that man
would be taken into custody by the mill
tary and thrown into the bull pen.
DO you mean to say that soldiers would
arrest citizens at the simple suggestion of
other citizens"
Il have seen them do it.
How do you know that the citizens who
pointed out men to the soldiers were not
deputy sheriffs or deputy marshals?''
We'll, l know that they were not.
have also seen soldiers arrest men and
take them off to the bull pen without
word or suggestion from anybody-just
of their own sweet will"
Tho will h,.-r rpsurnad