The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-06
TERRORIZED BY TROOPS
COUER D'ALENE MINERS ARE SAID
TO HAVE BEEN INUNDATED.
Evidences of Witnesses in the Idaho
Riot Inquiry-Master JawwOrker
Sovereign to Testify for Lentx.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-Moses s. Sim.
mons continued his testimony before the
House committee on military affairs I'm
the Couer dAlene investigation to-day. He
testified to the circumstances of his re-
moval from office. shortly after the mining
demonstration, his arrest and imprisonment
in the county jail for five days.
William Powers testified that he was
night Waterman and constable at Mullan
Idaho, at the time of the demonstration N
Wafdner. He discaimed any knowledge n.
the blowing~up of the mining COMPANY A
week after the demonstration at Ward
ner the witness was arrested by soldiers,
but subsequently released. Later, he was
summoned to appear before the United
States industrial commission when he was
again arrested by deputy. He demanded
to know what charge there was against
him. whereupon, he said, the deputy drew
a gun, and an exciting ARRAY occurred
in which the deputy lost his gun
soldier interfered and Powers was arrested
To the industrial commission that he was
there and they notified him that the com
mission would come to the pen" and take
the testimony OF all prisoners. But, the
witness said, this testimony was never
taken. He said he never learned the ma
ture OF the charge against him.
Mr.. Powers said the families of imprisoned
men suffered until a commissary store was
established at Mullan and about 81 900 of
charitable contributions from labor organ
izations and the Antitrust Association was
distributed. The military terrorized the
people The women complained that negro
soldiers attempted to enter their houses
One woman. whose husband was in the
bull pen, had a note signed "A Colored
Soldier" put under her door, He knew of
no complaints to the commanding officers
and there was no investigation. He had
seen soldiers enter. houses to make arrests
| and searches.
On cross-examination efforts were made
| to get the names of those who returned
after the blowing up of the mining prop
erty. Mr. Lentz protested against this as
| in the line of intimidation" as the in
| formation would be used to make military
| arrests. The witness did not give the
| names, but said he had furnished them to
| the sheriff. He said the terrorism from
| the soldiers gradually diminished. There
| were no actual outrages, but the witness
| had seen negro soldiers spying around
houses at night. He was treated kindly in
the bull pen," and saw no outrages He
| and the sheriff intended TO arrest ring
| leaders of the crowd which blew up the
| mining property, but his own arrest pre-
1 vented action on his part.
! Representative Lentz said that he had
| about concluded the direct presentation of
| the case, and after hearing one further
| witness tomorrow would yield to General
| Merriam, Governor Steunenberg and others
| denying the charges. Several witnesses,
| including former Master Workman Sover-
| elBn, OF the knights or LABOR, ne said,
| would be reserved for rebuttal. Mr. Lentz
| asked that the committee again call on the
| War Department for all kilograms con-
| nected with the subject and particularly
| the original instructions to General Mer-
| riam. This was agreed to- Mr.. Lentz
| also asked that President Mckinley be
| asked TO submit afiiaavits alleged to have
| been filed by citizens of Idaho showing
| that there was no need of martial law and
| that abuses were occurring under the mill
| tary system. This request went over
Chairman Hull expressing doubt as TO the
| right to call on the President for papers
| The committee admitted the plea of Attor-
ney General Hayes. of Idaho. In the habeas
| corpus proceedings, Mr.. Lentzs purpose
| being shown by IL that the State conceded
that the writ Of habeas corpus was sus,
pended.