Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-04-05
IDAHO'S REIGN
OF TERROR.
Troops Still Needed to Prevent Out
break Of LaWleSSneSS.
GOVERNOR ENDS TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Steunenberg Emphatic in Belief That
Crime Has Not Yet Been
Suppressed.

Washington, April, 2.-Governor Steun-
enberg today completed his testimony in
the investigation made by the Military
Affairs Committee into the Idaho mining
riots. He was detained but short time
by Representative Dick, and long enough
to bring out the facts that early in the
nnetes there were the same indications
of peace and quiet as exist on the surface
today but that riots broke out immediate
ly on the removal of the troops.
"Good citizens" said the Governor
"don't want the troops removed. There
are law-abiding citizens in Shoshone
county, plenty of them, if they can be
protected, but that American spirit Of
freedom and liberty that comes with oul
birth and under orr institutions, has been
crust ed out of them by ten years Of ter
ror. The tue American spirit can not be
restored in a few months. 1t would take
years for the people to feel that they are
again safe from the lawles.ness and once
more protected against crime.
Crime is still committed there. The
county has not been rid of it even under
martial law. 1t is hard, it is almost i'm
possible, under conditions existing there,
to ferret out crime or to administer justice.
instructions have been issued by me, y
said the Governor, "to release all innO-
cent men as quickly as possible. 1t is al
most i'm possible for people away from the
scene to realize the fear of the people.
Among the miners there has been bitter
feeling against the militia who have been
spoken of as the thirteen dollars a month
murderers.
In answer to direct question Governor
Steunenberg said that no application for
arbitration had been made to him either
by the miners or by the mine owners.
Representative Hay, Democrat, moved
to strike out of the Governors testimony,
all the evidence that pertained to the riots
from 1892 to 1899, holding that the condl-
tons preceding the riots of April, 1899,
were not relevant. The motion was over.
ruled by a vote of five to two.
Attorney Robertson, for theDemocratic
members of the committee and for the
miners, concluded Governor Steunenberg' g
examination. He elected nothing what
ever that was new, but attempted to decoy
the Governor into making admissions, by
putting questions into his mouth. His
efforts, however, failed, especially one ask
ing the Governor if he had not received
from the mine owners a sum of 5000 for
the purpose Of aiding the prosecution of
the riotous miners, "And for other pur-
poses" To this the Governor distinctly
and emphaticalIy answered mo, sir"
Representative Dick asked why he re-
fused to disband the militia of the Occur
d Alene district in 1897, as had been re-
quested by the county commissioners. He
said that at the time the officers of the
Western Federation of Miners were ad-
vising the arming of the unions. Follow
ing this body of armed and masked
men, lie said, appeared at Mullan and
compelled the delivery of large supply
of arms and ammunitiontiOn, owned by
the State of Idaho.
81 learned that Mr.. Ed. 3oyce, presi'
dent of the Western Federation Of Miners,
was in that county ten days before the ex.
plosion of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan
Mill, and at that time he inaugurated or
perfected this conspiracy by choosing
twenty men from the different organiza-
lions in that county and swearing them.
These twenty men chose one each and
swore him, and the forty each chose a
man and swore him. In that way there
were at least 100 men in this conspiracy to
do this thing sworn to secrecy"
The Governor said this information bad
came to him from James +. Sovereign,
through a mutual friend.
lie said he was shocked to learn that
Frederick B. Whitney, superintendent Of
the Frisco mine, had been taken from his
room at night by sixteen armed and
masked men, marched down the creek
and shot, dying in day or two.
Governor Steunenberg, who had been
IN the stand for twelve days, was then ex-
;used and Brigadier General w. p. Carlin,
U. S. A., retired, was the next witness
lie testified that he was in command of
he United States troops in the Occur
/ 'Alenes during the trouble.