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


Executive Declares thc HuH Pen
Was a We'll Conducted Prison.
The Occur d'Aleue mining enquiry was
continued by the House Committee on Mil
it3ry Affairs YESTERDAY. Governor Steunen-
berg being under denomination 10y
Mr. Sulzer and Air 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 Stcunenberg
testified thar 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 oontradiouug The allegations made
by the miners and corroborstng 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.. Lenjz 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; it only amuscs me
its a farce
M nek-well much Of your examina-
ton did not even amuse us.
Mr.. Lentz-Nou may think il is evil
dtnce.
Mr. Dicl-I think il is pretty good evi-
dence-right to the point.
M Dick asked the witness for his YER
sion OF the story that a dying prisoner
had been denied the right 10 see a priest.
The witness said he knew nothing about
il 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 'yoman-Mrs. Sweeney-had told him
that she had investigated this story and
had found that IL was without foundation,
She had learned that Mike Devine when
asked if he wanted to see a priest, had
replied: To - with the priest; I 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 sdmittance.
ar Lentz-He told you that he did not
know that he had been sent for.
Governor Steunenberg-No. sir.
Mr.. Lenu-I move that Father Becker
b. brought here on a subpoena
NJ Y n al aa
shis one statement?
Nj Lentz-I want to prove that what
the Governor says here on the stand IL
false. I move. Mr. Chairman. that a sub
puena issue now.
Mr. Hull-Call the roll
Those voting against the motion were
Nessrs. Brownlow. Dick. Esch. CaprOn. and
HUI. The only vote in the affirmative was
by Nir. LentZ. the other Democratic mem
bers Of the committee. Messrs. Hay. SulzeT.
Cox Slayden, and JetJ 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 IN
der penalty Of being shot. He said no
cruelties Of Captain Edwards. L. s. A.. or
IL such complaints were made he could not
recall them. He had not heard thaI Cap
tain Edwards amused himself by calling
the prisoners "cowardly ours and other
upprobrious names. The witness thought
that the writ Of habeas corpus was not
suspended: 1t was simply denied" He
was asked about his refusal to permit the
union miners 10 hold their 18th Of july
g. 1f- sTr.-
der prohibiting this celebration.
What does THAI commemorate"
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"
To prevent seditious utJerances'
What about the suppression OF the free
press"
4 suppressed the 'Mullan Mirror FOR
seditlous and iniammatory utterances.
rs II true that ali the union men we're
iu the bull pen at the time the Industrial
Commission sat at Wallace"
4 do not think that all the union men
were 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-
hibited three meetings Neither had Gen
eral Merriam He said he had not Lesrd
that the wives and families OF bull pen
prisoners were subjected TO insults by
United States soldiers. except ia one in
stance. 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 Steunonberg said that il any
arrests were made iu Montana they were
made by Idaho deputies. under escort OF
Federal troops
And with the consent Of The Governor
a. Montana enquired Mr. Dick
I DO not know about that
Nr Dick then proceeded to read The
long letter written by Governor Steunaa-
berg 10 President Mckinley On support OF
his appeal Tor the retention of troops iu
he mining district Al the end of each
paragraph Mr. Dick would ask 81 the Gov
Crnor was stin willing to affirm whist he
had then written Mr. Hay objected 10
this as a tedious process. but after bis
SOzOOODF