The representative., 1900-04-05
IDAHO BULL PEN HORROR
GOVERNOR sTUNENBERG ON THE
STAND.
IdahO's Executive Avoids Answering
Pointed QuestiOns-The Inquiry
Into the ShOsh0ne Mining Troubles
Almost Farce-The Witness
Shielded by the Republican Menu
bers of the Committed.

Shielded by the Republican Mem.
ber. Of the Committee.
The governor of Idaho testified before
thu committee on military affairs OF the
ECuse Of representatives that the proc
laMs tion putting into effect the labor
permit syster, in Shoshone county was
not written by him and was promul-
gated without consultation with him,
but that he approved of it. He
said that he was willing to assume re-
sponsibility for every act that the mil
itary authorities or the deputies did. He
said in the early part of his examina
tion that he did not know that soldiers
or deputies had made arrests in Mon
tana, but il they did he was RESPONSE
ble for it and would stand by it." Lat
er in his testimony he recalled that he
had heard something about arrests be-
ing made outside Of his state and with
out any process of law for offenses al
legged to have been committed in his
state. He claimed the right to keep
Shoshone county under martial law as
long as he thought proper; to remove
civil officers at will; to arrest men with
out warrants or without specifying any
charges and to suspend writs of habeas
corpus. When asked If he conformed
his actions to the rules which he pre-
scribed for others, he said: Il reserve
oh IN do 7 nj
Mr.. Lentz characterized him as a des-
pot and a tyrant, and without equivo-
eating while on the witness stand and
under oath. Mr.. Cox several times ex-
his refusal to answer pertinent ques-
tions directly. Mr.. Hay asserted that
the witness either Intentionally evaded
questions or lacked intelligence, and Mr..
bers of the committee for being biased
and unfair. Both Mr.. Lentz and Mr..
Sulzer made sharp attacks on Mr.. Chan
ey, who appeared as counsel for the
Steunenberg, and Mr.. Hay entered Wig
orous protest against Mr.. Clancy sug-
gesting answer to the witnesses. The
Democratic members of the committee
generally accused the Republican men,
bers with shielding the witness from
a proper cross-examination, because on
at least dozen occasions, during the
inquiry, when the witness either directly
or through attorney, objected to max
ing answer to an embarrassing ques-
tion, the Republican members voted
solidly that he need not answer, the
Democrats voting that he should
The cross-examination of Gov. Steu-
nenberg was conducted in a calm, de-
liberate and incisive manner by F. C.
Robertson, Of Spokane, Wash, counsel
for the miners. The examination was
opened with a line Of questions to elicit
from the governor what powers and
authority he had delegated to Bartlett
Sinclair. The memory of the witness
was not clear on this. He recalled
that he had telegraphed to him simply
to act as his representative In Sho-
shone county. He had not a copy of
the dispatch.
If Gen. Merriam made arrests with
out warrants before the issuance OF
the proclamation that state of insur-
rection existed, the governor did not
know Of it. He said he did not know
how many men were thrown into the
bull-pen, how long they were kept there
how many were released, when they
were released, or why. He did not re-
call ever having seen a list of the
prisoners, though it might be that he
had. At any rate, he had no list now
but did not know where one could be
obtained, and could not produce the
list for the committee.
THE BULL-PEN PRISONERS.
A question was asked by Mr.. Rob-
ertson as to whether he understood the
bull-pen prisoners were state or feder-
al prisoners. Mr.. CLANCY objected to
the question. Mr.. Sulzer promptly de.
clared that he was opposed to lawyers
and men not members of the commit
tee making any objection to any ques-
tions. Mr.. Sulzer said: ut is appar.
ent to me that the majority of the com.
mittee is attempting to shift the re.
sponsibility, to protect themselves be-
hind counsel. We have not asked fo1
counsel. l have no objection person.
ally to Mr.. CLANCY. but / am opposed
to the proposition which allows this
lawyer to protect this Witness" (Mean.
Ing Gov. Steunenberg)
Mr.. Sulzer characterized the action O,
the majority of the committee as "sim.
ply an outrage" and said that under the
biased rulings of the committee "tht
record Of the proceedings of the com.
mittee had become a farce
Mr.. Hull said: II want to repudiate
right here the unwarranted assumption
OF Mr.. Sulzer that the majority of thi.
committee on the side of the defenss
or on any other side. We do not in
tend to be put in the position Of taking
80 Z sasa s
Il