Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-05
THEID4Ho MINING TROUBLES
Testimony Before the House Milita,, Com
II mittss.
Night Waterman and Constable Mar
rates His Observation-Disclosures
ed by the Soldiers.

Il NJ
Moses S. Sim1pons continued his testi.
mony. before the House committee on mil
itary affairs In the Couer d'Alene investfga'
ton today. He testified to the circum-
stances of his removal from office shortly
after the mining demonstration, his arrest
and imprisonment in the county Jail for five
days.
A sharp controversy occurred between
Chairman Hull and Representative Lentz
who conducted the examination, as tc
whether the witness should state his opin-
ion on the necessity for martial law. On 8
vote the committee sustained Mr.. Hull and
excluded this line of inquiry. The witness
said he did NOT have fair trial on his re-
moval from office.
Did Not Know why He Was Arrested
VIM. Powers testified that he was night
Waterman and constable at Mullan Idaho
at the time Of the demonstration at Ward
ner. He disclaimed any knowledge or the
blowing up of the mining property. he saw
two wagon loads of men returning from
Warner late IN the day after the explosion.
The town was entirely quiet and men went
about their work as usual.
A week after the demonstration the wit
ness was arrested by a squad of soldiers,
but subsequently released. Later he was
summoned to appear before the United
states industrial commission, when he. was
again arrested by a deputy. He demanded
to know what charge there was against
him, whereupon. he said, the deputy drew
gun" and an exciting ARRAY occurred,
IN which the deputy lost his gum A sol:
der interviewed and Powers was arrested
and put in the "bull pen" He sent word
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 nature
Of the charge against him.
MHitarytTerrorizedt the People.
Powers said, the families of imprisoned
men suffered until a comnissary store was
established at Mullan and about $11 900 of
charitable contributions from labor organ
iZations and the antitrust association was
distributed. He said the presence of the
military forces terforized the people. There
were complaints by women that negro SOL
diers attempted to enter their houses One
of the women whose husband was in the
bull PEN received q note signed "A col
ored soldier. The woman told the witness
the note was put under her door. He knew
of no complaints to the commanding Off
GERS, and there was no investigation. He
had seen soldiers enter houses to make ar
rests and searches
N0Actual Violence.
On cross-examipation efforts were made
to get the names. of the men who returned
after the blowing up Of the mining prop
erty. a-1.x .s-.-
Mr.. Lentz protested to this as in the line
of intimidation, - as the information 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 &C.
tual 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 the ringleaders
Of the crowd which blew up the mining
property, but his own arrest prevented ac-
ton on his part. .'~=