davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

night. and the cause OF unionism in the State OF
Idaho received a blow from which II has not
yet recovered.
1t was about seven years ago that Governor
Steunenberg clashed with the miners unions in
his state He had been reelected for the second
term for the years 1899 and 1900 The strike
broke out in 1899 as result of labor agitators
trying 10 unionize the Coeur d Alene mines in
Shoshone County, in the northern and widest
part OF Idaho. They made easy conquests until
they came to deal with the managers of the
Helena-'Frisco, at Gem, and the Last Chance
and the Bunker Hill mines, in the Wardner ter
ritory. The Gem company closed down rather
than yield Then it imported non-union men,
AS was brought out afterward at Congression-
al inquiry, the advent of these .scabs' started
the trouble. The newcomers were attacked openly
and in ambush, but they refused to leave their
work. Then desperate measures were taken to
drive them out. Two hundred pounds of dyra-
mite was stolen from the company's storehous7
and, after the water had been drawn from the
fume. the dynamite was slid down the penstock
to the water wheel.
The mill was blown TO kindling wood" said
John A Finch, the operator of the mine. before
the Congressional committee. land IT scattered
the non-uniOn men like many 1ackra bbits
AS they ran they We're shot down by the five
hundred union men lying in ambush. Five or
six were killed. I cannot say how many
wounded" This desperate demonstration OF
what the union men would resort TO if they re-
garded 1t necessary frightened, FOR time al
least. all the mine owners into submission with
one exception. Only the Bunker Hill true TO the
tradition Of its name. held out in defiance OF the
direst threats. Burbridge. its manager. refused
to deal with the union, and when his men were
attacked he organized them into militia COM
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

meanwhile the impeachment OF the jury pro-
ceeded- with Ruef and his attorneys trying TO
lhEa1date and Obstruct IL at every turn on
technlcaIit1es- Burns. too. was tlreleSS in his
detective work. though Ruef had engaged a
counter force Of detectives and was using every
influence on possible witnesses. either to shut
their mouths or spirit them away
Az Iast the complete grand jury met. and the
Town was aSoS awaiting the result of the de-
lnerations, as Heney had announced that in
dlctInents would be Immediately found. One
Whole day the jury sat and examined witnesses
IA the french restaurant case. in which IL was
charged that Ruef blackmailed the proprietOrs
under threat OF revOking their licenses, though
ne declared that he had only represented them
as attorney and collected the proper fees. At
the erd or the session the voice OF Heney
heard through the thin walls OF the jury room
IN resounding volume but the inquisitOrs ad-
journed apparently with nothing done.
Ruef recovered his jaUntfuess. He went among
ms friends declaring that it was impossible to
ma evidence on which to tndiCt him. Yet his
face was unshaven. though he is naturally a
neat man. and his eyes were sunken and blood
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
THE FIGHT rs ON.

Associated with Spreckels are Fremont Olden
eX-Mayor James D. Phelan and a number OF
other prominent men. All of them are perhaps
aCtuated partly by personal motives such as
hatred for those from whom they have suf-
fered many indignities. but, in the main they
are working for what they believe ~ he the
only salvation of San Francisco
Announcement of the project was made some
what prernaturely. Burns's agents had been in
town many months, but secretly Then Burns
himself arrived. and few DAYS later one Of
the newspapers printed the news Of his ar
rival specusting pretty closely a 10 the reason
for il. Since the story had broken" II was
thought best TO make the whole thing public.
and every paper was simultaneously informed
Of the plan. which. Of course. created huge
sensation.
Though there was some uneasness among
the gangsters. for the most part they laughed.
They had all the Offices including more than
half the machinery OF justice, and the opposi-
ton had nothing. Tne existing grand jury was
a body which divided its time between indorsing
Ruef and passing resolutions against street
backed by the newspapers, pushed the entering
wedge into the only office on which the grasp
OF the gang lay lightly District Attorney Will
lam @. Langdon had been elected the Ruef
ticket, but was the one successful candidate who
did not show himself amenable 10 the boss
At this time he was touring the state as
solicitation Of his manager, Joseph DWyer. he
practically gave up his campaign and appointed
Heney a deputy in his Office.
Presiding Judge Graham called upon 20
dismiss the grand jury and issue venire for
body that would not be considered joke He
did SO. and the laugh Of the grarters faded 10 a
rather smile.
Then Buef planned a return stroke paralyzng
In its effrOntery. SchmitZ was in Europe spend
ing money Ike a prince and he had act for
himself. and quickly. He summoned the super
visOrs and Acting Mayor Gallagher in secret
session. With bianched faces they heard him
command them TO suspend Langdon and appoint
him (RueC District Attorney. They knew they
had not the legal power To do this, but they sat
tight and voted GireC ed. Ruef immediately
fled a qualifying bond and dispatched A mes
serger Heney removing him from his deputy
ship.
Next morning tile city was in an upr0ar. Al
last the people We're aroused. for The, saw =
man accused. OF felonies and on the verge of
.,lal apparently 50 erfui that lie could usurp
he functions OF justice ana by II trick turn the
ma, hinery OF the law against his prosecutors
FTeneV. however, only smiled that engasiu.
smile Of his and B,rnss sole remark was Well
we'll I'VE got my position VET Just az he had
dore before with Heney IN oregon. he continued
Iike an affabie and Drown-haired beaver work
- tho collection - evidence
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

oruer would be made permanent. as 1t subse
quehtly was, but he carried out his part. and
appeared IN court as de jure' District Attorney
10 make strenuous objection to all the venire-
men VINO were not known to be friendly TO him.
"hen the first meeting for the selection OF
Jurors was held Ruef attempted to pack the
courtroom. which is situated in Jewish temple
or worship. with loyal members of the push
VINO would lend him their moral support"
deputy sheriffs, for the appointment OF most of
whom he was responsible, threw out all who
came TO the courtroom and We're not recognized
as subservient 70 Ruef. Meanwhile, however,
g vast and angry crowd Of citiZens-merchants
bankers lawyers and the most representative
men of San Frdncisco-had gathered for two
blocks around the Temple Sheriff. Israel When
Ruef appeared he was greeted with boots and
despite the personal bodyguard which had been
supplied him from the police force he could
scarcely make his way to the doorway. The
crowd waited over two hours. and worked
up TO such pitch of excitement that when Ruef
came out 1t was almost ready for a lynching.
The battalion of police, which had brought
about some order, was hardly able to protect
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

who entered the mines 20 obtain permit from
General Merriam The Republican members OF
the Congress committee of inquiry reported in
favor OF the Governors action The Democrats
under the leadership of Representative Sulzar
made minority report censurtnE both the
state and national administration
II vas not until the confession Of Orchard.
who was arrested shortly after the assassination
or Ex-Governor Steunenberg, that the murder
was charged directly 10 the Western Federation
or Miners. After he had broken down and had
admitted his guilt, he said that he had COM
nftIed the crime according TO the express orders
of the leaders of the federation He was 70 get
$500 for the job. He said he went 10 Caldwell
and engaged room at the Saratoga Hotel. from
which he could watch the First National Bank,
Of which Steunenberg president. He
studied his victims movements for weeks. until
he came TO know the mans habits. He learned
that the Governor was accustomed 70 go 10 his
home each evening about o'clock. At first he
decided he would use shotgun and shoot the
man as he approached his home He lay in
wait on Christmas Eve 70 do the deed. but. as II
ha opened, the Governor was accompanied then
by his brother and his son Orchard named l.
J. Stmpklns member Of the executive COM
mittee Of the federation. his accornpIice
Both Simpkins and himself had guns ready %
shoot he said. but on the sight OF the brother
and they desisted from the attempt
Orchard then made up his mind to use q bomb
He constructed internal machine. which was
from bottle OF sulphurc acid. spiIIing the
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

MN as with pallid features ne made his way
70 ms automobile. He was ieered and Missed
men OF standing struck al him from the edge
o. OF the throng, and he was even spat upon
no men 1,. Hehey and Langdon emerged they were
III danger OF losing the popularity on which
he banked so heavily Ruef adonted otbar +ar
u@Cs. @ ne attempted TO mould all the municipal
ehploHes INTO huge offensive organization Of
Twenty-Five thousand men. bat was ONLY
parity successful. He hired halIs and held mass
meetings denouncins the newspapers and all
VINO had anything To do with movement that
was branded politics Every appeal was made
10 c4asS hatred. Heney was held forth as the
attorney Tor the water octopus" and an Incl
deHt OF ms career in Arizona where he had shot
bully in self-defence was even paraded az
murder The cry Citizens Alliance was re-
NlVed for the hoodwinking of the laboring eIe-
Inent. and the VileSt personal abuse was voiced
The speakers at these meetings We're Ruef some
or the most corrupt supervisors and few city
empoEes VINO owed their jobs TO Ruef. They
were attended by large audiences in which the
gang was strongly in evidence.
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

shot Bets we're freely made in the TeuderIoiR
that indictments would be returned
Next day the grand Jury met again ard again
mere seemed TO be a hitch That afternoon.
however the members left their headquarters
Win serious faces and hurried 70 the courtroom
% the presiding Judge There the blow fell
ihey returned FIVE true bills. charging extortion
IN every case, and naming both the Mayor and
fsuel- The bail was nxed at $4,000 on each
charge. and that night RueS surrendered him.
seIf TO an unwilling Sheriff whom he had elected
The charges ridiculous he said with a per.
functOry smile.
Next day the jury met again This time thsy
voted two more true bills against Ruet and
Schnltz, found an indictment against one OF tbs
supervisors, and indicted two OF the witnesses
or the day before for perjury. These were held
over until the following week. after which the
indictments again continued 70 appear.
RIIaF and the -. - ras,,-~>s
Europe are now preparing for trial with shaken
coincidence Heney promises TO sift the cfvia
SINS 70 the bottom. involve whom II NAV. Burma
Is forcing confession after confession. The city,
Is IN a state OF intense excitemeut
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
FROM FIDDLER TO MAYOR.

Al The time Of HIS nomination he was much
more modest than he became few years later
to- be vas handicapped by serious defects OF
education, which he has since Iabored assidu-
0usy 70 overcome. For many years he had
knocked around the Klondil1e earning a precari-
Gus living fiddler il dance halls. When he
WAS nominated for mayor he was leader Of the
orchestra ~ the Columbia Theatre and presi-
dent Of the musicians union
ThougL Schnitz was the nominee of the new
party, its organization was Immediately can't
ured by Abe" Ruef recreant Republican
who was admittedly shrewd in county politics
but y no was in disrepute because of a scandal
for which his associate in law is still serving
term IN san Quentin, one Of the state prisons
Ruef Is q French jew. q graduate Of the Uni
versity ~ California and was honor meda!list OF
his class.
Between the contending Republican and Dem
"cfatlc Iaclons SchrnitZ was elected by a small
plurality. Al once he accepted Ruef as his po-
hteal adviser and attorney. Before long ugly
stories found their way 10 the public ear. so
mat When schnltz ran for reelection he found
himself without any open newspaper support
Nevertheless, his Ia Dor following was unin-
iaIIeo, ne made a strong campaign and was
reelected by a larger plurality than before
Though he still lacked control of the super
NsoTs and number Of other officials his posi-
uon was now much more secure San Fran
CISCO CHARTER makes the Mayor almost abso-
ute dictator. and Ruef ruled through Schrnitz
Ike an oriental potentate. The city was thrown
VICE open, The saloon men We're held up for
lnlsslon- the police were thrown into politics
WIN the treTnen and the rest of the municipal
employees the brothels and Chinese gamblers
We're levied upon. ballot box stuffing was freely
Wactsec al The primaries: city Offices were
sold. the Board Of Public Works a farce
Tor effectiveness and a bargain counter for
graft. ciErepUtable resorts sprang up Ike nlush-
rooms al over the city. and thieves blacklegs.
oeocers and heelers ran the city
When SchmitZ came up for his third term the
Decent element felt, so solidly had he effected
MS Organization that he could be beaten only
ny fusion Of The Republican and Democratic
iaTues This was accomplished. and young
aNyer John Partridge, led the combined forces
~ reform RUef used the cry. Citizens Al
Aance- which he has always employed stir
ne labpring men TO fanatCal fury, and
schmi1z vas again reelected by vote more
man twice large : he had received on his
nrst election With him he carried the whole
hcket which Ruef had not expected 10 be sue
'esstul, and a hich was made up OF the political
TtHraC of the precincts The most disconcerting
-Alng bout the election the fact that
SchTnlrz received as heavy vote from the mer-
anlle portion Of the community from the
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

hquld and setting OF charge OF dyrar,ite Ffs
made the bomb in his room ar the hotel and
planted II one night under the gateway through
Whlch Mr.. Steunenberg always passed II, sofrgr
TO his house The wire by which The bomb was
10 De exploded was buried beneath a thin crush
o. earth II was so placed that Il might be at
taCned 20 the gate quickly and easily
few minutes before the Governor -.srbeA
nome on the evening OF December 80 Orchard
passed by the gate, he says and letting raII a
newspaper, he stopped down 10 pick It up Buc
tacheC the wire. moment later Mr. Sreunen-
berg approached his home, opened the gare and
olschdfSed the dynamite. The explosion aImosC
tore his body apart The whole fence sidearsIz
and front of the house were blown to pieces
The ex-GoVernOr spoke few tfrnes before h.,
died but incOherenIly. Suspicion :rlnoedis teIyr
iel on Orchard In his room were found powder
tuSeS' wires and other material for making
bombs The hotelkeeper also said that he bad
orIen noticed strong smell Of acid on passing
Orchards room Orchard arrested AMI
thrown into prison. An attempt was made 70
force him 10 confess, but il failed. He LAUGHED
at his csptors.
Among those who visited Orchard in prison
Was James MCFARLAND. The two men soon h.
came friendly AT last MCFARLAND said. s.
mere you are not getting the right treat trne-,t
II see II / can't get YOU better quarters Ard
ne dld The prisoner was transferred 10 : single
anu lsoi2ced cell. out furnished most cOrafort-
ably His meals were good as could b. OH
tatned IN the town. and he had all the ciss : To-
smoke tha- he wanted They were expensive
cigars, too After a time the prisoner became
restless. he had nothing TO read and no ona IA
talk 10 but Mcfarland VINO came 10 see min,
every day. Gradually he began to look forward
10 the visit
Orchard" said Mcfarland jusr before feav-
ing the cell one day. this is nice fix you have
got yourself into What do YOU think votIr
mother back IN Pennsylvania Will say when sh.
reads about IT." The prisoner seend staggered
at this, and with difficulty, he said.
What do you know about my mother"
oh Know all about her. and your brothers,
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
Bright Hopes That a Bet
fer Day Is Dawn
ing There.

-. feoe p, --1e Western News SyndicsteN
-. Francisco De-. : Specialization nearly
: Years Of hagrsut municipal corruption.
= ,,l-i,l = government. ny illegal privilege
-.s..5 and thrived while almost every mercan-
:. interest was forced 70 yield tribute to the
-s,ized Erafters. indignan: but hitherto i'm
-. citizens ~ san Francisco have at last
- Navor Eugene =. Schmitz. with his boss
h-oter Abe Ruef indicted by grand
s,,v The evidence was gathered by Secret
&c agent William O. Burns II was pre-
ss,,ed by q special prosecutor. Francis J. Heney
- same who secured the conviction OF United
Gates Senator Mitchell and other land thieves
- oregon November Il. when the first five
me hills for extortion We're returned. will surely
axe It's place in san Francisco history beside
.,s famous day. Just half century ago. when
Boss CASEY was dragged from his cell by the
,-trilsr,es snd hanged from an open window
NJ Burns has collected proof Of systematic
,,o- which il Is said. viii send half the city
officials and as many more corporation agents
either 10 Honduras or 10 the state penitentiary.
Heney reirerates his declaration OF q year ago.
that he viii put Ruef and Schmitz in stripes
The "cangs,erS' some Of them-assume an af-
Sec;ation % confidence and loudly maintain that
they Vr escape the law. bur there is ptifu
corst teruatiOn in their ranks II looks like the
dawn Of honest government for San Francisco.
The start II the present condition is 10 he
found in q strike OF the teansters six years go.
when Mayor James d Phelan was in the exec
riive chair. This la Dor trouble convulsed the
city, there were bitterness and hloodshed on both
sides until the Mayor sternly suppressed the
rio1ng through the police and with unneces-
sary violence. many thought.
The seeds OF hatred thus soWn brought the
v'orkingmen together more clannishly than
ever. n order TO defeat Phelan for reelection
they determined upon an experiment in the
laboratory Of politics and organized the Union
Labor party 10 install a mayor who would pro-
terr respect and represent them Schmitz was
nominated as z man who filed these require
nenlS
schmitz is Irish on his mothers side, German
or his fathers He is a fine figure of a man.
over SIX feet tall. with thick, coal black
poInpa dour and beard. He is energetic. hearty
and q good mixer" His handshake seems
genuine and his manner frank: when he talks
he looks lis listener straight in the eve.
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

AS AS there were no jail accommodations. barrack-
IKE structures were built and in them were
imprisoned m whoever was believed 70 be guilty
OF oloWins up the Bunker Hill mill Thus the
Iluch execrated bull pen came into existence.
III one OF them at one time there were five hun
uFeu prisoners, who were compelled 10 sleep on
tne ground each of them with only pile OF
straw FOR bed Some OF these prisoners, on
OOIalnlns their freedom, vowed revenge on
IoVernor Steunenberg. holding him 70 account
Ior the treatment they had received Governor
Steunenberg also stirred up the hatred Of labor
leaders throughout the Rocky Mountains by is
SUNG a proclamation foFbidding mine owners
10 employ union Elen, and requiring every man
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
Will She Mete Out Exact
Justice for Governor
Steunenbere's Murder?

As the result of decision Of the United States
Supreme Court last week. the public should
soon know who the murderers OF eX-GoV-
ernor Steunenberg of Idaho Three OF the five
men accused of the crime had sought to block
the trial with the plea that their arrest was
illegal and that accordingly their freedom should
be granted to them. The appeal was denied by
the highest tribunal in the land; and the al
legged murderers must now stand trial in the
state where the crime was committed
The Governor OF the state says that the trial
will be fair In spite of the powerful labor
and capital interests involved in the case, Idaho
says Governor Gooding. will do her duty. What
ever socialists may say about the alleged mur
derers being "railroaded 70 the gaTows" the
Governor asserts that the men accused Of this
murder shall have a fair and impartial trial be-
fore the best and squarest jury that Idaho
produce: that they shall be completely cleared
If innocent, and hanged by the neck until dead
If guilty. It is a murder trial. solely and sim
ply
According TO the detective who obtained most
of the evidence with which the prosecution says
it ought TO be able 10 convict the accused men,
the trial will reveal a conspiracy 10 commit
murder which is unparalleled In the criminal
history of this country. And the man who
makes this statement should indeed know for
erton sleuth who ran down the Molly Maguires
in the coal regions of Pennsylvania some thirty
wears ago MCFARLAND Joined the Molly Ma
guires obtained adnitolce 10 their councils at
which they plotted the death of their foes and
as a result of the information which he made
public ehven Of this murderous gang were
hanged in one day.
Specifically. the trial which is to be held in
the little town Of Caldwell Idaho. is for the
purpose of determining who killed Ex-Governor
Ste1nenberg Yet. as a matter of fact, II is
pected 10 show much more than that. Testi
nlony has beer promised by the prosecution
which it says. will prove that great labor
organization has been in the control Of a few
desperadoes who have not even stopped at mur-
der in seeking to overthrow those who dared
oppose them The confessions of two OF the
prisoners will he made public-corroborated so
Mr MacParland says. by mass of other evil
dence.
As result Of what will come To light says
the detective. the head men of the Western
Federation of Miners. a powerful labor union
with between 25O1O and 10000 members. are
responsible for at least twentysix murders and
a series of other crimes-train wrccking, arson,
assaults and the destruction of property by
dvnan1ite-which have been committed at diff
ferent times for the last seven years, and which
have spread terror throughout the mining camps
of the Rocky Mountains. These confessions will
also prove. the detective says, that a clique Of
these labor leaders. known as The Inner
Circle had marked for death high state Off
cials governors and justices Of the Supreme
Court who upheld the law when that law was
against the interests OF their union
New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
CITY AT THEIR MERCY.

schIll'Z and Ruef now held the city in the
hollow a their hands. They absolutely owned
political machine complete in every detail.
The Board OF Supervisors met in secret session
every Sunday night, and Ruef was present TO
alrec- them how TO vote when they appeared in
pOolo. Franchises worth millions We're sold
lor song or given away. though they really
vent 70 he highest bidder in the obscure mar
ket OF bribery.
Ihen came the earthquake and with II a tenn
pDtsry respite, during which Schnlitz worked
4ergeucally and announced that he had been
pofn again However, almost before the
Nhhes cooled q newer and wider field of graft
ss opened and exploited Ike commercial en-
@.prlse More franchises We're sold, every
eS-oon that reopened did so al a price; every
- --actoT Who put up new building had 10
- t'let OF some friend OF an intimate friend