Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1906-12-20


year, Charles II. Meyer, President, and
William ID. Haywood, Secretary of the
Western Federation Of Miners, togeth-
er with George II. Pettibone, were kid
mapped from their homes in Denver,
TO Idaho. The affidavits on which the
arrests were made are now admitted
by the prosecution To have been false,
in that, they charged the accused with
being in the state of Idaho at the time
of the death of former Governor Stue-
nenbers.
The prisoners were denied the advice
of council, and consequently the op-
portunities of a writ of habeas corpus,
and rushed out of Colorado, during the
night on a secret special train.
Claim for the rights of the prison
ers to a writ of habeas corpus was filed
with the United States Supreme Court
early in the month of May. The hear
ing was set for October 9th, and held
on that date, after which the matter
was taken under advisement.
On Monday, Dec. Sd, Justice Harlan,
delivered the opinion, Justice McKen-
ma dissenting, which decision over
throws and annuls every safeguard
which heretofore assumed. without due
process of law, TO hold inviolate the
body or person of every citizen.
That these men have not yet paid
with their lives, the penalty exacted
by class hatred can be attributed to
the alacrity with which the socialist
party discerned and disclosed, at its
very inception, the suspicious stage
settings of a conspiracy.
The socialists refused TO accept the
verdict and sentence -"GUILTY-
THEY WILL NEVER LEAVE IDA
Ho ALIvE-GUILTY," repeated par
rot-like in turn by Governor Frank
Gooding of Idaho, and Pinkerton De-
ltective Mcfarland, alias Jim Nc
Kenna, and demanded a fair and i'm.
partial trial for the accused.
The Supreme Court decision reads
in part as follows:
"Looking first at what was alleged
to have concurred in Colorado, tuoch-
ing the arrest of the petitioner and his
deportation, we do not perceive that
anything done there, however, hastily
or inconsiderately, can be adiudged to
be in violation of the constitution or
laws of the United States"
"That even il there was fraud in
the method of their removal, there had
been no violation of rights under the
constitution.
"Any investigation as to the mo-
tives which induced action by the gov.
ernors of Idaho and Colorado would be
improper as well as irrelevant to the
real question. II must be conclusively
presumed that those officers proceeded
throughout this affair with no evil pur.
pose and with no other motive than
TO enforce the law.'
Inc pfisoHcrs are tneTelOre rendnu-
ed for a fair trial into the hands of
those whose every act has been unfair.
II can only be claimed that the So
eialists started the agitation which
grew into a protest of national proper
tions to which the economic organiza-
tions of the workers contributed the
greatest measure of success and finan-
cial support, while all manner of organ
izations and citizens of every political
persuasion participated. The labor
and radical press were united as never
before. All Of which exerted an in.
fuence upon a certain portion Of the
publis press compelling some to state
fairly the facts Of the case, and others
to come boldly out in denunciation of
this kidnapping outrage.
Denied a speedy trial, for which they
asked, these men have been separated
from their homes and families and in,
carcerated for a period of nine months.
"The laws delay" has been studious.