The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1906-1908, 1906-03-02
ORCHARD MAKES
| FULL CONFESSION
Admits Assassination of Ex'
Governor Steunenberg
of Idaho.
duplicates All Those Now Under Ar
rest, and Others, Including J. l..
sImpkins-TeIIs the Story OF
Twenty-six Murders as Result
of conspiraeies.

Boise. Idaho-Governor Gooding on
Sunday night issued statement with
respect to the Steunenberg assassina-
ton case, in which he says:
oT want to state officially that Harry
Orchard has made full confession as
to the manner and motive OF the as
sassination of Ex-Governor Steunen'
berg, telling of the plans made and
giving the names of those making
them.
"The assassination of Ex-Governor
Steunenberg which occurred at his
own gate on the evening of December
30th, 1905, was the third attempt that
Orchard made against his life.
This confession was made to Cap
tain James MCFARLAND. II included q
history of his life from his early boy
hood up to the time of his arrest. In
that confession Orchard implicated all
those under arrest and others, includ-
Ing J. L. Simpkins He told the story
Of twenty-six murders, the results of
conspiracies in which all the accused
parties were interested. When this
story is given to the public, believe
1t will be the greatest narrative OF
crime which the world knows.
There has never been any doubt
as to the truth of Orchards confes'
sion among those who are familiar
with the crimes committed in Idaho
and Colorado and charged to the inner
circle of the Western Federation OF
Miners. | attribute Orchards comics
sion to the great brain of James Nc
Parland, who has been employed by
the state to run down the murderers
Of Ex-Governor Steunenberg. l have
seen Orchard myself since this con
! fession was made. He told me that
no promises of clemency or reward
had been held out to him by McPar
land or anyone else Mr.. MCFARLAND
was aided in his work by Orchards
early training In his boyhood the
bible was read night and morning by
his parents. The impression of the
early days came up and smote his
conscience when he was brought face
he believed in Supreme Being and
hereafter, and that now his one
thought was to make his peace with
his Maker.
THE finding of the bomb at Judge
Goddard's gate, and many Other
things which will later be made
known at the trial, have proved the
truthfulness of Orchards confession
beyond all question to those familiar
with his story. The state desires to
secure Justice There is no thought OF
Furnishing the innocent or waging wal
on any labor organization. The as
sassination of Ex-Governor Steunen
berg, a grave crime against the state
of Idaho, was committed. AS its ex
ecutive felt it my duty to bend every
energy toward the discovery of the
guilty parties and their fitting pun
ishment.
81 wish to announce that l have
withdrawn the offer of $1,000 reward
made by the state, for the punish
ment of the guilty parties, and have
advised that the parties who had of
fered rewards to do likewise. They
have agreed to, and today there is
not a single dollar of reward offered
for the conviction of the murderers Of
Steunenberg. A reward of $1,000 is
HOW OH0TSu ny us lOI lulOi mdtlOl
leading to the arrest of ]. l.. Simp
kins, and this is the only reward now
offered in connection with the Steun
enberg assassination.
my reason for withdrawing the re
ward and advising others, who had
offered rewards to withdraw them, is
that | felt that no detective associa
ton or anyone else is entitled to the
reward offered by the state. Harry
Orchard was arrested before any de-
tectives were on the ground, on infor'
nation secured by a committee OF
citizens of Caldwell, assisted by few
OF us who left Boise on the special
train few minutes after the assassi-
nation of Ex-Governor Steunenberg.
We were all the friends and neigh
bors of the ex-governor and l am sure
their services will always be remem-
bered with gratitude"