Free press., 1906-03-03
ORCHARD WITH BOTH SIDES
DURING COLORADO STRIKE.
NOW FACES SERIOUS CHARGE.
The Day Before the Indepe ndence De-
pot Explosion He Collected Some
Life insurance Money Due Him Be-
cause of the Death of a Relative.

Denver. Colo, Feb. 22.-The Times
says: Harry Orchard, who is un-
der arrest in Idaho charged with
assassinating former Gov. Steunen-
berg, and who has made confession
charging the leaders of the Western
Federation of Miners with instigating
number of dynamite outrages and
murders, was in the employ of the
Cripple Creek Mine Owners Associa-
ton as detective during the strike
in the Cripple Creek district. This
most important fact will be used in
the defense of the accused labor lead
ers when they are brought to trial in
the courts of Idaho.
'The following facts have come to
the Times from a most reliable source
and have been varified:
Orchard was a member Of the
Western Federation of Miners and en-
ployed in the Cripple Creek district
when the famous strike was ordered.
In November, 1903, he approached a
conductor named Jones on the Flor
ence and Cripple Creek railroad and
introduced himself as a brother
mason. I am a member of the Min
ers union,' said Orchard. and last
night l heard some of the members
of the union planning to wreck a
train on this road. do not believe
in such methods and thought l would
come and tell you and tell of the plot.
1 picked you out because you, are a
mason
Zones Immediately took Orchard to
Scott and Sterling, the detectives for
the Mine Owners Association. He re-
peated his story and Scott and Sterl-
ing Immediately employed him for q
detective, to work for the Mine Own
ers Association. He was instructed
to attend the meetings daily and re
port
Orchard continued his employ oil
the Mine Owners Association until
June. 1904.
"The day before the explosion which
wrecked the Independence depot he
collected some life insurance due hin
because of the death of relative.
"Then came the explosion at the
independence depot on June 6, anC
Orchard disappeared. A mob tool
possession of Cripple Creek AMI Vic
tor, and attempts were made to force
confessions from many suspected par
ties A young man was suspended b.
his thumbs and he finally agreed tt
| tell the name of the fiend who haC
caused the explosion. When he was
lowered to the ground he said:
Harry Orchard did it,
| t'The pursuit of Orchard was taken
up, bloodhounds being employed. Or
chard and a companion named Neville
Immediately after the independence
of Cripple Creek. They went across
the country, avoiding the more i'm
portant towns. When they reached
Greeley they disposed of their rig and
took a train for Cheyenne, where Or
chard received a considerable sum of
money from friends in Colorado and
disappeared. He returned to Denver
Icst April and visited the headquar-
9Is of the Western Federation of
Miners in this city. He said that he
feared arrest because of the charges
made against him in connection with
the independence explosion and had
therefore changed his name to Hogan.
For time he worked for various in
surance companies in this city, and
last August left Colorado, saying he
was going to New York. The next
heard of him he had been arrested
in Idaho charged with the assassina-
ton of Steunenberg
Neville was arrested in Wyoming
and taken back to Cripple Creek. but
no serious attempt was ever made to
prosecute him. Sheriff Bell of Grip
pie Creek claims that Neville con-
fessed to him that he and Orchard
dynamited the depot. 1t is said that
Neville is now dead. This latter
statement the Times has been un-
able to verify"