The daily sentinel., 1906-03-17
Vincent St John
In the City !
Sheriff Rutan, in Charge of the
Noted Prisoner, interviewed by
The Daily Sentinel.
ST. JOHN WAS SILENT

labor leader and agitator who was
arrested in Burke. Idaho some time
ago and who is wanted at Telluride,
to answer one or more charges OF
murder. in their charge. arrived in
Grand junction th,s morning at four
o'clock on delayed Denver X Rio
Grande train No. =.
This morning a Sentinel reporter
had an interview with Sheriff Rutan
and his now famous prisoner.
On arriving in the city this morn
ing the two officers with their pris-
oner went to the La Court hotel and
there took rooms for the remainder
Of the night
st. John was not in shackles and
was given every liberty consistent
ana reasonable. Last night he and
Sheriff Rutan occupied the same bed
room while Mr.. Melden occupied a
room adjoining
Sheriff Rutan is a man of power
! full build, pleasant in manner and
conversation and known to be one
OF the best officers in this section of
| Colorado. being a man of great
bravery.
He stated that he left Colorado for
! Caldwell. Idaho to secure st. John
on last Sunday morning. arriving
there on Wednesday.
On Thursday afternoon the Idaho
grand jury reported that no indict-
menb had been found against st.
John and the charge preferred by
the Idaho officers against St. John
was then dismissed and the prisoner
was released and Sheriff Rutan stat
ed that the sherlff of Caldwell i'm
mediately rearrested st. John on the
eNtradition warrant issued by Gov.
Gooding of Idaho and Immediately
turned him over to Sheriff Rutan and
Deputy Melden. Sheriff Rutan stat
ed that he lost no time in leaving
Caldwell with his prisoner and by
1--we o'clock in the afternoon the party
was en- route to Colorado. Sheriff
Rutan did not make any explanation
of the report to the effect that the
dismissal of the Idaho case against
St. John, his Arrest and delivery to
the Colorado authorities was a com
plete surprise to St John and his at
torneys. as il was understood that
The matter had been postponed until
the next day.
Sheriff Rutan stated that the trip
from Idaho to Grand Junction was
marked by many delays but no ser
ious accident or any sensational Incl
dent. The train ON t'hfeh the party
left Caldwell reached Boise City
many hours late. being delayed 13|
cattle train.
The trip TO Salt Lake city was
made in fairly good time. Yesterday
was spent Mt one of the hotels in
Salt Lake city but no friends of st
John made any effort to see or inter
view the prisoner. Yesterday morn
ing train No. . was boarded for
Grand Junction and that train was
delayed as result of heavy SHOWS
and rains.
Sherin Rutan stated that st. John
gave him or the deputy no trouble
whatever and chatted very pleasant
ly at times during the trip over.
However at times he became morose
ana would have nothing TO say for
long periods. He usually sat on the
same seat in the car with one of
the officers and was not handcuffed.
Although II was known TO friends
of st. John in several of the towns
and cities en- route that the noted
prisoner was on No. = no demonstra-
lions We're made at any point and
there proved to be no truth in the
reports that efforts might he made to
free ST. John.
During the same time that the re
porter was talking with Sheriff Ru
tan. st. John sat within hearing dist
ance.
On being addressed by the Sentinel
man he had little to say other than
the statement that Il am entirely in |
nocent of the murder charges pre-
ferred against me-" Since his ar
rest St. John has made few state
ments for publication and these have |
been of little importance.
ST, John was clothed in the garb /
that miner usually wears when not 1
on duty He had ON a dark color
ed coat. of corduroy material. brown |
trousers and wore n dark SLOUGH hat
ON the lapel of his coat he wore a I
large button supposedly the insignia |
or emblem of the organization of
which he is member He was
smooth shaVen. He was smoking n |
cigar and IL is said that he has spent
tile greater part of the time smoking
since his arrest He seemed to he
in deep study during the time the
Sentinel man was with the party.
ST. John is n young man, rather
small in stature. erect in bearing.
and of respectable appearance.
clothed as he was this morning he
has every appearance of being a prac-
teal miner
shortly before ten O'Clock Sheriff
Rutan stated that II was time to 70
to the train and after bidding the
newspaper man and others in the
A'NNA ApHtN Win WHOM ne WAS aC=
quainted good bye the party start
ed for the station. Sherim Rutan
asked st. John II he was ready and
the latter stated that he was. The
sherih walked out of the door follow
ed by the noted prisoner who car
ried a grip and then came the deputy.
Meiden. St John walked between
he men On route to the depot but
there was nothing to Indicate that
TWO OF the men We're officers and the
man, Vincent st. John. known in
labor circles al over the country ow-
lns TO MS connection with the West
ern Federation OF Labor and his re
markahle career as an organizer and
leader, the man who had such n Il
fearful and all powerful influence
among the miners OF the Telluride
district during the dark days of tha
labor troubles in that section. a little
man who is truly leader and a hero
among certain large classes of men.
a prisoner whose freedom is desired
and hoped for bv thousands ond tt,o,, ,