Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04
NEED FEAR ONLY THE LAW
Case of Meyer, Haywood and Petit
bone Charged With Murder.
F. R. GooDING's STATEMENT
Governor of Idaho Gives Assurance
That Case Against Men Accused
Will Be Conducted Fairly.

BOISE, Idaho, December 4.-Governor
Frank r. Gooding and all the law-abiding
citizens of this state who have been up
holding him in his steadfast effort to try
the men accused of the cruel assassination
of Ex-Governor Steunenberg were pleased
TO hear yesterday that the United States
Supreme Court has decided that lHoyer
Haywood and Pettibone must answer the
charge of conspiracy to do murder. This is
the effect. at least, OF the courts decision
adversely to the habeas corpus proceedings
brought by counsel for the prisoners.
The governor and his advisers have been
confidently expecting to be sustained by the
Supreme Court of the United States but for
all that they are none the less pleased.
All the prisoners, including Harry Or
chard, who admits doing the actual work
of assassination and who duplicates the
other three, will now be promptly arraigned
before Judge Smftq and date set for the
trial. 1t now seems likely that this will be
had at the January term of court unless
counsei for the accused find means to still
further POSTPONE it.
A Square Jury.
Governor Gooding today desired your cor
respondent to say to the people of the
country that In this most important case
he has all along been determined solely and
irrevocably uoon one thnC-that the men
accused of the murder of Ex-Governor
Steunenberg should have a fair and i'm
partial trial before the best and squarest
jury that Idaho could produce; that
they should be completely cleared. If nno-
cent. and hanged by the neck until dead, if
guilty.
1T is a murder trial, solely and simply"
said the governor. land no amount of agi-
tation and misunderstanding can make it
anything else. There is not and never has
been the least occasion for hystericS or for
the assumption, widely and amazingly
made, that the government o. the state of
Idaho was intent upon convicting Meyer
Haywood and Pettibone, innocent or guilty.
AN eX-chief magistrate of this state is
assassinated at his door, almost in
sight of his wife and children. in particu-
larry cruel and shocking manner. We have
one prisoner who admits he was the tool
and accuses these other prisoners of plot
ting the murder. | should be false to my
oath of office, false to every prompting of
official responsibility, false to every decent
impulse of a decent man ~ did not use
every power that the state, possesses to
bring these men to trial.
AN astounding impression has some
how gone abroad that an effort has been
made to PREJUDICE the case. l do not say
that this is the result of the wilful misrep
resentatiO of labor leaders. but this i'm
preston seems current among labor organi-
cations, if l may judge from the scores of
protests l have received.
Unions M1Sled.
Il can only believe that in some way the
labor organizations of the country have
been sadly misled. Meyer and Haywood
are labor leaders. it is true; but shall it be
said that if labor leader is accused of
murder he shall not be tried? We not
going to try labor leaders in this case. We
are going to try men. They are going to
have a square deal from start to finish-no
more and no less. Can any labor organiza-
ton ask more than that?
Il cannot believe that any reputable labor
organiZat ton would be content to have it's
leaders rest under the accusation of murder
and seek no vindication in court. And for
that reason l cannot help thinking that all
the labor organizations of this country that
have protested against the action of the
state of Idaho in this case have been mis-
led in some way. 1t would indeed be a
grave prospect for this country If SO large
a proportion of its citizens We're willing to
put themselves on record as opposing a sin
cere and determined effort to discover the
truth regarding the dastardly murder of one
of the foremost citizens of the state of
Idaho"
Threats Against Governor.
In addition to the many protests Gov.
Gooding has received against the attitude
OF the state in the Meyer and Haywood
case, many threatening letters have been
sent TO him. Several of them have been
adorned with skulls and crosbones and
have promised him variety of unpleasant
finishes in case he did not stop the prosecu-
ton of the accused men. One letter post
marked Los Angeles gave him just week
to alter his course, and announced that an
avenger was even then on the way to kill
him in case he did not repent.
But Gov. Gooding ia a man of unshaka-
bic courage. He disregards all threats with
the single remark: I'VE have murder
case on our hands. We intend to try 1t.
That's all"
Harry Orchard Is confined in the state
penitentiary about two miles out of Boise.
Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone are held
In the county jail just beyond the capitol.
They fed with the fare of the prison
employees and anything else their counsel
wishes to buy them They are allowed to
spend their days together in the same room
and TO exercise In the Jail yard several
hours each day, restrained from escape
only by the presence Of two or three
guards.
They were stroling about yesterday All
three are reported to be in excellent health
and they looked it.