The Colorado statesman., 1906-02-24
MEANT MURDER
DETECTIVES CHARGE AGAINST
MINERS FEDERATION.
CLAIMS PLOT WAS TO KILL
Man Who Broke Up the Molly Ma
guires Said to Be Responsible for
Arrest of Moyer, Haywood and Pet
tibone,


Denver.-The Republican Tuesday
morning says: James Mcfarland.
manager of the western division OF
Pinkerton' National Detective Agency.
the man who ran down, ex-
posed and convicted the lead
ers of the notorious Molly
Maguires" of Pennsylvania, an organ
the arrest of Meyer, Haywood and Pet
tibone of the Western Federation Of
Miners Inner circle" connected with
the assassination of former Governor
the Idaho and Colorado fields himself.
worked as he had done in the anthra-
cite mines of Pennsylvania, ingratiated
himself with the conspirators, learned
their secrets, found out the leaders
and is now ready to proceed against
the assassins before the properly con-
stituted courts, with an abundance OF
incriminating testimony and evidence.
Acting on the evidence gathered by
Mr.. MCFARLAND and submitted by him
to the Idaho peace officers, Gov. Jesse
F. Mcdonald of this state signed the
requisition papers for the arrest OF
Haywood, Meyer and Pettibone, and he
has no apologies to offer. He believes
that he did right. The executive was
given mass of documents to read rel-
ative to the assassination of Idaho's
former governor, and the deeds of vio-
lence in this state, and although he
has been in position for years to know
something of the rifle clubs" and I'm
ner circles" that appear in mining
camps during disturbances, he was ap-
palled at the evidence given him in
this Steunenberg matter and the terri
BILE history of the Western Federation
of Miners in Colorado. But more than
all was he actually Mortified regarding
the crimes that failed of execution, Of
the conspiracies set on foot in this
state to assassinate citizens who had
incurred the displeasure of the organ
ization's leaders and the msrderous
ring that ran it.
When the revelations are made re-
garding the operation of the inner
circle" in Colorado and Denver, moro
than one family will offer prayers to
the Unseen for deliverance from death.
The most miraculous escapes from
death were those of James H. Peabody,
| former governor, on whose head
| great price had been set. His assas-
sination was demanded. He was the
head and front of the opposition to the
| Western Federation of Miners and 1t
was decreed that his murder should be
a lesson to all who might be in place
to balk the will of the ring of assas-
| sins. Explosives were placed where
it was almost certain that he would go
| and meet the fate that befell Governor
| Steunenberg. The trap was baited
| often for him. But if ever a human
bore charmed life" it was the man
who smashed the Western Federation
| of Miners in this state. By miraculous
| means, it seemed, he failed to enteA
any of the traps laid for him.
| Then band of assassins was set on
to shoot him or stab him to death
whenever the opportunity offered For
more than a month his every footstep
here and at his home in Canon City,
! was dogged by men who had been told
off to murder him. But no opportunity
offered.
AS a last resort poison was adopted
as the method by which to get rid of
| him. The refrigerator of his residence
| at Canon City, which was outside the
| back door, was used by assassins. The
| the milk. An awful tragedy was
| averted through the intent of the az
sassins to make certain of their work.
] Cora Peabody, a daughter, was very
near to death and physicians from this
| city had to be summoned. Her life was
| despaired of. Former Governor Pea.
| body drank too much and vomited. He
\ hau a severe attack for day. But
with Spartan resolutions he and the
members of the family said nothing. In
! fact they issued stern denials of the re-
! ported poisoning. But, nevertheless,
the attending physicians took and held
| the evidence that arsenic in large
| doses had been administered.
The explosive that ended the life OF
| M. B. VALLEY last May was meant for
a member of the Supreme Court. The
| bomb was arranged in a vacant lot
| through which the justice passed al.
most daily. 1t was known to almost
! the minute when he would reach the
spot. 1t was by accident that Mr.. Wal
| ley exploded the bomb that scattered
| the lower part of his oody into frag'
| ments
The adjutant general of this state
| in presence of a number of the most
reliable witnesses dug from under the
| gate of public officer of this state,
| resident in this city, a bomb. This
was done on the information secured
from those under arrest elsewhere and
| it was an evidence of the truth of the
| statements made regarding the work
! of the "inner circle" He was to have
met the same fate in the self same
manner as Governor Steunenberg.