Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-02-27
PLANS FOR DEFENSE.

Denver, Fb. PA meeting of the
executive board of the Western Fed
Grafton Of Miners probably will be
called within a week to adopt plans
for the defense of the officers now un-
der arrest in Idaho. James kirwan, a
member of the board, arrived yester-
day from Terry, S. D. Vice President
]. c. Williams, Of Grass Valley, Cal,
will reach here today. The members
Of the federation, it is said, will be
asked to subscribe money to defend
Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone.
I'VE will secure the best legal talent
obtainable in the country said kir.
wan. THE rank and file of the men,
bers of the confederation believe in
the innocence of their officers, and will
see that they have justice if such a
thing is procurable.
THE charges brought against our
men are the same ones which have
been trumped up by the mine owners
50 many times. Fifty three of us We're
arrested after the Independence eXplo-
sion, but none was ever prosecuted.
Our arrest was made merely for po-
litical effect.
ORCHARD A DETECTIVE.
anyone has made a so-caled confess
sion, it has been proven beyond a
doubt that he was in the employ of the
mineowners' association. Orchard is
in the same boat as the other confess
ors. If the evidence against our Off
GERS is as strong as they say it is why
didn't they allow them to have a hear
ing in Colorado? Such evidence as
that would surely have been sufficient
grounds to allow requisition instead
of to warrant kidnapping"
AS counter charge to that made by
the Pinkertons that the officers of the
Western Federation of Miners formed
| a conspiracy to murder all sympathiz-
ers with the mine owners in Colorado.
Mr.. Kirwan declares that the mine
owners have formed a conspiracy to
break up the federation through
| charges trumped up against it's Off
GERS.
The alleged confession of Harry Or
| chard contains SO many sensational
statements that it was deemed best to
investigate them as far as possible be-
| fore ordering the extradition of Presi-
dent Meyer, Secretary Haywood and
| former Executive Committeeman Pet
| tibone, and it was only after such in
vestigation, the Colorado authorities
| state that it was decided to honor the
| requisition of the governor of Idaho
The bomb that was intended to kill
Luther NJ. Goddard, justice of the SUI
| preme court of Colorado, it is said,
was dug up last Thursday by Adju-
tant Buckley Wells and two detectives,
it being found at the exact spot, near
the front gate to the judges residence,
where Orchard said it was placed last
May. Detective James MCFARLAND to-
day made the following statement re-
garding the alleged orchard confess
sion:
Harry Orchard, the man first ar
rested for the murder of former gov
ernor Steunenberg. may have or may
have not made a confession. l will moi
say whether or not he did make sucf
confession as attributed to him.
was compelled, in working up my case
to use some of his statements as wei
as the statements of others, but | dc
not call upon him for a confession I'M
piicating Meyer, Haywood and Pettl
bone. Numerous efforts We're made u
lntlmidate the man into saying things
against himself but ! refused to al
low this"