Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-07-05
Evidence introduced Tending
to Show VindicatOr Ex-
plOSiOn Was Accident
One Of the Ncn-Union Miners EN-
ployed ar the Mine Tells interest
mo Story Of the Tragedy
Further Testimony as to
Threats of Orchard.

Boise, 1daho.-The attorneys for
William D. Haywood continue to CEN
ter their efforts on the discrc,liting of
Harry Orchard and the establishment
OF their claim that Orchard killed
Frank Steunenberg in revenge for
the loss of his interests in the Her
cules mine. On Friday they directly
attacked the indicator explosion
with the testimony of witness that
made it appear accidental, rather
than criminal
Thomas Wood, non-unionist, who
entered the indicator mine as
timberman after the strike began,
swore that the night before the ex-
plos1on he placed a box containing
twenty-five pounds of giant powder at
the shaft of the eighth level. He saw
the powder the next morning shortly
after 10 o'clock, and a few minutes
later Superintendent Mccormick and
Foreman Beck came to the eighth
level. They remained but a short
time, and left to go to the sixth level,
where they were killed. Wood swore
that when he reached the shaft,
twenty minutes later, the powder was
gone, and it is reasonable inference
that Mccormick and Beck took it
with them.
Wood testified that he had seen a
revolver in Beck's pocket, that the
fragments of only one revolver were
ound on the sixth level, and that
he bodies of Mccormick and Beck
we're blown apart, indicating that the
had occurred between them.
Orchard had said that he fixed a re-
oliver with wire attachment, so
hat when the safety-bar was raised
would send a bullet in the giant
owder he had placed. One witness
or the state has sworn that he later
ound wire attached to the safety
ar, but Wood, who was among the
rst to reach the sixth level after the
xplosion, said that he carefully ex-
mined the safety-bar, and found
othing attached to it. Wood gave
Is testimony in clear and forceful
anner, and told a thrilling story of
lie climb to safety of the men cut off
the explosion below the sixth level.
William Easterly, who concluded
S testimony Friday morning, and d.
Copley, who was called in the
ternoon, both swore that they heard
rchard tell of the loss of the Her
les mine and threaten to kill Steun-
berg for it. On cross-examination
state scored them both, and par
ularly Easterly, who received two
tiers and one telephone message
,m Orchard on the eve of the kill
: of Steunenberg, for remaining
let when they knew a crime might
committed. Easterly commended
1t he did not know Steunenberg
ed in Caldwell, and explained that
hough he knew Thomas Hogan
S Harry Orchard, he took no steps
mediately after the crime, except
consult counsel for the federation
'ause he was not an informer, and
oley asserted that he did not take
hard seriously when they met in
Francisco and he told him of the
ldley crime.
here was further showing as to
work of the bloodhounds at indie
dence station, which the defense
went first to the house of
uty sheriff, and then down the
that Orchard took on his flight
Denver and on to Wyoming. and
lals and redenials from Easterly
Copley of any form of miscon-
on the part of the members of
Western Federation of Miners