Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
ORCHARDS
TRIAL GREAT
LAW BATTLE
Remarkable Seen es
Enacted in Court
at Boise
Witness G ing' to His
Story of Murder
and Crime
Witnesses Ready to Come at Call of
Defense and Deny Statements
Made Against Western
Federation
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
BOISE, June S.-The cross-examina-
tion of Harry Orchard, by his own con-
fession the slayer of eighteen men by
bullet and bomb, is likely to last
through Monday and Tuesday of next
week, and possibly longer. Orchard has
now been on the stand for fourteen
OF this the state had him for seven and
half hours. In that time he told what
appeared to be an incredible story,
spread over the forty-one years of his
life, the first thirty years being merely
commonplace, the story OF poor
Canadian farmer, but, beginning with
the year 1895, he unfolded a career in
which, to use the language of the lead
ing counsel for the state, "assassina-
ton was a trade and murder means
of livelihood"
Orchard spared no incident of his
more, recent life under the questioning
of the state that might prove to the
jury his readiness to slaughter for low
wage and how Indifferent he had been
as to the number or conditions of his
victims This story brought out by
counsel for the state was, however,
merely a synopsis of the play whose
acts cover the years since 1899. In
every act the climax sent Shuddef
through a crowded court room. Under
cross s.examination by e. F, Richardson
counsel for William D. Haywood
Orchard has so far developed this series
of tragedies, but only up to the year
1904. Three more years and many muir
ders are yet to be analyZed. For pur-
poses of its own, not so far revealed,
the defense is determined that Orchard
shall retell his life story, so that the
most diabolical or the most squalid de-
tail will not fail to be impressed upon
the minds of the men who are to pass
upon the question whether William ID.
HAYWOOD is guilty of conspiracy TO
murder by hiring Orchard or Steve
Adams Nto bump off" a governor,
slaughter a supreme court judge
or blow up mine or depot filled with
"ScabS."
Defense Is Active
Slowly but surely the defense is de-
veloping the lines by which it hopes to
break down the story of Harry Orchard
SO far as it affects Haywood, now on
trial: Mover or Pettibone, who are yet
to be tried on the same charge. If 1t is
possible to heap further obloquy on the
witness they have done so by proving
him capable of petty crimes. By his
own admission he is bigamist, thief,
a liar and an incendiary. He has played
the traitor to his employer. He has
deserted two wives and his child. TO
all these offenses he has. been forced to
confess. but under a gruelling eXamina-
tion by Richardson he has stuck to his
story and given chapter and verse.
Witness after witness has been named
and counsel for the defense state most
positively that the pile of sworn testi-
mony they will bring to contradict
Orchard must convince the jury of the
entire falsity of his testimony. BY
their questions they have plainly indi-
Gated their intention to prove that
Orchard was the hired agent of the
mine owners who, harassed by the
Western Federation of Miners, deter
mined to wipe out union labor from the
mines of Idaho and Colorado, planned
assassinationS train wrecks and mine
explosions that could be laid at the
door of the Western Federation of
Miners and would keep militia on the
ground while non-union men worked in
the mines. 1t was shown under the
cross-examinatipn that Orchard traf-
mining region oE Cripple Creek during
the great strike there while almost at
the same time he was in the confidence
of the leaders of the Western Fedora
tion of Miners, and led by Mr.. Richard
son Orchard has stated that he was
hired by Meyer, the president of the
federation, to act as his guard against
thugs alleged to have been hired by the
mine owners to attack and terrorize
him.
To Deny Orchards Story
From half dozen states witnesses
will be called to deny Orchards asser-
tions. Already two men accused by
Orchard of completely in the plots he
says were Matched within the Inner
circle" of the Western Federation of
Miners have been called upon the stand
in open court where they sat as spec
tators Orchard has identified them as
the men he named, and Billy Easterly
and Owney Barnes have openly sneered
their denial of the testimony The court
room scene is emarkable-possibly the
most remarka BILE ever seen in any
court. Session after session since
Orchard went on the stand crowd has
sought admission. Every seat is filled
long before the sheriff calls the court
to order. Hundreds are turned away.
The prisoner, haywood, has battery
of six lawyers The state has four
Haywood's family, his wife, mother
sister and two daughters sit close be-
hind him, but the prisoner watches
every detail, consults counsel continu-
ously, and is always alert, seldom show
ing the slightest sign of emotion.
Between counsel for the state and for
the defense the feeling is very appar-
fContinued on PAGE Twc.)