The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-13


Caldwell. Orchard bought a round
trip ticket to Portland. Ore. the Lewis
and Clark exposition being on at the
time. He stopped or several days al
Salt Lake. He met several friends
while there. They commented upon
his evident prosperity and he told them
he had an easier way to make money
| than by working.
sharp and that you made your money
that way?" asked Richardson.
And that you were en- route to
! Portland to run a shell gamer"
From Salt Lake Orchard came on
direct to Nampa and began to make
! inquiries there about Steunenberg.
Orchard said he called up Bill Easter
ly at Silver City. Idaho. on the long
distance telephone.
i II asked him if he didn't want to
come over and help me on a contract.
He said he was too busy to leave at
that time"
What were you going there for ?''
asked Richardson.
ITO see Jack Simpkins and Dave
Coats about a conversation we had in
Denver"
Went to Caldwell.
From Nampa Orchard went to Cald-
Governor Steunenberg was in Boise,
however. and Orchard came on here
BY the way said Richardson,
didn't Haywood tell you that Steunen-
berg rode out in blackboard every day
to one of his sheep ranches and that
would be good chance to get him?"
He told me the governor did that; he
did not say where to get him."
orchard said commission man to
whom he had gone to inquire about
buying lambs pointed Steunenberg out
to him. He learned the governor was
stopping at the Idaho hotel Orchard
went over and got a room on the same
floor as the governor. He entered the
room with pass key and looked around
with the idea of getting the bomb under
the bed in a grip with an alarm clock
to set it off.
THE bomb would have blown the hotel
all to pieces, wouldn't it?"
Yes"
YES"
Did you expect to stay in the hotel
that night -
mo, sir
You were willing to kill everybody
but yourself?'
Yes"
Orchard said he had not brought the
trunk containing the bomb from Nampa
at the time he investigated Governor
Steunenberg's room. He abandoned the
idea for fear that his quick get away
would arouse suspicion.
why did you not tell us about this
mony?"
Because was not asked
You were. told several times to tell
your story in narrative form?''
Il don't know what you mean by mar
rative.''
Went to Portland.
Abandoning temporarily the pursuit
of Steunenberg, Orchard went on to
Portland and then to Seattle where he
made inquiry about some ranches up
near the British Columbia line. From
Seattle Orchard went to Spokane en-
route to the Occur D'Alenes.
What We're you going there for?"
asked Richardson.
ITO see Jack simpkins and Dave
Coates about a conversation We had in
Denver"
Mr.. Gates, a former lieutenant gov
ernor of Colorado and now the owner of
a newspaper in northern Idaho who has
been summoned as witness for the de-
tense, was asked to stand up and con-
front Orchard. He was promptly iden-
titled by the witness.
Orchard said that Coats had told him
in Denver about how rich his old part
ners in the Hercules mine had become.
He told me he thought it would be
good chance for me to get even by steal
ing August Paulson's child and demand
ing $50, coo or $4,000 ransom"
Had you met Mr.. Coates before
this?''
NO"
And the first time he saw you ne
suggested that you kidnap one of your
old partners children"
HE told the plan to Pettibone and
to me. Pettibone told me he was all
right Coates said he would help and
take part of the money He said
he could have Paulson leave the mon
ey with him.
Arriving in Wallace where both
and Coates lived Orchard
saw Simpkins first and told him of the
kidnapping plot. Simpkins agreed to
go to Coates about the matter. Or
chard also met Paulson, who gave a
cordial welcome. He invited Orchard
to dinner.
you accepted his hospitality. ate
at his table, met his family and plan
ned to steal his child
81 was thinking about it."
event Broke in Wallace.
Orchard said he renewed many old
acquaintances in Wallace and soon
went broke.
Didn't Coates tell you you wouldn't
dare steal the Paulson child and that
if you tried 1t ne wouio oenounce
you?"
mo sir. he did not
And didn't Simpkins go and warn
Paulson %
.'What caused you to abandon the |
plan ?'
That's all that saved Paulson's
children"
THAT was one reason"
Orchard had to pawn some of his |
teweIry while in Wallace. He had the |
bomb trunk with him and he decided |