The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-08-01
mot GUILTY" is
HAYWOOD VERDICT
MINERS LEADER ACQUITTED OF
sTEuNEN6ERG MURDER.
JURY OUT TwENTY-oNE HOURS
Agreement Reached Early Sunday
Morning-Freed Man Hastens
to Aged Mother-others
Will Be Tried.


bright sunlight of a beautiful Sabbath
morning William d. Haywood, de-
PENDANT in one of the most noted
trials involving conspiracy and MUIR
der that the country has ever known,
walked Sunday free man, acquitted
of the murder of the former Gov.
Frank Steunenberg.
The probability of verdict Of &C
quittal In the case of the secretary
treasurer and acknowledged leader of
the Western Federation of Miners had
been freely predicted since Saturday,
when Judge Fremont Wood read his
charge, which was regarded as strong
ly favoring the defense in its interpre-
tation Of the laws OF conspiracy, cir
cumstantial evidence and the corrobo-
ration of an accomplice who confesses.
1t was also freely predicted that in
the event Of Haywoods acquittal the
state would abandon the prosecution
OF his associates, Charles H. Meyer,
the president Of the federation, and
George A. Pettibone, of Denver.
Statements from counsel and from
Gov. Gooding issued Sunday dispel
this view of the situation.
Others viii Be Tried.
Gov. Gooding said:
"The verdict Is great surprise to
me, and / believe to all citizens of
Idaho who have heard or read the
evidence in the case.
Il have done my duty. I have no
regret as to any action have taken,
and my conscience is clear. AS long
as God gives me strength l shall con-
tinue my efforts for government by
d law and for organized society.
"The state will continue a vigorous
prosecution of Meyer and Pettibone
and Adams and of Simpkins when ap-
pretended. There will be neither hes
itation nor retreat"
Application will be made to Judge
Wood Monday morning to admit
Meyer and Pettibone to bail, and 1t
was said that in the case of Meyer,
against whom the state is admitted to
have its weakest case, a favorable
consideration was not unexpected.
Orchards Comment on Verdict.
Not the least interesting of the COM
ments made upon the verdict was
that of Harry Orchard, the self-con-
fessed murderer of Gov. Steunenberg
and the witness upon whom the state
chiefly relied to prove its claim of a
sinister conspiracy against the West
ern Federation Of Miners. When told
at the state penitentiary that Hay
wood had been acquitted, Orchard
said
well, have done my duty. have
told the truth. | could do no more l
am ready to take any punishment
that may be melted out to me for my
crime, and the sooner 1t comes the
better"
1t was after being out for 81 hours
that the jury, which at first had been
divided eight to four and then seemed
deadlocked at ten to two, finally came
to an agreement shortly after the
first faint streaks of the coming day
showed gray above the giant hills
which wall Boise to the north and
east. The weary, snow-b bearded old
bailiff who had kept an all night vigil
before the door of the juryroom, was
startled into action by an imperative
KNOCK from within. Events moved
rapidly enough after this, and when at
last the principal actors in the trial
had been gathered into the courtroom
at few moments before eight o'clock
the white envelope handed by the
foreman to the Judge was torn open
and the verdict read.
Haywood's Tears Of Joy.
Tears welled to the eyes of the man
who during the 80 days of his trial
had sat with stolid Indifference writ
ten upon his every feature-at last
the icy armor he had thrown about
himself with the first day of jury Sc
lection had been pierced, and what
ever of pentup feeling had been con-
tanned within was loosed. Haywood's
attorneys were fairly lifted from their
seats, and Judge Wood made no eff.
fort to restrain them as they sur
rounded their client to shake his
hands and shout aloud their congratu-
lations. James II. Hawley, leading
counsel for the state, and o. N. Van
duyn, the prosecuting attorney of the
county in which Steunenberg was as
sassinated. sat gloomy and unspeak-
ing In their places.
Hastens to His Mother.
Haywood's first thought was of his
aged mother, who Saturday had suf-
fered nervous breakdown after the
jury had retired. Leaving the court
room in company with Attorney Nu-
gent, he walked down to the jail por-
ton of the building, shaking hands as
he went with guards, employees and
friends who had arrived on the scene.