Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-07-17


Meyer went on the stand yesterday
as witness for his fellow defendant,
Haywood, and beside making posi-
tive denial of all the crimes attributed
to him and otner federation leaders
by Orchard, offered an explanation of
the unsolicited appearance of the
western federation of miners as the
defender of Orchard Immediately after
his arrest at Caldwell for the murder
of Stsunenberg.
Meyer swofe that it was Jack Simp-
kins who engaged attorney Miller at
Spokane to go to Caldwell to repre-
sent Orchard, then known as Thomas
Hogan, and that it was at the request
OF Simpkins that witness and Hay
wood subsequently advanced 81 500
from the funds of the federation to
meet the expense of defending Or
chard. At various stages of the recital
the defense offered in evidence NUM-
Der of documents including a hereto
fore undisclosed cipher telegram which
Simpkins sent to the federation head
quarters and the union at Silver City,
Idaho, covering moves to protect the
federation which was charged with
the crime within a few days after it
occurred
Meyer began by saying that he got
bis first knowledge of the crime from
The Denver newspapers and that on
the evening of January 4, five days af-
ter the crime, a telegram in fedora
tons cipher-a code in which certain
numerals represented the alphabet and
are published in the ritual of the or
ganization was used to transmit the
password to local unions-came to
Haywood from Spokane. 1t was long
and a translation was difficult and un-
certain, but he and Haywood figured
next day that it was signed by Simp-
kins and read:
Cannot get lawyer to defend Ho-
gan, answer"
Meyer testified that he was suspic-
ious about the message, newspapers
having already charged the crime up
to the federation aud that he decided
to consult John Murphy. general coun-
sci for the federation before he took
any steps.
Meyer said he left for Chicago that
afternoon but that Haywood took the
matter up and opened communication
with the union at Silver City ami made
arrangements to engage attorney MI
gent to look after the interest of the
federation and defend Orchard if nee
essary. The defense procured copies
Of this correspondence and all of it
was read into the record.
Continuing, Meyer said that Miller
came to Denver about the first Of the
following month, bringing with him
a record of Orchards preliminary
hearins Miller went to Denver p
the suggestion of Simpkins, so witness
testified. and brought the request from
Simpkins that the federation furnish
large amount of money that would
be needed to defend Orchard Meyer
said ne and Haywood conferred with
Attorneys Murphy and Miller and sub
sequenty gave Miller 81 500
Makes General Denial.
Meyer denied that he had ever dis
cussed any kind of criminal act with
Orchard or anyone else or that he
had ever given him a cent except for
expenses on the trip Orchard made to
Ouray as bodyguard for him. He said
he had DO personal feeling of hostility
for Steunenberg and there were no
circumstances that would make him
desire the life of John Neville whom
Orchard testified that Meyer wanted
to kill. Meyer said Neville came to
him after his arrest for alleged COM
plicity in the Independence station
affair and asked that the federation
give him 5000 to reimburse him for
expenses he had incurred in clearing
himself but this request was refused.
Mover denied that he participated in
the conference in Petitioners back
yard, where Orchard said he. Hay
wood and Pettfbone had discussed va
rious acts of violence. He denied
knowledge of the subsequent meeting
at the federation headquarters where
Orchard swore the Steunenberg and
Neville executions were planned. and
denied practically every material state
ment in all of Orchards testimony.
Mover explained that Orchard ac
companied him to Ouray because Or
ohard was going to Silverton and they
made the journey together as matter
of convenience. Representatives Of
the united mine workers mad been
beaten BY thugs employed by the mine
owners and the witness and Orchard
carried cut off shotguns for their own
protection, Mover swore that his GIN
was not subsequently, used to kin
Lyte Gregory but that Orchard return
ed it to the witness after they got back
to Denver and the weapon had never
been discharged up to the time Meyer
was arrested.
Only one important clash marked
the relations of the counsel yesterday.
The defense wanted to prove all the
circumstances under which Meyer
and BIS associates we're secretly ar.
rested in Denver, denied communica.
ton with counsel and taken % Idaho
by special train, but the state opposed
It, The court ruled that che circum-
stances OF the transaction were not