Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-02
Reference Also Made to
Letters Written by
Roosevelt
Governor of Idaho Declares Martial
Law VIII Not Be Declared
While the Trial Is In
Progress
BY Associated Press.

luduO, MAY l.--Sioi CiSS D0A
row, counsel for Messrs. Haywood,
Meyer and Pettibone of the Western
Federation of Miners, charged with
completely in the murder of former
Governor Steunenberg, tonight issued
formal statement in behalf of the pris-
oners.
1t was anticipated that the statement
would be direct reply to President
Roosevelt's undesirable citizens" let
ter, but the statement is in reality
general one, and the references to the
president are to the former letters of
the executive. The statement follows:
1--WE have been charged with killing
Governor Steunenberg with dynamite
bomb. Our trial is to begin on the 9Th
Of this month. The details of the as
sassination have been published broad
cast throughout the civilized world for
more than a year. During all this time
the press of the country, especially OF
that section Of Idaho where we will be
placed on trial, has bitterly denounced
us and the Western Federation OF Min
ers to which we belong. The most pow
erful interests Of the country are seek
ing to take our lives.
"We were not in Idaho for years be-
/ fore the crime was committed. Under
the law we could not be extradited from
Colorado. But in spite of this we were
arrested on a perjured warrant charg-
ing that we were in Idaho at the time
of the commission of the crime and
that we fled from the state, and on this
perjury affidavit known to be false the
! governors of the two states, Idaho and
Colorado, kidnapped us in the night
| time, refused us an interview with
family, friends or counsel or chance
of appeal 20 the courts, and brought
us on special train a thousand miles
from hom. into state and community
systematically poisoned against us by
newspapers and officials.
"We have been confined in jail for
fourteen months against our protest
and denied bail while constantly de-
manding trial. Every effort has been
made to teach the farmers, business
men and workingmen Of the community
that we are assassins and outlaws.
President RooseveIt's Letter
"After all this time our case is about
| TO he reached and the president of the
United States, in no way interested OF
ficially or otherwise, sends two letters
broadcast over the country charging
us with guilt and crime; these are pup,
lished in every paper in the land and
especially in every paper in Idaho.
sThe governor of Colorado day or
| two later adds his words Of spite to
| the venom of the president and says
that we are not only guilty of the
crime charged, but of many others, too.
While the president Of the United
States and the governor of Colorado
are sending out their statements TO
compass our deaths the judge OF this
county has brought a citizen before
him for contempt on the charge that
he tried to influence the mind of a
prospective juror by saying that the
state administration was trying to rail-
road u.s.
ION the appearance of this man in
court the judge promptly told the
states attorney that he should have
this obscure farmer indicted for felony
because he tried to influence the mind
of a prospective juror. The president
knows how much greater weight will
be given to his words than to those of
an obscure private citizen.
IF we are about to be tried in court
every law abiding citizen, however
great or humble, should do everything
| IN MS power 10 COOl LHS PdSSAohS VI
! men rather than add fuel to the flames.
If we are to be thrown to the mob
the officers should at least open our
prison doors and give US some chance
| to defend ourselves"
Men in Good Spirits
Barring the pallor inseparable from
confinement, Haywood, Meyer and Pet
tibone show no mark of long impris-
onment nor apparent trepidation at the
close approach of the trial, so high in
consequence to them.
| They were laughing at a story told
by one of their counsel when they re-
ceiyed a correspondent of the Associ-
ated Press this afternoon and a laugh
ter went on until a discussion of the
old question of battle of capital and
labor gravened the conversation. Pet
tibone, who used to be called Happy
Hooligan' down in Denver, Is the fun
maker of the trio.
He has marked native wit and a
droll, quaint manner of expressing him
self. and today when he made sport of
mis- own execution it was impossible
to refrain from laughing at him.
| Pettibone has taken up typography
since his incarceration. Following the
introductions today he showed several
samples of his handicraft. He has
gone to the comic supplement for many
of his models and with rare fidelity
has reproduced Happy Hooligan,"
MAUD" and the goat.
"Mr. Darrow tells me these will be
worth a lot more after I'm hanged,
Continued ON Page Two.)