Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-05-16
IDAHO TRIAL BEGINS.
GREAT DRAMA ENACTED IN
SMALL COURT ROOM.
opening of Case Against Western
Miners Officials, Which Has
Aroused Much Passion and which
Is NariousIy Viewed

Crowded daily into the little court
room OF the Ada County Court House.
in Boise Ida, the largest audience of
| spectators that ever attended a trial
in Idaho witnessed the opening of one
of the greatest legal battles ever fought
| In America Some would have us be-
lleve that it is an epoch-making drama.
fraught with dangerous possibilities to
the social and industrial fabric of our
nation; others insist that it is but a
trial for murder, cold-blooded murder
with admittedly extraordinary phases
The State of Idaho, through its Gov
clares that here the equity of American
| justice is to be put to its supreme test !;
that capital is not concerned, but that
! the power of State to protect the lives
| OF its citizens must assert itself. by
Furnishing those who are guilty of tax
ing human life; that as prejudice will
not be permitted to take the place of
| proof neither shall passion be permit
ted TO stand in the way of penalty. The
| question of whether William d. Hey
wood, secretary treasurer of the West
| ern Federation of Miners, orator. or
ganizer and writer, and one of the
ablest opponents of the cause of union
ism in this country, was Jointly respon-
sible for the murder of ex-Gov. Frank
| Steunenberg, is to be debated The de-
clsion in his case will be a fair guide
to decision in the cases of his prison
| colleagues, Charles Meyer, president of
the same organization, and George A.
| Pettibone, chairman of its Executive
Committee. When these cases have been
| passed upon the public will learn what
disposition the prosecution intends to
make of the real perpetrator of the
crime, Harry Orchard, who confessed
that he was hired by these men not only
to Stay the giant Ex-Governor at the
portals of his home in Caldwell on the
last night of 1905, but to murder about
score of working men and their SUI
perintendents.
When 10000 men can be induced to
parade the streets of New York in pro-
test against a trial about to take place
in State nearly 5000 miles distant
when even the President of the United
States can be drawn into the contro-
versy, it must be admitted that there is
unusual interest in this case, whether
it be mere murder trial or an enter
ing wedge in an industrial rediviSion
of the country. This interest is en-
HANGED by the unique features in the
case. The right of a State practically
to kidnap three citizens of another
State and try them for a crime perpe-
trated in the former State while they
were absent therefrom, has been de-
clared by the highest court in the land
as unquestionable, but it is departure
from precedent and involves the set
ting aside of habeaS corpus Further
more, the Indictment of Meyer, Hey
wood and Pettibone does not accuse
them of being accessories, but of being
the actual perpetrators of the crime,
although the State acknowledges that
they were not in Caldwell, not even in
Idaho, at the time the murder was COM
mitted But as the State of Idaho does
not recognize the crime of accessory it
was necessary to indict them as princi-
pals in order to bring them to trial.
This phase of the case has also been
passed upon in the highest court of the
land and the correctness of Idaho's po-
sition has been sustained.
Unusual as are these conditions, the
State declares that extraordinary
means were necessary, as the State was
dealing with an extraordinary condi-
ton. The State asserts that the as
sassination of Steunenberg was but the
climax of series of dastardly crimes
inspired by Meyer, Haywood and Pet
tibone, aided by Jack Simpkins, who
belonged to the Executive Committee
and who was with Orchard on his ter
rible errand to Caldwell, after which
he escaped and has never been appre-
hended. The State does not claim that
the Western Federation of Miners was
implicated as a body in these crimes,
sponsible How much proof the State
can adduce is question. 1t has Or
chard's confession and Mcfarland, the
detective, asserts that he has proof in
confederation of the details of that
confession. It also has the confession
of Steve Adams, since repudiated, yet
corroborated in many details, the State
claims, by subsequent investigation.
The defense will meet this case of the
prosecution with an alibi, proving that
the indicted men were not in Idaho
when the crime was committed They
will also present what they claim is
proof that the assassination of Steu-
nenberg was brought tbout by the Mine
Owners Association, through Orchard,
for the sole purpose of throwing the
responsibility therefor upon the West
ern Federation officials and thus Great
ing a sentiment against them.
While the whole State is a veritable
volcano of feeling ready to burst into
eruption there is little outward mani
festation and no disorder. Such ru-
mcrs as that Orchard will be shot to
death when he takes the stand and that
MCFARLAND, the detective, is marked
for assassination, are secuted by the
sheriff and other authorities. The pres
ext atmosphere is one of patient ex-
pectancy, rather than of violent out
burst. Yet there are ominous condi-
lions.
From Far and Near.
Three saloons in Atchison and two in
Leavenworth, Kan, were seized and
closed by the receivers appointed by the
C+o+o C,prapao Court IN tha liouor in