The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-09
HISTORY OF CRIME:
TERRIBLE ASSASSINATION OF Gov
ERNOR STEUNENBERG,
Prosecution of Haywood and Others
Will He Based on Confession of
Orchard. Whose Mind Is
Weakened.

Boise, Idaho, May S-The assassina-
ton of Ex-Governor Steunenberg. for
which the mine leaders are to be tried
here. occurred on the night Of December
80. 1905. The alleged motive for the
crime was revenge for the firm attitude
Governor Steunenberg had taken to
suppress the riots and outrages during
the miners strike in the Occur dAlene
district.
The calling out of the militia and
other drastic measures employed by the
authorities had resulted in victory for
the mine owners. and the miners were
forced to admit defeat.
Governor Steunenberg was blamed by
the miners for their defeat Threats
were hurled at him at all the miners
meetings, and he was frequently warned
by his friends that his life was in dan
ger. After finishing his second term as
Governor, he retired from Office and
returned to live at his home at Caldwell
several years passed and the Cour a.
AIene troubles apparently were for
gotten. Then came the shocking news
| that Governor Steunenberg had been
assassinated-litera blown to pieces
by an Internal machine as he was en-
Immediate steps were taken to catch
the assassin or assassins. Rewards, pub
lie and private, aggregating thousaD 1s
of dollars, were offered. Suspicion
pointed to man who had been in the
town for some weeks and who was
known as Harry Orchard. He was ar
rested and discriminating evidence
against him was found in his room. Or
chard. it was ascertained, belonged to
the Western Federation of Miners, and
had been implicated in several disturb
ances and in q train wreck In Colo
RADIO.
The evidence found in Orchards room.
consisting of powder, wires and fuses.
and other material for making bombs
was strong, but the officers felt that
n confession was necessary. They be-
| lieved Orchard guilty, but were of the
opinion that he was the tool and hired
assassin of otl&rs.
Orchard wac brought to the peniten-
tiary here All efforts to secure admis-
sions from him failed. Finally James
Mcfarland, a Pinkerton detective, who
had broken up the Molly Maguires in
Pennsylvania, was called in. After
two weeks of careful work the
methods of the master detective pre-
vailed and Orchard broke down and
| confessed. In his confession Orchard
directly charged President Meyer, Sec
rotary Haywood and G. A. Pettibone
of the Western Federation of Miners, of
| having plotted Steunenberg's murder.
and with having furnished the money
needed
The Steunenberg murder was but one
OF a long series of crimes that Orchard
charged against the Federation officials
With startling minuteness he told of
the attempts made Oh the lives of Gov
ernor Peabody of Colorado; Chief JUS
tice Gabbert OF the Colorado Supreme
Court, D. H. Moffat and other promin-
ent men.
The confession of Orchard was fol-
lowed by the arrest of Steve Adams on
a charge of completely in the Steunen-
berg murder, and he also confessed. 1t
is upon the confessions of these two
men that the prosecution will depend
to a great extent, though much other
evidence has since been secured. The
case of the defence will be helped by
the fact that Orchards mind has weak
ened since he made his confession. and
he probably will not be able 10 take the
stand Moreover, Steve Adams retract-
ed the confession he is said to have
made. SO that 1t will not be OF much
value as evidence.
It is expected that the Haywood trial
will take at least month. IL wall
probably take a week or more to secure
iurv. IJpon the result of the Hay
wood trial will depend the prosecu-
tlon's course in the cases of the other
attendants. If Haywood cannot be con-
victed, II is not likely that any strong
ar case could be made against Meyer
~ pettibone, as the evidence against
the three is practically identical.