The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-29
Tale Told by Harry Orchard in
Haywood Trial
Is Being Slowly Undermined by
Defendants Witnesses.
INDEPENDENCE TRAIL
After Explosion BlOodhOunds
Took Up the Scent
And Twice Stopped at Home of
a Deputy Sheriff.

Boise, June 29.-The first witness
heard in the Haywood case after re-
cess Friday was c. A. Collins of Lead
vile. Colo. a railroad brakeman, who
was a miner at the time of the indie
pendence depot explosion. He told
of two bloodhounds being brought
there and put on the scent. They cir
cled about some time and then brought
up at a cabin occupied by AL Bee
moore. The last he saw of the dogs
they were being taken toward the
Vindicator mine.
Cross examined by Mr.. Hawley, Col
Inns said he had belonged to the West
ern Federation of Miners. He was
twice arrested by the military follow
ing the Independence depot affair and
thrown into the bull pen" He was
also arrested once by the civil author
tiles and convicted of being drunk and
disorderly-
You were arrested for creating dis
turbances among nonunion men?"
mo, sir
Collins said his house was but 1926
feet from the wrecked depot. The ex-
plosion broke two windows in the
house and stopped a clock He and
his mother and three brothers were
Weakened by the explosion, but none
had curiosity enough to look out and
see what had happened. They went
back to bed and to sleep. Collins said
seen him around Independence for
some time prior to the explosion
L. F. Taylor of Independence, Colo,
a miner and former member of the
Western Federation of Miners, also
testified as to the action of the blood
hounds in taking the scent twice from
the wire and chair round at the depot
and running to Al Beemoore's house.
VINO was Beemoore ?" asked OAR
row.
Dogs TraiIed Deputy.
He was a deputy sheriff and at one
time marshal of independence"
WAS he in the employ of the mine
owners?"
The last answer was stricken out as
hearsay. On cross examination Tay-
lor said he saw Beemoore at the depot
the morning of the explosion Hawley
tried to show ythe witness that Bee
moore had gone to the scene of the
explosion Immediately after it occur
red and then returned directly to his
house. Taylor said BeemOore was
there early the following day. He
could not say as to his presence imme-
diateIy following the explosion.
Taylor said he had not been mem
Der of the union for a year prior TO
the wrecking of the depot. He was not
arrested or otherwise disturbed during
the reign of martial law.
Thomas Wood, native OF Scotland,
a nonunion miner, who was at work
as a timberman in the Vindicator mine
at the time of the explosion. was the
next witness offered by the defense
Wood said the day before the explo-
sion he placed half box of dynamite
on the water barrel near the shaft of
the 800 foot level. When he started to
work the night of the explosion he saw
the box where he placed it. He passed
Mccormick and Beck subsequently, kill
ed in the explosion, coming out of the
level. Half an hour later the explosion
occurred. Rushing out of the level
Wood said he noticed the powder was
gone. The explosion occurred on the
sixth level where it was placed to be-
gin work the night Mccormick and
Beck were killed.
1t became evident that the defense |
planned to show the Vindicator explo- |
sion was an accident, Mccormick and |
Beck having taken the half box of dyn-
smite to the level where work was
about TO begin.
Flight From the indicator.
Orchard in his testimony said the ex-
plosion In the Vindicator was caused |
by a revolver being attached to the lift |
bar of the cage. Wood testified today |
that when he saw Beck in the eighth |
level he saw a revolver in his pocket. |
When he found the bodies of Nc |
Cormick and Beck he found the re- |
mains of a revolver on the ground. |
Wood gave a graphic description of the |
fight of the miners from the Vindicator |