The Mena weekly star., 1907-06-13
ORCHARD ON THE STAND
Main Witness of Prosecution In the Haywood Case Begins His
 Testimony.
SPECTATORS THRILLED BY HIS STORY
Orchard Was Calm and Collected In the Witness Chair and ccoly Ad- rnitted His Part In the Many Crimes in the Western Mining Country.

Country.
 Boise, June GA well groomed, stockily built man dressed Tn gray sack suit and apparently as composed as any of his hearers, the man known ss Harry Orchard. self-confessed, many time murderer. took the witness stand in the dis trict court of Ada county at 9:4o o'clock Wednesday morning. He IS the principal witness against W. D. Haywood. charged with the murder of Former Gov. Steunenberg, and who is, by Orchards story, connected with many fearful crimes.
 Some knowledge of the ghastly series of narratives to be related by Orchard has reached the public from time to time since his arrest, but the crowded court room thrilled when carly within the first 16 minutes of his testimony, Orchard, in reply to question from J. H. Hawley, leading counsel for the state. coolly said: <.
 q lit one of the fuses that blew up the concentrator mill at Wardner on April 20, 1899. Two men were killed"
 A court room seating some 300 people was filled to its capacity. Among the spectators were many women. Many of the seats reserved inside the bar were also occupied by the wives of attorneys or rela- tiyes of those concerned in the case.
 Haywood was the principal figure of family group. His invalid wife. in her rolling chair, was immediate ly to his right: next to her his mother--a handsome woman of 60 years, who appeared in court Wednes- day for the first time. Again to the right sat Haywood's sister, slight and pretty girl in white, waist and black skirt.
 After detailing his personal his tory. Orchard said he joined the Burke Odaho) local of the Western Federation of Miners. This was in the Occur d'Alenes.
 
 when got through breakfast I was told there was special meeting of the union and everybody was ex- pected to be present went to the meeting"
 MT. Richardson objected, saying there was absolutely nothing con meeting Haywood with this meeting. The objection was overruled.
 ''The meeting was called to order continued Orchard, "by the secre- tary, who said 1t had been decided that day to go to Wardner to blow up the mill at the Sullivan and Bunker Hill mines and to hang the superintendent"
 Again the witness was interrupted by Haywood's counsel who de manded to know how the defendant was to be connected with the Occur d'Alene troubles
 Senator Borah replied for the prosecution. saying it would be shown that Haywood came into the inner circle with a full knowledge of what had been done and entered into the conspiracy.
 Judge Wood said he would allow the prosecution to show general con ditions in the Occur d'Alenes and Gov. Steunenberg's part in it. He said he would not allow the witness to go into details. The defense noted exceptions to the courts rulings and Orchard proceeded
 Arrangements had been made to cut the wires along the railroad and take possession of a Northern Pacific train At Gem we were to be joined by the Gem union and together we were to proceed to Wardner. While the secretary was telling us what was planned by the central union, the president of our local came in and said he had not been informed of the meeting. When told the pur- pose, he objected to it and there was discussion The motion to go to Wardner was finally carried by 8 small majority After the vote near ly every man decided to go.
 Paul Cochran and six other mem. bers of the union took charge of the train We went to Gem and took 40 boxes of giant powder"
 There were about 1000 men on the train, most of them armed At Wardner we were told by w F. Davis, who was in command, to line up. The men with long guns were told to take the front ranks. followed by men with six-shooters. We were told to fire upon the mill as we ap. preached This we did and the fire WIS returned by the guards. It soon developed, however, that there were no men in the mill and We took possession
 Powder was placed at three places about the mill and 1t was blown up"
 Who set fire to the fuse?' T lit one; l don't know who lit the others" Orchard said two men were killed in the affair.
 Orchard detailed his wanderings af ter the Wardner affair saying he reached Cripple Creek soon after July 4. 1902, where he deposited his card in local union. and secured work in the Vindicator mine, going out in the strike in August 1903.
 T had been high gradin in