The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-12
MoYER on WITNESS STAND
Made Positive Denial Of all the Crime'
Attributed TO Him by Harry Or
cfnard.

Made Positive Denial Of all the Grimes
Attributed TO Him by Harry Or
chard.
Boise, Idaho. July 10.-President
Charles III. Meyer. OF the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners. went on the stand
today for VIM. d. Haywood, charged
with numbering Frank Stcunenberg.
as is also Meyer. and beside making
positive denial of all crimes attrib-
uted to him and the other federation
leaders by Harry Orchard, Meyer Of
fered an explanation of the unsolicit-
ed appearance of the Western Fedora
tion OF Miners as the defender OF Har-
ry Orchard Immediately after Or
chards arrest at Caldwell for the muir
der of Steunenberg.
Meyer said that it was Jack siihp-
kins who engaged Attorney Fred Mil
Ter at Spokane. to go to Caldwell TO
represent Orchard, then known as
Thomas Hogan, and that it was at the
request of Simpkins that Meyer and
Haywood subsequently advanced ST.
500 from the funds of the federation
to meet the expense OF defending Or
chard. At various stages of the recital
the defense offered in evidence a nubi-
Der of documents including hereto
fore undisclosed cipher telegram which
Simpkins sent to federation headquar-
ters and the union at Silver City. COW
ering the moves to protect the fedora
ton which was charged with the as
sassination of Steunenberg within
few days after the former governor
was slain.
Meyer denied that he participated in
conference in Pettibone's back yar,l
where Orchard said Meyer. Haywood
and Pettibone had discussed with him
various acts of violence, denied knowl-
edge of the subsequent meeting at
federation headquarters, where Or
chard swore that the killing of Steun-
enberg and Neville were planned, and
denied in detail every material sta; -
ment in all of Orchards testimony.
Meyer was under direct examination
from shortly after 10 O'clock in the
morning until few minutes before
o'clock and most OF This time wa3
taken up with recital of the witness
connection with the Federation of
of Miners.
Only one important clash market
the relations of counsel during tie
day. The defense wanteC TO prove all
the circumstances under which Moy e.
rested in Denver, denied communica-
ton with counsel and taken to Idaho
by special train, but the state opposed
it. The court ruled that the circum-
stances of the transactions were not
properly a part of the defense, but
Attorneys Darrow and Richardson CEN
tinued the plea that it was most i'm
pOrtant as showing d conspiracy of
the mine owners and tie Pinkertons.
and managed to show that Meyer had
been denied DermissiCJ to comJruni-
cate with counsel; that Bulllley Wells
of the mine owrers association was in
charge of arresting and extraditing
party; that Wells had charge of the
train and that Wells had the keys
of Meyers handouts, and twice un-
locked them on the journey to Ida
no. The attempt 10 show that the
three prisoners had been illegally
taken to the Idaho penitentiarv failed
under adverse rulings Of the court.
Meyer made self possessed witness
and at the end of the long day the de-
fense expressed satisfaction over his
testimony and the probable impress
sion he made on the jurors
He will resume the stand at 9:3O
o'clock tomorrow morning for his
cross examination