The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-06-25
DARROW OPENS CASE FOR DEFENSE
Lengthy Statement Outlines What is Expected to Prove
in Behalf of Haywood

:;oise, Ida, June "a In an address
that occupied tw, sessions Of the
district court today, Clarence Darrow
of Chicago outlined to the jury the de-
tailed plea and defense OF William ID.
Haywood to the charge that he muir
dered former Gov. Steunenberg. In
broad description, it is to be denial
of every material count in the testi-
mony Of Orchard, with showing that
Orchard killed Steunenberg because
Of a private grudge born Of the loss
of rich share in the great Hercules
mine, and explanations of the inde-
pendent circumstances that tend to
connect the three co-defendants with
Orchards life and operations.
The defense will call its first wit
ness at $3.50 tomorrow morning and
promises, unless cross-examination is
exceptionally long, to make all Of its
proof within seven or eight days.
Mr.. Darrow reminded the, jury that
they had been instructed to keep their
minds free as to the guilt or inno-
cence of the accused until all evi-
dence had been introduced. He said
the prosecution had coverd a wide
ground, and that the defense would
have to meet it step by step. The de-
fendant had been charged nationally
with Stuenenberg's murder, but the
state charged that this murder was
but an incidental part of a great con-
spiracy and that the western FEEDER
alton Of Miners was an agent to COM
NIT murders, control politics, hire
lawyers and other criminal things"
Going into the history of the organ
ization, Darrow stated it was organ
lied in cell beneath ''this court
room" and it was organized under the
advice of Mr.. Hawley, now leading
. counsel for the prosecution. Mr.. Haw-
LEY, he declared, was the godfather
| of the Western Federation of Min
ers," and the men who organized
| thought it was an innocent undertake
| ing The attorney said the Western
| Federation Of Miners was an indus
trial, not a murderous organization. 1t
had taken part in politics, "but we are
not going to hang every organization
who had done such thing, if we do
no corporation would be safe"
The federation, he said, had tried to
secure the enactment of the eight
hour law, tried to elect friendly Unit
ed States senators and tried ''to elect
Mr.. Hawley, but unfortunately failed
1--WE are not here to apologize for
| anything the Western Federation Of
Miners has done,' declared Mr.. Dar-
row. Angels don't work in mines,
they are mineowners. The Western
Federation has been a fighting organ
ization from the first and il it dies it
will die a fighting organization. II
has had a troublous career; it has
been opposed by every device of the
mineowners, but it has prospered. Be.
| fore the Western Federation of Miners
came into existence, the miners had
to work from 12 to IA hours a day
! When they wanted food they had to
buy it at the company stores. When
! they were injured they were taken to
| the company hospitals, where there
was little difficulty in getting state.
ment releasing the company from all
damage. The conditions are vastly
different today. The Butte union alone
has paid out more than one million
| dollars to widows and orphans of its
members-this during the time this
i elleged criminal conspiracy existed.
Mr.. Darrow next went at length
into the purposes of the organization
and contrasted the condition of the
miners previous to their organization
| He spoke of the accidents and cas-
ualties with which it was innocent
but have been fastened upon it. 1--WE
| will show that they have hired 6etec
/ tives and placed them in positions cl
responsibility as secretaries and pres
| ident of the union; we will show they
have hired men constantly, advised
the miners to strike and tnat when
a strike was on they counselled vio
lence, dynamite and murder. They
did it at Telluride, they did it al
Chipple Creek and at many Other
| places. They have organized them
selves into band to spread calumny
against the Western Federation ot
Miners. We will show that iG orc
case when cage fell because Of de
fective machinery and 16 men Were
killed, it was laid to the Western Fed
GRAFTON of miners. The burning o
the Moscow university was laid to the
leader of the Western Federation Q
Miners. Every illegitimate child borl
west OF the Mississippi has beer
wrapped in swaddling clothes, hurried
to Denver and laid on the doorstep o
the Western Federation of Miners
Mr.. Darrow turned his attention t
the Miners Magazine. He said tha
| ,,,ox,Y, Foolish ap}1 infaunpn,