The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-23

1 ne was enIfuSIlng the IunOS OF the or
/ ganization of WHICH he was secretary
! treasurer-upon David H. AIoffatt, with
| whom he was on terms of almost init
| mate friendship. Everything connected
with this matter. gives the lie to Or
| chard's monstrous story"
Richardson next pointed out how easy
| it would have been for Orchard to have
killed General Sherman Bell had it beer
so desired and he declared that If there
was any one man against whom the
federation might feel resentment it was
Sherman Bell, who was in command OF
the militia during the strike period in
Colorado. But nothing was done to
Bell, nothing was done to General Wells,
Not even Orchard could testify to sc
much as an attempt on the life of the
militia and in the Mine Owners aSSOci-
alton. The attorney declared that Or
chard had lugged into the case all the
various attempts he said he had been
hired to make for the purpose of in
flaming the minds of the jurors. Mr..
Richardson said that while every state
is expected to take care of the crimes
committed within its borders, Colorado
had sent an ocean of her dirty linen
here for you gentlemen to wash"
The Death of Steunenberg.
Coming again in the course of his
argument to the death of Governor
Steunenberg, HaywOod'S counsel said
the defense was ready and willing to
admit that Orchard committed the
deed exactly as he described it.
Richardson declared that Governor
Steunenberg's immense stature and
the freedom with which he went about
the country made him shining mark
for assassins.
He could have been shot by any
body able to hit the side of a barn
door" asserted Richardson, land Or
chard himself tells you that Steunen-
oh drix 10
the sheep camps across the plains
where he could be seen as a mark for
a rife ball for miles. There was not
a week of his life that he could not
have been safely killed, had there been
a desire for his taking off in anything
but a spectacular manner. I say to
you that Orchard had a mania for
crime and for committing crime in
way that would be sure to attract at
tention."
Mr.. Richardson said that when Or
chard came to Idaho to kill Governor
Steunenberg he seemed to so order his
movements that the finger of suspicion
would constantly point to him. After
he apparently abandoned the mission
on which he was sent.
Didn't Have Cold Feet.
Did he have cold feet? No. There
is no claim here that Orchard has feel
ing of any sort. He sat here and told
CT compassion for any of his victims.
tell you there was working in that
maniacal mind the proposition of glut-
ting his desire with the killing of Steu-
nenberg. But he wavered and went
away to Portland only to return later
and accomplish his purpose, when the
fires were famed into a brighter
fame"
Richardson here took up the connec-
ton of Jack Simpkins with Harry Or
chard.
Orchard tells you himself. that Meth
er Haywood, Meyer nor Pettibone sug-
gested that Simpkins should help in
the crime. Jack SimpkinS was a man
who had been confined in the bull pen
in the Occur D'Alenes. Hawley has told
you that he has fed from justice. 1 am
not here defending Jack Simpkins but
do not believe that one iota of guilt
has been established against Jack
Simpkins except that he was making
an official trip to the mines of southern
Idaho, in response to a letter from Hay
wood and a request from the local I'M
ion, he was inveigled off the train at
Caldwell for day or two by Harry
Orchard to fasten suspicion upon him.
Now 1 will say to you, gentlemen,
that if L had been here in 1906, If I
had been incarcerated in the Idaho
bull pen in 1899. if 1 had suffered the
indignities practiced upon the prison.
ers In that bull pen, if on December
80, 1905, Governor Steunen berg had
been assassinated and 1 had connected
with that fact the time had spent in
the bull pen, If 1 had added the fact
that 1 was a member of the executive
board of the Western Federation of
Miners and added the further fact
that 1 had been in Caldwell with the
man subsequently arrested for the
crime, 1 would have done, and 1 be-
lieve you would have done precisely
that which was done by Jack Simp-
kins-would have fed to cover to
preserve your liberty"
Orchard Has Motive.
Orchard, said Mr.. Richardson was
a man who had a motive against Gov
ernor Steunenberg. 1t mattered not
whether he had decided away his
beyond redemption prior to
his leaving the Occur DAlenes or not.
The thought was always going
his brain that he would have
been rich man If it had not been for
This thought was ex-
pressed to many witnesses and Rich
ardson denied that these witnesses
were lying or that the circumstances
point to anything but the absolute
truth of their testimony. Richardson
reviewed Orchards movements just
prior to the killing of Steunenberg
and said his Strengthened financial
condition when he was reduced to the
necessity of robbing a cash register,
Of burglarizing a railroad station and
borrowing money from a friend, gave
the lie to the theory that the fedora
ton was paying for crime and that he
could get money whenever he desired.
Turning again to Jack Simpkins who
suffered indignities in the bull pen
might be urged as a motive for his
alleged participation in the Steunen-
berg murder Mr.. Richardson de-
clared that a mans animosities did
not increase with the passing of years
but generally died out. Simpkins had
plenty of opportunity before the ar
rival of Orchard to kill Steunenberg
had he so desired. AS court took
recess at 1920 o'clock until D. M,
Mr.. Richardson announced 80 the
Jury would not fall dead" that he
would positively conclude tonight.