The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-05-09
HAYWOOD TRIAL BEGINS.
Some History of Conflict Between
Labor and Capital.


important trial this country has ever
known. It. is the trial of William
D. Haywood, secretary and treasur
er of the western federation of min
ers, charged with the murder of for
mer Gov. Steunenberg of Idaho
Interest centers about this case, not
only because the victim held high
office, but also because the Social
lists and labor agitators have taken
this up as party affair and consider
this prosecution a blow aimed at
them.
In all, four men are in custody,
charged with the same offense
They are William D. Haywood,
Charles H. Meyer, president CT the
western federation of miners, George
A. Pettibone, former member of
the executive board of the same or
ganization, and Harry Orchard, a
member of the federation. Orchard,
it is alleged, made confession in
which he admitted that he killed the
form er governor, and, it is alleged
implicated the other men under ar
rest, together with others, accesso-
ries before the fact. Under the law
of the state of Idaho, while it is ad-
mitted that Haywood, Meyer, and
Pettibone were not in the state of
Idaho at the time of the murder,
they are charged with the actual
murder, the contention under the
statute being that they were on the
spot in spirit, that they planned and
therefore comprised the death of
Steunenberg.
1t is alleged that for purposes of
revenge, as evidence of unrelenting
determination to carry on a cam
paign of terrorism to impress with
their power, daring and loyalty, and
20 retain the moral and financial sup
port of some $4,000 followers, the
members of an elmer circle" of the
western federation of minels planned
and executed long series of MUIR
ders and acts of violence, medieval
in conception an I nihilistic in execu-
tion. It is charged that Harry Or
chard and ''Steve" Adams, now un-
der arrest and charged with the
commission of other murders, were
the hired agents and actual execu-
tors of many of these plots. These
crimes, it is alleged, can be traced
down Though the last fifteen years
through the days of the ''bull PEN
stockade in which several union
miners were imprisoned in 1899 un-
der guard of United States troops,
again to the great Cripple Greek
strike and the more recent prolonged
struggle in Colorado. Orchard lies
IN the Idaho penitentiary, ready to
take the stand against Haywood
1t is alleged that Orchard will re-
peat his confession on the witness
stand, and as the chief witness for
the state will relate q story filled
with plot and counter plot, startling
In development and execution
"Steve Adams also made confes-
sion, and it is expected that he will
be one of the witnesses for the pros
ecutiOn, although Adams later, un
der pressure of relatives, it is said,
repLdiated portions of his statement
Frank Steunenberg began life as
printer, joined the typographical
union, and throughout the greater
part of his life was in strong SYM
pathy with the cause and struggle
of labor. This circumstance gives
ground for an important contention
of the case, Upon the one hand, it
was argued that SteunenEerg re-
fused to countenance, OF, as govern
or, to permit violence in behalf of
union labor, he was stricken down
as traitor to his fellows by a mind
that never forge is and an arm that
can reach through years to strike
when least expected. Upon the
other hand, it is contended that his
well-known advocacy of union prin-
clples made 1t at once improbable
that his death was procured by IN
ion men. Steunenberg was blown
to death on the evening of Decem-
Der 80, 1905. He entered the side
gate of his yard at Caldwell, where.
retired from politics, he lived as a
sheep farmer. A bomb of peculiar
manufacture, with fshline attached
was sunk in the snow beside the
gate. The fshline was also fastened
to the gate. AS Steunenberg en-
tered, the opening of the gate
sprang the trigger of the bomb. He
was terribly mangled, being blown
nearly Is feet from the gate. He
lived nearly an hour
Before the day was over Orchard
was suspected. A search of bis
room in hotel revealed the first
definite evidence, and on January /.
1906, he was arrested. Orchard s
trunk revealed more evidence, and