The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-03-07
Charged With Being Accessories to the
Murder of Governor Steunen-
berg, of Idaho, in 1905.
BULL PEN HORROR RECALLED.

Charles. II. Meyer, PRESIDENT;
William d. Haywood, secretary
treasurer of the Western Feder-
alton of Miners, and George A.
Pcttibone, a former member of the
executive board of the organization,
will he placed on trial this week at
Caldwell, Idaho, on the indict-
ment charging them with being
accessories to the assassination of
former Gov. Frank Steunenberg.
Harry Orchard, a miner, who is
said TO have made confession in
volving the Federation officials in
the crime has told Governor Good
ing that he will plead guilty. This
means that he will probably be
placed ON tue stand by the State.
The alleged confession was made to
James Mcfarland, head of the
Western service of the Pinkertons,
and contains more than 10000
words. Orchard is said to have
confessed that he alone comm itted
30 murders-that he acted as
agent of the federation and was
paid for his crimes.
Meyer, Haywood, Pettibone and
the entire federation assert that if
Orchard made such a confession he
Is trying to save his own neck by
perjury of the most outrageous
kind.
The miners organization charges
that Meyer, Haywood and Petit
bone are the victims of conspir-
acy on the part of the Mine-owners'
Association.
The red record in the the mining
states began in the Coeur d'AIene
country when the Mine owners
Association was formed to combat
the union and to keep the "open
shop
The first battle between the fac
tons, June IL, 1892, the miners
won-five union and three non.
union men dead. Scarcely Il month
passed In which union or non
union miner was not killed.
FOR seven years this warfare
Kept up, and the union grew strong.
By the aid of guards and detec
ives, the employers had been able
Internationally to keep the open
shop.
Martial law had been declared
after the first fight, and there were
wholesale arrests of union miners.
Among those arrested was Petit
bone. There were no prosecutions.
ana an armlStice was agreed upon.
Every anniversary of the first fight
was celebrated by the miners by
Parades to the graves of the union
victims. The dead were euIogized
ana strong union speeches de-
livered.
On May 1, 1899, the Sullivan
and Bunker mine, at Wardner.
which had heretofore been strictly
UNION, announced that the open-
Shop policy would prevail. This
was taken as declaration of war
by the union leaders. a procla.
nation was put out declaring that
none but union miners should be
employed in the Sullivan and
bunker. Non union men under a
heaVy guard were put to work in
the mine.
TROOPS SENT BY GOVERNMENT.
PRESIDENT McKinly was asked to
send In troops. a negro regiment.
under the command of General
Merrlam, was quickly moved to
the sccre. Bartlett Sinclair, State
Auditor. was sent forward as the
representative of the Governor.
ne subsequent acts of retaliatory
"ulrageS committed by the military
were done with Sinclair'S consent
ne acted without consulting the
Governor and established the E.per.
mt system" No man could get
work or apply for work in tn.
ulsIrlct without getting Sinc!air's
permit.
The permits which applicants
were requested to sign set forth
.he outrages in Coeur d'Alens
were encouraged and fostered b,
= 1ne miners union and the appli
can't renounced and denounced al
unions. This policy caused spill