The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-02
Strongly Criticise President for
Dealing With Their Case in
Public Letters.
ALLEGE EFFORTS TO
AROUSE MUCH PREJUDICE
Are Cheerful in Spite Of Four
teen Months Confinement,
and Make No Complaint.

BOISE, Idaho, May 1.-Clarenca
Darrow, of counsel for Messrs, Hay
wood, Meyer and Pettibone, of the
Western Federation of Miners, charged
with completely in the murder of former
Governor Steunenberg, tonight issued a
formal statement in behalf of the pris.
oners. 1t was anticipated that the
statement would be direct reply TO
President Roosevelt s "und desirable citi-
zens' letter, but the statement is in
reality genarl one, and the references
to the President are to the former let
tiers of the Executive.
The statement follows:
We have been charged with killing eX-
Governor SteunenberS with dynamite
bomb: Our trial is 10 begin on the 9th
of this month. The details of abe as
sassination have been published broadcast
throughout the civilized world for more
than year During all this time the
that section OF Idaho where we Will be
placed on trial. has bitterly denounced us
and the Western Federation Of Miners.
10 which we belong. The most powerful
interest OF the country are seeking to
take our lives.
Perjury Is Charged
We We're not in Idaho for years before
the crime was committed. Under the law
we could not be eXtradited from Colo
RADIO. But, In spite OF this. we were ar
rested on a perjured affidavit. charging
that were In Idaho at the time OF
the commission OF the crime. and that We
this perjured affidavit. known TO be false.
tho Governor OF the States OF Idaho and
Colorado kidnaped us In the night time,
refused us interview with family;
friends counsel Chnnca lDOeal
TO the courts, and brought us on spe-
clal train thousand miles from home,
matically poisoned against us by newspa-
pers and officials, We have been con-
ined in jail for fourteen months against
our protest and denied bail, while con-
has been made TO teach the farmers,
business men and workingmen OF the
community that We are assassins and out
laws.
President Condemned.
After all this time our case is about
TO be reached. and the President OF the
United States, IN no way interested OFF,
ciaJly or otherwise. sends TWO letters
with guilt and crime. These are repu6--
llshed in every paper in die land, and
especially In every paper of Idaho The
Governor Of Colorado: day or Dr., Two S.o,n',, Ia
of the President, and SAYS that we are
only guilty OF the crime charged, but
of many others, too. While The President
of the United States and the Governor
of Colorado are sending out their state
ment to compass our death. the Judge
of this county has brought citizen be
fore him for contempt. oil the charge
that he tried to influence the mind OF
prospective Juror by saying that The
State administration was trying 20 ran
road us" on the appearance OF this
man In court the Judge promptly told
the states attorney that he should have
this obscure farmer indicted for FELONY
a prospective juror. The President knows
how much greater weight Will be, given
10 his words than those OF an obscure
private citizen
If We are about to be tried In court
every law abiding citizen, however great
or humble. should do everything In his
or than add fuel to the flame. II we
are TO be thrown TO the mob the officers
should al least open our prison doors ana
give us some chance TO de!ehd ourselves
Prisoners Are Cheerful.
Barring pallor inseparable from cor
lnement, Haywood, Meyer aud fettl-
bone show no mark of long confinement
approach OF the trial so high III conse-
ouence to them. They were laughing
at a story told by one Of then counsel
when they received correspondent OF
the Associa ted Press this afternoon, and
the laughter went on until discussion
OF the old battle Of capital and labor
sobered the general conversation.
Pettibope, whom they used 10 call
q Happy Hooligau' down in Denver,
is the funmnker Of the trio He has
marked native wit and droll. quaint
manner of expressing himself. and even
when today he made sport of his own
p xccution IL was impossible TO refrain
from laughing with him, Pettibone has
taken up Photography since his near
coration. and, Following the introduc-
lions today. he showed several samples
of his handcraft. He has gone 10 the
comic supplements for many OF his
models and with rare fidelity has re.
produced g Happy lIooligan. . " Maud
and the rest.
50 Mr.. Darrow tells me these will be
he said. "but | IN not saving any OF
them.
To the query. GLOW have YOU been
treated here7f' tho three answered,
) All right.
"Wo have absolutely no complaint -
said Haywood.
'.No men were ever treated better
under like circumstances, SAID Meyer,
The Sheriff and his men have all
been very fine with us. We have abso-
utely no complaint
AT this point Mrs, Haywood was
INTO the ward in an invalid &
chair and HAYWOOD was taken out to
SOC her She has long been an Invalid
and has not walked for years. Her
daughter. bright child OF 10,
accompanied her today,
Coll Home OF Federation.
.This day cell of ours is really the
lome of the Western Federation OF