The Mena weekly star., 1907-08-01


 21 Hours.
 Boise, July 30.-Into the bright sun. light of beautiful sabbath morning. into the stiffness of a city drowsp With the lazy slumber of a summer Sunday, William D. Haywood, defend. ant in one of the most noted trials in- volving conspiracy and murder that the country has ever known, walked Sunday free man, acquitted of the murder of Former Governor Frank Steunenberg.
 The probability of verdict of &C., quittal in the case of the secretary. treasurer and acknowledged leader of the Western Federation of Miners, had been freely predicted since Satur- day when Judge Fremont Wood read his charge, which regarded as strong ly favoring the defense in it's interpre- tation of the laws of conspiracy, cir cumstantial evidence and the corro- boration of an accomplice who con | fesses.
 1 It was freely predicted that in the event of Haywood's acquittal the state would abandon the prosecution of his associates. Charles H. Mover, the president of the Federation, and George A. Pettibone of Denver Statements from counsel and from | Governor Gooding issued Sunday dis pei this view of the situation. Gov ernor Gooding said:
 "The verdict is great surprise to me, and I believe to all citizens of Idaho who have heard or read the evi- dence in the case.
 "I have done my duty. I have no regret as to any action have taken, and my conscience is clear As long as God gives me strength I shall con tinue my efforts for government by law and for organized society.
 'The sate will continue vigorous prosecution of Mover and Pettibone and Adams and of Simpkins when ap- prehended There will be neither hesitation nor retreat"
 Not the least interesting of the comments made upon the verdict Sun iay was that of Harry Orchard, the seif.confessed murderer of Governor Steuronberg and the witness upon whom the state chiefly relied to prove It's claim of a sinister conspiracy against the Western Federation Of Miners. When told at the state peni- tcntiary that Haywood had been ac- quilted, Orchard said:
 Well. have done my duty. l have told the truth. I could do no more. !. am ready to take any punishment that may be meted out to me for my crime and the sooner it comes the better"
 It was after being out for 21 hours, that the jury which at first had been divided eight to four and then seemed icadlocked at ten to two, finally came 10 an agreement shortly after the first faint streaks of the coming day showed gray above the giant hills which wall Boise to the north and east. The weary, snow bearded old balliff who had kept an allnight vigil b.fore the door of the jury room was startled into action by an imperative Iknock from within. Events moved ran;lly enough after this and when at last the principal actors in the trial had been gathered into the court roor, at a few moments before o o'clock the white envelope handed by inc foreman to the judge was torn ,nen and the verdict read.
 If came as an electric thrill to the prisoner, to his counsel, to the at, torneys for the state and to the small sroup of heavy eyed newspaper men and court officials who had been sum moned from beds but lately sought or from offices where sleepless waiting kaG marked the night.
 Tears welled to the eyes oi the naal who auring the eighty days oi hi' rial had sat with stolid indifference written upon his every feature-a' last the icy armor he had tnro"n !. ,bout himself with the first day oi Iurv selection had been pierced anu whatever of pent-up feeling had peen contained within was loosed iiay wood,s attorneys were fairly nieeu from their seats and Judge "oou made no effort to restrain them as hay surrounded him to shake h's ,ands and shout aloud their consra'u at,ons James H. Hawley, leading ,ounsel for state, and 0. M VanDuyn
 be prosecuting attorney of the couh " in which Former Governor s'eun ,nberg was assassinated, sat gioonn' md unspeaking in their places.
 Inquiry among the jurors ai'e' .ha,r dismissal revealed some Q be elements entering into then ,acis,on. Samuel D. Gilman. tn' ast man to be won over to the oe ,ansa @ declared that a majority of tn' ,,an seemed convinced that the gener i +ona of the courts instructions m !. ,toated that the defendant should DO 7 : 'reed Finley Mclean, who Fo.e' consistently for acquittal from 'n' m first declared that the judge n n ,tructions seemed to settle an uouD ,s to inc course he should take. mror James Robertson, the soo'
 ,,,nred scotchman at whose nous
 ,are in Boise Governor steunenperl m
 ,oarded for more than two year , said ~ ,.sa,s ta yot ' ,y other way than with the us