The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-22
wood, the manner and method of it and
the rea sons therefor

wood, the manner and method of it and
/ the reasons therefor
Tenth shall devote myself as /
| have been invited to do, to the reason1
why certain witnesses did not testify for
| the prosecution and as to why certain
others did not testify for the defense.
"Eleventh-AIid finally, shall discuss
| the case as it appears before this jury.
When I have finished these eleven
subdivisions 1 will have done what can
to assist the jury in arriving at proper
and just verdict in this cause"
The Law as Applied to Orchard.
Discussing the law as applied to Or
chard. Mr.. Richardson said the corrob
Grating evidence in support of con-
fess1ng witness must be SO strong that
standing by itself, separate and apart
from the witness story it is SUFFICIENT
to remove all reasonable doubt as to the
defendants guilt. He charged that the
state hadno corroborating circumstances
of this character as to the murder OF
Governor Steunenberg and for that rea-
son a general conspiracy was charged
and all the events of the Colorado labor
trouble was gone into. But, said Mr..
Richardson, the conspiracy that the
prosecution complains of is lawful
conspiracy.
IF this be a conspiracy, then you
are in a conspiracy if you are a Demo-
crat and voted the Democratic ticket.
The Western Federation of Miners was
in a conspiracy to elect its men to Of
flee, to shorten hours and fix wages,
and every one OF those objects is law
full in this country.
Taking up next the history of the
Western Federation of Miners, Mr..
Richardson said that while much was
heard nowadays as to the equal distri-
button of wealth. the motto of all
would be. so long as men are consti-
tuted they are, to 'git all you can
while you are Citing, says 1" This
ca vii n HOOSiRr
applied alike to capital and to labor.
Delving into the Occur DAlene
troubles. Mr.. Richardson declared that
most of the mines there were owned
by the Standard Oil company and he
proclaimed that wherever conditions
were such as to create a Rockefeller at
one end of the line and man with a
gaunt dinner pail at the other, more
or less friction and trouble is bound to
occur. The Bunker Hill property had
been turned in for taxation at 100000
but after the mill was blown up loss
of 100000 was claimed.
No Explanation or Apology.
ct am not going to explain or apollo
gize for the men who blew up that
mill,' said the attorney. "It is suf-
ficient for us to say that Haywood
was not part of it, Meyer was not
part of it, and Pettibone was not a
part of it. You are not going to con-
vict these men for what was done that
day the matter requires but little
thought or attention. After the mill
was destroyed, it is shown the men
returned to their homes and their
work. There was no more disorder,
no insurrection, but General Merriam
and his negro troops were ordered
into the district. 1t is said to his
credit that Governor Steunenberg
was not upon the ground and did not
see personally what was done, but
gentlemen of the jury, If you were
driven out of the country, If you were
4ad tn hull
We're subjected to insults of negro
soldiers, would there not have been
hatred and resentment in your
breasts against all who had had
part in the treatment meted out to
you? All, I say it is to the credit of
every man put in that bull pen, with
out charge or trial that there was no
result from it disastrous to the lead
ers securing their incarceration pc
they great or small. l say that this
fact speaks volumes in my mind for
the control this organization has over
it's members.
Before taking up the Cripple Creek
troubles Mr.. Richardson returned to the
history of the Western Federation OF
Miners and pointed out what its objects
had been-to better conditions, to care
for it's sick and dying, the widows ana
orphans of it's members. He ridicule1
the idea that any one could claim that
4O, 900 workmen organized for their pet
terment could be termed 10000 criminals
As to Cripple Creek. Il
AS to Cripple Creek Mr.. Richardson
dwelt again upon the fact that many OF
the mines were owned by the Standard
Oil company. Wherever that company
operates be it Colorado or Michigan, |
the attorney asserted that there was
always some sort of labor troubles.
And labor he exclaimed, always
gets the worst of it. I don't know
whether labor is always right or some |
times wrong, but I do say that it is
not right that the laboring men should
bear the brunt Of what he does not |
do"
Richardson next told of the coming !
of Harry Orchard into the Cripple |
Creek district. He recalled the early |
crimes to which Orchard confessed, |
selling short weight cheese, burning |
the cheese factory, gambling, etc.
'He even gambled away his interest |
in the Hercules prospect according to
his own story. The defense claims Or |
chard lost his interest in this mine by |
being driven out of the country and it |
was for this that he murdered Stem
enberg.'