Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-08
COOL AND COLLECTED.
Remarkable Nerve or Lack Of Nerve
Shown BY Witness Orchard.

Orchard, the prisoner-witness, shows
no sign of fatigue. When turned over to
the defence he appeared to rally. He
acted as though relieved from the
strain and having once told the public
Of the murder of Steunenberg seemed
to welcome a change. His answers to
Richardson's questions were delivered
without hesitation. He is quick witted
and self-possessed and appears not to
feel the atmosphere of adherence with
which he is surrounded. The cross-ex-
animation is developing into a battle
of wits between Richardson and Or
chard.
According to those who know the
facts of his early life, Orchard is not a
naturalized citizen of this country. His
parents of course were Canadians, the
father of English and the mother of
Irish descent. Orchard himself had but
little education. He attended the coun-
try school in Canada, but passed
through only few of the lower grades.
He is the second child of seven. All his
brothers and sisters are living. When
still boy he hired out and worked for
the neighbors and according to his
own statement on the stand he was
over 20 years old when he left home
and went to Saginaw, Mich. In the
course of Orchards examination Rich
ardson asked questions to prove that
Orchard began career of dissipation
early in life. The man himself says it
was only after several years of hard
work that he began to drink and gam
BILE. AT that time he was building up a
good business in the making of cheese
but it has been u years since the turn
ing point. The woman at the bottom
Of it all was the wife of the man with
whom he boarded while working at the
rev cheese factory at his old home in
Northumberland county, Canada.
infatuated he ran away with the
woman, changed his name and after
warns, ashamed to return to his wife
and child, drifted into the life of crime
that gradually led to taking up killing
as trade by which he could earn easy
money and avoid hard manual labor.
Orchard is man without nerves, so
far as the closest observer can discoy
err At times while relating the most
frightful crimes of which he accuses
himself his voice changes and lowers.
But during the eight hours he has been
under fire of the questions. he has al
tered little and except for the first fur
ry or nervousness when he walked out
into the court room and faced the
crowd of curious faces after 16 montbe
OF close incarceration he has shown
n" sign mat he realized he was dictat-
ing his record as the greatest criminal
of the century
counsel for the defence saws that
they VIII be able to tear down COM
pielely the story he has told in the
ulrect examination. They have called
OUT loo witnesses and that the maiori.
" OF THESE are here, they say, to dis
prove what Orchard has told. In tbs
STORY OF direct examination Orchard
was not sparing in mentioning names
VI people and addresses. Counsel for
Haywood claim they will be able IN
prove by testimony of these people that
what orchard has stated is untrue
IL is even claimed that they will or
san produce people who will saw that
Trey themselves committed murders Of
winch Orchard accuses himself.
haywood, the man whom Orchard
describes as the arch-conspirator
SHOWS little concern. lIe even laughs
outright when asked what he thinks Of
the testimony. He asserts positiva,v
that the connection of his name with
the murders is a Justification and that
orchard has connected him with the
crimes partly out of spite and partIv
at The suggestion of detectives and
enemies of the Western Federation ~
MINERS. IL IS not known yet if Hav-
woou VIII 60 on the stand in his own
defence. Counsel say they don't know
as this will be necessary as they have
so much with which to discredit Or
chard's story.
Clarence barrow who undoubtedly ;s
closer to the prisoner than any other