The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-05

tnat time 2? asked Hawley.
- had no regular occupation" re-
What trouble was there at the
Vindicator mine in which you were
engaged?''
The defense objected and the ques-
ton was formally withdrawn.
Where We're the headquarters at
Denver
Who was president and who was
Charles H. Meyer was president
and William D. Haywood was secre-
tary.'
Mr.. Hawley then renewed his ques-
ton as to the Vindicator mine.
IL was once more objected to.
Judge Wood overruled the objection
upon the statement of the counsel for
the prosecution that Haywood would
be connected with the affair. Judge
Wood said that unless Haywood was
properly connected with the testimony
as given by Orchard. he would rule it
all out.
Stealing Orc.
Il had been high grading in the
Vindicator mine,' said Orchard.
High grading is commonly known
as stealing high grade ore. had
some powder in the mine" declared
Orchard, land reported the fact to Mr..
Davis, president of our local. He said
he would give me 5000 to set the pow
der off and blow up the mine. The
union men had all been called out on
strike. / asked a companion, named
Scholtz, if he would like to go in with
me- He said all right and that he
thought we were justified. We went
to the mine and took a couple of shots
at the man running the key. He ran
away into a tunnel. We did not find
the powder and came out of the mine
unmolested.
I'm November some time. w. F.
Davis and sherman Parker. who were
in charge of the strike. came to me
and asked if we could not send bomb
into the Vindicator mine and ruin it.
They said they would give me $500 for
It, | went to Scholtz about it, but he
did not want to do it for they had not
paid him for the last time he went
into the mine. A man named Acker-
man then said he would help me. I
got so pounds of giant powder and ar
ranged it with giant caps. which were
to be set off by the lifting of the guard
rail as the cage passed the seventh
level. We placed the bomb but did
not hear anything of it for about a
week when it finally exploded. Super
intendent Mccormick and Mel Breck,
a shift boss, We're killed.
Il saw Davis and Parker after this
at the miners hall and we talked it
over little. 1 went home with them
that night
Il told them was broke and want
ed some money and they said they
would have to get it from headquar-
tiers at Denver. That night they want
ed me to go to Victor with them. I
held back at first. but they said there
was no reason to fear, and 1 finally
went. 1 asked again for the money,
saying 1 might have to get out. Par
ker said he would give it to me the
both Davis and Parker were arrested.
w. B. Easterly was also arrested but
released on habeas corpus. He went
to Denver and | followed, where
their offices in the Miners Exchange
building. -
.'I knew them only by sight prior
to this. | introduced myself and they
Meyer asked me it'll wanted any money!
and said not at9that time. but later. |
Meyer said EasterIy had told him to
blow up the Vindieator mine and kill !
Mccormick and Brock.
A Fine Piece of Work
Haywood told me the blowing up |
of the mine was fine piece of work |
l talked to Haywood. Meyer and East
erly about the matteI. They said
there would be nothing here for me,
but night work for a while |
Haywood said he would have to clean |
those fellows up at Cripple Creek.
'Moyer gave me $40 and Haywood
later. in Meyers office, paid me $30Ol
for blowing up the mine.
ST returned to Cripple Creek in De-
cember, 1903, and since then I have
not done any labor. Haywood and
Meyer both told me I could not go too
fierce to suit them-to go ahead and
blow up anything / could think Of
to get some of the soldiers If possible.
81 went to work and made a couple
IF bombs with giant powder and dyna-
mite. 1 was helped by Owney Barnes
turned one of the bombs over to
man at a saloon who said he was 60
ng to blow it up. I don't know what