The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-27
Honorary Member Of the West
ern Federation of Miners
Placed on Trial for the Murder
of Steunenberg.
SELECTION OF JURY
Is Begun Promptly After the
Court Convened.
Senator Borah's Partner to
Take Part in Trial.

Boise, Idaho, Nov. 27.-The trial of
George A Pettibone for alleged COM
plicity in the murder of former Cover
nor Frank Steunenberg began in the
district court here this morning, Judge
Fremont Wood, presided. James A.
Hawley, leading counsel for the state,
and Clarence Darrow, chief counsel for
the defense, arrived from Rathdrum
during the night and were present when
court convened.
c. c. Cavanaugh, law partner of SEN
ator Borah, was entered as associate
counsel for the state.
After the jury box was filled Hawley
briefly stated the case and Immediately
plunged into examination of talesmen.
r. E. Lamb, George w. Mitchell, F.
M. Blair and Edward Smith, all farm
ers, were excused because of their OBJ
lection to the death penalty.
J.. 1. D. Manville said he frequently
attended the Haywood trial and formed
an opinion in the case. He was excused.
William H. Gfbberd was passed by the
state for cause. He said he had no
opinion on the case, having read very
little of it.
Pettibone was indicted with William
D. Haywood, secretary; Charles H.
Meyer, president, and Jack Simpkins,
member of the executive board of the
Western Federation of Miners in
March, 1906, for the murder of ex-Gov-
ernor Frank Steunenberg at Caldwell,
Idaho, December 30. 1905. He was ar
rested at Denver at the same time
Meyer and Haywood and brought to
Idaho following the confession of
Harry Orchard, in which he admitted
killing Steunenberg with a dynamite
bomb and charged that he had been
hired to commit the crime by the fed
Grafton officers. Pettibone has no Off
cial connection with the federation but
has been made an honorary member
since his arrest 1t is charged by the
state that he was the go-between of the
So-called Inner circle and their hired
aSSaSSinS. After the acquittal of Hay
wood a petition for bond was made for
Meyer and Pettibone. The state refused
to consent to Pettibone's release, but
Meyer was allowed bail in the sum of
$25, 600 The trial of Pettibone was set
for October 1, but was continued sew
eral times because of the defendants
illness.
Pettibone is still in poor health, but
insists that he is able to stand trial.
With two exceptions, the same attor-
heys will be engaged in the Pettibone
trial as in that of Haywood. E. F..
Richardson of Denver, who was chief
counsel for Haywood, has retired from
the case and Clarence Darrow of Chi
defense. K. I. Perky of Boise has been
added to the long list Of defense attor-
neys. Others who will appear in be-
half of the defendant are former Con-
gresham Edgar Wilson of Boise, Peter
Breen of Butte, John F. Nugent of
Boise, Fred Miller of Spokane and Leon
Whitsell of Wallace.
James H. Hawley again appears as
leading counsel for the state. Senator
Borah is now in Washington and will
remain there until the convening of
congress when he will return to assist
in the prosecution. Prosecuting Attor-
ney Van Duyen of Canyon county, where
the crime was committed, and w E.
Stone, also of Caldwell, will also ap-
pear for the state.