Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-13
M0YER BRANDS.
ORCHARD AS
COLOSSAL
LIAR
President Of Western Fedora
ton Denies knowledge Of
all the Crimes Laid
at His Door

at His Door
Boise, idaho, July 11.-Chas. H.
Meyer was again called to the stand in
the Haywood case when court met
this morning. Attorney Darrow offer
ed In evidence a letter written by John
Murphy ef Denver, general counsel OF
the Federation, to the local union at
Silver City, Idaho, at the time the mat
ter of securing counsel for Harry Or.
,chard was under consideration. The
states objection to the introduction of
the letter was sustained.
Meyer cross-examined.
After the defense had secured the
Introduction as evidence of portion
pf the ritual and constitution of the
Western Federation of Miners, Meyer
passed into the hands Of the prescott
zion for cross-examination.
Senator Borah began searching in
nuisitiop of the Witness An import
INT statement of Meyers was the de-
hial Of any knowledge Of draft for
boo sent to Jack Simpkins the night
before Steunenberg was killed.
It Is anticipated that Meyer Will
conclude his testimony this afternoon.
He will be followed by Haywood.
Explains Federation Appearance.
Besides making positive denial Of all
the crimes attributed to him and the
other federation leaders by Harry Or
chard. Meyer offered an explanation OF
the unsolicited appearance of the wes-
tern federation as the defender of Har-
~ Orchard Immediately after his ar
rest at Caldwell for the murder Of
Eteunenberg.
Meyer swore that it was Jack Sinp-
kins who engaged Attorney Fred Mil
Ter at Spokane to go to Caldwell to rep
resent Orchard. then known as Thorn
rs Hogan, and that It was at the re-
quest OF Simpkins that the witness and
Haywood subsequently advanced $500
from the funds Of the federation to
meet the expenses of defending Or
chard. At various stages of the recital
the defense offered in evidence q num-
Der Of documents. including a hereto
fore undisclosed cipher telegram which
Simpkins sent to federation headauar-
tiers and the union at Silver City,
Idaho, covering the moves to protect
the federation which was charged
with the crime within few days after
It occurred.
Gets Telegram in Cipher.
Meyer began by saying that he got
his first knowledge Of the crime from
Denver newspapers, and that on the
evening of January 4, five days after
the crime, telegram in the fedora
tons cipher-a code in which certain
numerals represented the alphabet,
and published in the ritual Of the or
ganisation, being used to transmit the
password to local unions-came to
Haywood from Spokane. 1t was long
and the translation was difficult and
uncertain, but he and Haywood figur-
Simpkins and read: Cannot get j
lawyer to defend Hogan. Answer"
Meyer testified that he was suspic-
ious about the message the newspa-
pers having already charged the crime
up to the federation, and that he decid
ed to consult John Murphy, genera
counsel for the federation, before he
took any steps.
Meyer said he LEFT for Chicago that
afternoon, but that Haywood took the
matter up and opened communication
with the union at Silver City and made
arrangements to engage Attorney Johr
Nugent to look after the interests Of
the federation and defend Orchard /,
necessary. The defense produced cop.
les Of this correspondence and all Of
1t was read into the record.
Denies Giving Orchard Funds.
Continuing, Meyer said that Attor.
ney Miller came to Denver about the
first Of the following month, bringing
with him the record Of Orchards pre-
lirninary hearing Miller went to Den.
yer at the suggestion of Simpkins. 81
the witness testified, and brought {
request from Simpkins that the fed
GRAFTON furnish the large amount o
money that would be needed to defend
Orchard. Meyer said that he ant
Murphy and Miller and subsequent,
gave Miller $1,500
Meyer denied that he had ever dis
cussed any kind of criminal act witt
Orchard or any one else, or that h,
had ever given him cent except TO
expense Of the trip Orchard made tt
Ouray as body guard for him H
said that he had no personal feeling o
hostility for Steunenberg and Their
were no circumstances that woul'
make him desire the life of John New
lille. whom Orchard testified Moye
wanted killed.
Meyer denied that he participate,
In the conference in Petitioners bacl
yard where Orchard said he, Haywood
and Pettibone had discussed variou
acts of violence, denied knowledge Q
the subsequent meeting at federatio
headquarters where Orchard swor
that the Steunenberg and Neville exc
cutions We're planned, and denie
practically every material statement /
all of Orchards testimony Meyer ex
plained that Orchard accompanied hir
to Ouray because Orchard was goin
to Silverton, and they made the Jour
ney together as matter of conven
fence.