Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-06
STAR WITNESS AT BOISE
Slayer of Steunenberg Testifies
That He Killed Under Orders
of Inner Circle.

Harry Orchard told the jury in
the Haywood trial yesterday that
he dynamited the mine at Ward
ner; blew up the indicator mine,
killing Mccormick and Beck; shot
and killed Lytt Gregory; wrecked
a train filled with nonunion miners,
and attempted to kill Frederick
Bradley.
BOISE, Idaho, June 6.-When Harry Or
chard was called to the stand yesterday to
tell of his alleged connection with the
Western Federation of Miners, he was in
terrupted by Haywood's counsel, who de-
manded to know how the defendant was to
be connected with the Occur d Alene trou-
bles.
Senator Boran replied for the prosecu-
ton. saying 1t would be shown that Hay
wood came into the inner circle" with a
full knowledge Of what had been done and
entered into the conspiracy. This would be
shown. Senator Borah declared, by Hay
woods writings, Senator Borah said it was
necessary to go into the Occur dAlene
troubles, which were suppressed by Gov.
Steunenberg, to show the motive for the
hatred of Steunenberg and his eventual
taking off.
Judge Wood said he would allow the
prosecution to show general conditions in
the Occur d'Alene and Gov. Steunenberg' s
part in it. He said he would not allow the
witness to go into details. The defense
noted exceptions to the courts rulings, and
Orchard proceeded.
Arrangements had been made to cut the
wires along the railroad and take posses
sion of the Northern Pacific train At
Gem we were to be joined by the Gem
Union, and together we Were to proceed to
Wardner. While the secretary was tell
ing us what was planned by the Central
Union the president of our local came in
and said he had not been informed of the
meeting. When told the purpose he OBJ
jected to it, and there was a discussion.
carried by a small majority. After the vote
nearly every man decided to go.
Forty Boxes of Giant Powder.
Paul Cochran and six other members
of the union took charge Of the train. We
went to Gem and took forty boxes of giant
powder--''
Judge Wood interrupted to say these de-
tails were outside his ruling. If a mine
had been blown up, he said, the witness
should say SO.
Orchard, however, proceeded with his
narrative, saying that before the mine was
blown up 1t was decided to go back up to
Gem to get more powder.
There were about 200 men on the train
most Of them armed. At Wardner we were
told by w. F. Davis, who was in command,
to line up. The men with long guns We're
told to take the front ranks, followed by
men with six-shooters. We were told to
fire the mill we approached. This
we did, and the fire was returned by the
guards. 1t soon developed, however, that
there were no men in the mill, and we
took possession Powder was placed at
| three places about the mill and it was
blown up"
who set fire to the fuse?"
Lighted One of the Fuses.
II lit one; l don't know who lit the
others
Orchard said two men were killed in the
affair.
-Four or five days after this trouble the
United States troops came into the Occur
d Alenes.''
Who was the governor of the state at
this time?" asked Haw!ey.
Gov. Steunenberg''
Was his name mentioned at the meeting
Sou nave uSSCllDcu.
Yes sir"
Mr.. Cochran said he did not believe we
would have any opposition from the gov
ernor; that he had always supported him
and that we could control him. He said to
be careful about interfering with the fed
eral authorities" added the witness.
When the troops came into Idaho, Or
chard said he quit work and went to Mon
tana.
who was president of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners at this time" asked IIaw-
ley.
Edward Boyce" replied the Witness
After two weeks in Butte. Orchard went
to Utah and began working at the Ben
Butler mine near Salt Lake City.
His wanderings took him to the southern
part of Idaho, small place called Paris,
and again to California. His testimony
showed nothing more of Importance touch
ing on this case until re arrived for the
first time in Cripple Creek, Col, In July.
1902. and went to work In the Tracite mine,
running a machine drill. He joined the
Cripple Creek Union No. 10 Of the Western
Federation of Miners that same summer
and strangely enough w. d. Leavis, who
had led the miners of the Occur d'Alenes
against the Baker, Hill and Sullivan mine
at Wardner in 1899, was president of it.
After the Tracite mine the Vndicator
mine, near Hull City, employed Orchard.
Charles Mccormick was manager Of that
mine and man named Beck was foreman.
Orchard worked here until August, 1903
when all hands went on strike.
Connecting Haywood.
Lawyer Hawley then set to work to con-
meet Haywood and Meyer with the riotous
days that followed. Orchard said Meyer and
Haywood were the president and secretary
respectively of the federation, but he had
never seen them then. w. T. Davis had
charge of the strike in the indicator mine.
WAS there trouble there then?'
There was; I engaged in 1t. 1 had been
high grading in the indicator mine. High
grading is stealing pieces of very valuable
gold ore that can be carried away by the
miners without being dscoveredD While I
was doing this came across a large GUAM
| tity Of powder stored in one of the tunnels.
After the strike l told Davis about 1t and
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