Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-07-04
WHY ORCHARD CONFESSED.
He Claims 1t Was for Relief of Com
science and Not for Reward.


OF no less absorbing interest than the
story Of his crimes was the testimony
which Orchard, the multi-assassin, gave
in the final stage of his croSS-examina-
ton at Boise, Idaho. He wept when
he told how he came to confess In
opening this part of the cross examina-
ton Richardson tried to show that CO.
ercion had been attempted by the pen
itentiary authorities to obtain a con-
fession from Orchard after his arrest
for the Steunenberg assassination. Or
chard testified that he was placed in a
new cell house, in a steel cage, with
solid walls and steel-barred doors. He
was taken to the penitentiary without
his consent and not advised as to his
rights He was permitted to speak only
to the guard and to the man in the
next cell, who was Bob Wetter, a con-
demned murderer. His meals were
served in the cell. He was not allowed
to exercise nor leave his cell, nor was
he permitted to read books or papers
After about ten days Detective Nc.
Partland visited the penitentiary and
Orchard was taken to the clerks office
to talk with him. He did not know
who he was, until he was told that the
visitor was a Pinkerton detective. He
complained to Mcfarland about the
treatment he was receiving and they
had a mutual talk about their past
lives, Mcfarland telling him about his
part in the Molly Mcguire affair.
Later Mcfarland talked about the Bi.
BILE, telling how King David was MUIR
derer and had repented and how st.
Paul had been transformed from bad
man into good one. Mcfarland told
him about Kelly, the Bum" who was
implicated in the Molly Mcguire out
RACES and was permitted to leave the
country after turning States evidence.
Orchard said Mcfarland had not been
the first to turn him to thoughts of re-
ligion; he had been thinking about them
himself. Mcfarland told Orchard that
he believed he had something to do
with the Steunneberg murder and that
he was aided by officers of the West
ern Federation of Miners, but made
no promise to him if he would confess.
Richardson took Orchard back to his
boyhood in Canada and had him tell
that he went to a Methodist Sunday
school when a boy and to church with
his mother and his first wife. He at
tended Quaker meetings with his moth
er and had also gone to Christian En-
deavor meetings. He never belonged to
the Salvation Army. Returning to the
first visit with Mcfarland he said the
detective upon leaving told him to think
over his past life. The next time the
detective came he told Orchard he could
do the State and country great deal
of good and that the State usually act
ed fair with it's witnesses. Orchard
said he knew what Mcfarland was af-
ter and had no faith in what he said
about the States treatment of it's wit
menced to tell the detective some of his
wrong doings. Mcfarland then told
Orchard he was a tool of the Western
Federation. About this time he had
made up his mind to tell all, as he did
not care to live any longer. In fact
he was tempted to kill himself. He did
not want to put the crime on anybody
else, but had thought of his past life
and what a monster he had been. He
did not care much what happened to
him and yet he was afraid to die, for
he believed the grave did not end ii
all. A Bible was sent to him by a mis-.
sionary society in Chicago, and after
reading in it he came to the conclu-
freely repented and made a clean
breast of his crimes. Since that time
he has never been in doubt. He had
told Steve Adams who by this time
had been brought to the penitentiary
also and occupied the same cell as Or
chard, that he intended to kill himself
with the crystal of his watch, by cut
ting an artery. He said he belonged to
Colburn Lodge of Masons and knew
that Peabody, Bell, Goddard and others
WuOSc lives llC SOuSIL W ltthC hS1C
high degree Masons, but did not know
that Steunenberg was. Even after he
confessed he contemplated suicide. His
confession he believed to be a duty to
God, country, society and himself. He
did not get this language from N t. |
land. Steve Adams was arrested on
the strength of Orchards confession.
Upon his promise to the penitentiary |
authorities he urged Adams to make a |
confession and said that the truth |
would come out some time. He told |
Adams then that if he ever got out he |
would "cross the pond" meaning that |
he would go to Europe. He did not |
say this because any promise of escape |
had been held out to him. He had new |
er received promise of immunity.