The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-24
DEFENSE BEGINS.
Clarence DarrOW Outlines to
the Haywood Jury
What He Will Offer on Behalf
of His Client.
REVIEWS THE HISTORY
Of the Western Federation of
Miners From Its Organization.
Says 1t Was Born in a Jail Cell
in 1928.

Boise. Idaho. June 24-A great
crowd gathered this morning in the
room where William D. Haywood is on
trial to hear the speech of Clarence
Darrow of Chicago, outlining the pur-
poses of the defense in combating the
evidence put in by the state. The for
malities of opening the session at an
end, Mr.. Darrow at once took up his
place directly in front of the twelve
solemn-visaged men in the jury box
and began in the slow, mellow drawI
characteristic of him to state the
theory and plan of the defense to be
offered for his client.
Mr.. Darrow reminded the jurors of
the instruction given them by the court
that they are to keep their minds en-
tirely open as to the guilt or innocence
of the accused man until all the evil
dence from both sides has been intro
duced.
You have listened to the theory and
the evidence of the state" Mr. Dar-
row proceeded. Mr.. Hawley has COW
cred wide ground in his opening
for the state and we will have to meet
him step by step. The defendant here
is charged Eominally with the murder
OF former Governor Steunenberg.
There has to be some nominal charge.
But the state has told you the case
rests upon giant conspiracy of which
the defendant among others is a part.
The states attorney has told you
the murder of Governor Steunenberg
was but an incident. They have told
you the Western Federation of Miners
was an organization to commit mur-
der, to control politics, to hire lawyers
and other criminal things.
Part of this is true; part of it is
not true: 1t is true there is a labor
organization known as the Western
L-Nea-l1 t. -
Western Federation of Miners has
spent money for lawyers. 1t was un-
fortunate, but most people have to
employ lawyers at some time or an
other.
Born in a Cell.
This organization was really born
in 1892-1S93, right down in a cell be-
meath this court room where Ed Boyce.
the first president, was a prisoner, and
where now the three men, charged
with this murder. are awaiting the
judgment CT this jury. To start out
with they hired lawyers and they hired
the best they could. They hired Mr..
Hawley. now the leading counsel for
the state. Mr.. Hawley laid out the
plan of their organization, for them;
ne advfs e6 them; he was the godfather
of the Western Federation of Miners
and the men who formed the organiza-
ton tn ought it was an innocent under
taking. Mr.. Hawley was their first at
torney and continued as their attorney
for a long time. If there was anything
criminal in their appropriating money
for a lawyer the miners did not know
it.
."The Western Federation of Miners
is an Industrial, not a murderous organ
ization. 1t has from time to time taken
q hand in politics, but we are not go
ing to hang every organization which
has done such a thing. If we did no
would be safe. The West
ern Federation of Miners did all it
could to pass the eight hour law In
Colorado, Utah and Montana. 1t tried
1t tried to elect Mr.. Hawley, but un-
fortunately failed"
Mr.. Darrow went on to say that
there was TO claim that the Western
Federation of Miners was an organi-
zation of angels. angels do not work
in the mines,'' declared the attorney,
they are the mine owners"
Mr. Darrow went on at length to
outline the organization of the West
ern Federation of Miners. He declared
it was nothing but a beneficial asso-
ciation, trying to uplift its class. 1t
was not until ten years after the organ
ization of the union that either Hay
wood or Meyer took office in it.
No Apologies to Offer.
I'VE are not here to apologize for
ANYTHING the Western Federation of
Miners has DONE" declared Mr.. Darrow.
"It has been a fighting organization
L
a fighting organization. 1t has had
troublous career; it has been opposed
by every device of the mine owners,
but it has prospered. Before the West
ern Federation of Miners came into
existence the miners had tc work from
IL to IA hours a day. When they want
ed food they had to buy 1t at the
company stores. When they were IN
iured they were taken to the company
hospitals where there was little diff
Guilty in getting a statement releasing
the company from all damage. the
conditions are vastly different now.
more than one million dollars to the
widows and orphans of its members
this during the time this alleged crimi-
nal conspiracy existed"
Mr. Darrow went at some length to
show the trouble and opposition the
union has had since its inception. In
some communities he declared the pres
dent of the Organization, when he went
to visit the miners was refused both
food and lodging by the mining COM
panies.
Arrests have come thick and fast
the attorney continued "Some of the
charges were purely imaginary and in
80 cases out of 100 the men have not
even been given the grace of a trial.
AS soon as the Western Federation of
Miners was born the mine owners
went about to destroy it and as the
chief means of destruction they hired
The Pinkerton detective agency with |
onc MCFARLAND at its head.
1--WE will show you that this agency
has been busy sleuthing, following, |
working and lying to get these men. |
We will show that they have hired de- |
-ectives ani placed them in positions |
Of responsibility as secretaries and |
presidents of local unions; that these |
ljred men constantly advised the min
ars to strike and that when a strike |
was on counselled violence dynamite |
md murder. They did 1t at Telluride; |