The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-17
ORCHARD IS
INTERVIEWED
Chief Witness in Hay
wood Trial.
NOT SUBJECTED TO DURESS
Looks Not at ALI Like Perpetratvr
Of Murders.
Admits No Confession Is Pleasant and
Polite, and Says He Has been
offered Immunity BY No
One.

Boise. Idaho May 16--Harry orchard.
the prisoner witness, upon whom the
State of Idaho chiefly relies to prove its
charge that the inner circle of the
Western Federation of Miners planned
a conspiracy to murder Governor Steu-
nenberg, broke his long silence today,
and for more than half an hour, discuss
ed himself and his imprisonment with
representatives of the Associated Press
with whom he had expressed desire to
confer.
Orchard denied that he had submitted
to any mistreatment during his LONG
confinement; denied that duress or force
had been used upon him to secure the
statements he had made. and denied
that Detective Mcfarland and the Of
ticers Of the State have promised him
immunity for his confession of his
crime or reward for the value of his
alleged confession in the hands of the
State. Orchards manner and CONVERSE
tion during the interview tended to
strongly confirm the assertion that he
has been re-converted 60, and Is deep
in the zeal of Christianlike religion.
Two illustrations used by him to ex-
plain a change in the kind of books he
reads were Christian-like in character
and religious in tone. =
OEcMNEO IN EACtHtMk
Orchard is perfectly sound In BODY.
clear and quick of brain.
If ever there was anything In the re-
ports that he was breaking in health
and mind, there Is nothing now i'm his
appearance or manner to give them q
shadow of suggestion.
The one condition impoi I'd upon to-
days interview by Warden Whitney, OF
the Idaho penitentiary, was that there
he Atcntaasnn aP the and
the prisoner asked that the same condi-
ton be observed. AS far as appearances
go, the prisoner might have gone any
walk In life except the one his own
story says he Travelled.
He came in quietly, smiling little
as he advanced. and looking straignt
ahead out of a pair of twinkling blue
eyes he looked not at all like man
who had committed a series of revolt
ing murders, including that OF Govern
or Steunenberg His greeting was SELF
possessed and his manner courteous. Or
chard is somewhere about five feet In
height and will weigh between 10 ana
$50 pounds. His hair rs dark brown.
brushed down to a polish. his NOUS
tache is light colored and failed to con.
ceaI his teeth and good sized mouth. .
His head is a little roundish but quite
well formed and there are crows-feet
at his eyes to tell of his years In life.
He is quick and certain in movement, OF
easy manner. q man toned down, ana
smiles a little nearly all the time ne Is
talking He wore new fitting, wen
made suit OF gray. pair OF hlghiy
polished shoes.
Prisoner Talks.
'J do not care to talk about the case
as 1t stands at this time he said after
the introductions and the commonplaces
had been exchanged. Il am little
Iearv about talking to newspaper men.
so II you ask me anything that
think l should not talk about, III tell
you. 1 know you will understand ne
said.
rs there anything as to your treat
ment in general that you could care
to saw to the public at this time " he
was asked.
mo; there is nothing special to be
said / have been treated very well oy
every one since my arrest. The sheriff
at caldwell was very kind to me and
since have been here my treatment
has been very fine. I am given the
greatest freedom. 1 have large room
with onen windows and exercise
every day.
do you read much?'
Yes; l have done an immense
amount of reading. I see the news
papers, but I read books tho most. 1
have been reading Rowland and Ro-
maines History. the Life of John Wes-
lev and George Whitfield. number OF
works on the reformation and some
thing about the history of England a
hundred years ago. Much of 1t has
been ecclesiastical and religious
used to read q great deal of other lit
erature and lot of novels.
why did you changer
Orchard hesitated for a moment and
then in quiet voice said:
Like An Untruthful Child.
''It is like little boy who always
lied to his father about everything ana
then suddenly decided to tell the truth
about eevrything; that is the best way
that l can explain the idea. used
to like novels and all the other kind
of books but now l don't care Tor
such trash"
The question of tho confinement and
treatment of the prisoner was reverted
to later and Orchard said:
Il have not talked to any newspaper
man since / have been here. l could
have seen the newspaper men had l
wanted to. / am free to go anywhere
in the yard and to speak to any one
that | like to. But | do not speak TO
many of the men. l don't feel that l
am any better than the rest, but you
to certain men and does not to others.
And, besides. l have felt that / ought
to be careful. Some of the men seemed
anxious to learn too much. l do talk
to several of the men. There are some
good men out here brought to prison
bv misfortune and ] talk to them. l
attend the religious services and ] talk
to some of the men in the hope of doing
them some good.
The last formal question of the in
terview went directly TO the position
of Orchard In the pending case and was
directly answered. 1t was
was force or duress of any kind
used on you by Captain Mcfarland or
any one else in securing your alleged
confession or statement and have any
promises of any kind been made to
you in that Connection
Admits No Confession.
Il have never admitted and don't ad-
NIT now that | have ever made a con-
fession." said orchard. Mind that.
But, at no time. was ever subjected
to force or pressure OF any kind and
ANYTHING ] ever said to Captain Nc
PartlanA was without force or threat
of any kind Anything l said was OF
my own free will and accord, It was