The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-05-06
WILL HAVE JUSTICE
MURDER TRIAL
President Says That If Evidence Is Sub.
United Showing Miscarriage Of JUS
tice He Will Have Attorney
General Take II Up.

New York, May Elm d letter read
yesterday before the Central Federated
union, President Roosevelt states that if
evidence. is submitted to him showing
there has been a miscarriage of justice
for or against Meyer and Haywood.
awaiting trial at Boise, Idaho, charged
with the murder of former Governor
Steuhenberg, he viii bring such evidence
to the attention of the attorney general
for such action, If any, as it may be
in the power of the federal authorities
to take
The presidents letter follows:
"The White House, Washington, May
2, 1907.
"My Dear Mr.. Henry: When ron. in
company with Messrs Coaklev and
Brown, called npon me this morning /
read you the letter lad written to the
attorney general on March 25, 1906 At
your request ! gladly send you the fol-
lowing extract from that letter:
& Our duty is (if 1t should ever hap
pen that we bad any power IN the mat
ter) to see that exact justice is done
these men. There must be no condona-
tion of lawlessness on our part, even ii
the lawlessness takes the form of an
effort to ayenge the wrongs committed
by the lawlessness of others. The sole
question as regards Haywood and Meyer
must be the question whether or not they
can be shown TO be guilty of this par
tionlar act, and their legal rights must
be as carefully safeguarded as those Of
any other men. II is alleged that they
were extradicted from Colorado in a
manner that amounted to a betrayal of
their legal rights. should like to have
the district attorney Of Idaho give me
such information az he can on this point.
/ should like to get form that district
att0fney of Idaho any information that
ia can obtain as to whether or not there
3las ben the slightest disposition shown
by The authorities in Idaho TO act to-
ward these men in an unfair and inn
proper manner or to deny them their
legal rights On the other hand should
like to know whether there is any symp-
tom OF a miscarriage of Justice IN their
favor The incorporate vio-
lence with which the socialistie or labor
parties like that Of Debss and. | am
sorry 10 say, some labor organizations
have insisted, without any knowledge of
the facts, upon treating these men as
martyrs to the cause Of labor has un-
auestionably resulted in tremendous
pressure being brought TO bear upon the
authorities OF Idaho to discharge or ac-
quit them whether guilty or innocent
SO far as the unions are
anxious only to see that exact Justice il
done these men, that they are given
their full legal rights and not condemned
unless proved guilty Of this specific act
they are entitled to the cordial 90 opera.
tion Of all Just and fair minded citizens
So far as by any action, or by murderous
and treasonable language, such as that
quoted above from Debs (and others. ]
fhev tend to bring pressure to bear upon
tho state authorities and the courts to
obstruct the course of justice and te
render il difficult to convict the men II
aniilty, they are equally without stint
10 be condemned; and anything that the
federal authorities can do, in either
event. n srvther the cause or justice
Is to be done
"In response to your question IL IS,
tr1ist needless for me to say that il
at any time you or anyone else car
submit To be any evidence showing that
there has been o miscarriage Of justice
for or against Messrs. Meyer or Hav
wood, which believe il is In my power
to remedy, I win act at once, bring
such evidence TO the attention Of tn,
attorney general to have him give il
tbe fullest consideration, and TO max,
thereon such consideration, and TO maxi
thereon such action, If any, as It mal
Ne IN the power Of the federal authoritiei
to take.
Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt
eATr. John S. Henry, 1920 Third ave
nue. New York.
The communication was the fofma
reply Of the president TO the commit