The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
WORLD OF LABOR AROUSED
Described by President Roosevelt as
undesirable Citfzens''-OutcOme of
Action VIII Determine Proceed
ings Against Meyer and Pettibone.
Reading of Orchards Confession
VIII Consume Seven Hours.

OF one or America S most pOWertui LABOR
unions are proven to belong to that class
described by President Roosevelt as "un-
desirable citizens"
In the West, whose eyes are now turned
upon the little Idaho town Of Caldwell
where the trial will begin on May 8. it is
said that opinion is fairly divided. and
that there are many honest and law
abiding members Of the labOring classes
who genuinely believe IN the innocence
Of the men accused. On the other hand
there is no doubt that the 5ympathizers
OF the HaywOOd's trial is only
the first of a series-include al the violent
elements OF labor both West ana East
Guilty or innocent, the members Of the
Inner circle" and consequently the
whole Western Federation. have come TO
be associated with illegal trade unionism
For the origin Of the Western Fedora
tion OF Miners one must 60 back 10 the
riotous days Of the Occur d'AIene mining
district The beginning Of that period. SO
far as the records 90, seems 10 have been
a series Of murders in the early SOS
From that start. conditions grew from
bad 20 worse. until al last body OF
militia was sent to the region. and Tor a
time kept the disoTderly miners under
martial law. II was after the troops
were Withdrawn that the organization
was formed on May l5. 1893.
Lawiessness in Occur d'Alene.
Iawlessness ruled in the Occur d'AIene
thereafter. Tho system Of intimidation
then established, with few humane pre-
Hminaries such as tying non-union work
ers 20 handcaTs and sending them down
steep railway grades to a horrible death
continued with increased perfection up
to the time when William d. Haywood.
Charles Meyer, and George A Petubone
We're arrested six weeks after ex-Gov.
Steunenbergs murder. in consequence of
confessions obtained by James Mcfarland,
of the Pinkerton detective force, from
Harry Orchard and Stephen Adams IN
those thirteen years the Western FEEDER
alton o. Miners had developed until Il
was the strongest association OF its kind
in the world. In six States and Terri
tories-Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Ne
vada, Etah and New Mexieo-lt was alb
solUte IN its political and industrial sway.
Oficeholders. dependent upon its votes,
feared to attack H. sherifs and con-
stables, learning Of its leaders misdeeds
and unfaiIng vengeance. dared not incur
iss displeasuge
How many crimes are to he laid at the
door of the union miners. whether All
thoFized by the organization OF not. is
only matter OF guesswOrk. In Orchard :
confession alone there are the stories OF
twenty-six murders. deliberately planned.
he has said by the officers OF the union
as such, according 20 their fixed policy Of
never allowing 70 escape any one who
had worked the Federation an injury or
combated its aims.
steunenberg sends Militia.
While the Occur d'Alene reign of terror
was at its height, in 1895. Frank steunen-
berg was elected governor of Idaho. He
mad been a farmer. Extremely popular,
and not knowing what il was 10 be
afraid. he did not hesitate 20 take drastic
action when the lighting became extra
ordinarily bitter and eliminated in the
dyRamiting OF a mill at the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan mine. When the mine owners
called upon him for help. he sent the
militia. In time order was restored. as
much as it could be in the Occur dAlene.
The union men were defeated, and their
a~feat was rendered the more calling be-
cause the soldiers, who were negroes.
gathered them in pens ike cattle, and
adopted other strenuous measures.
For their repression. naturally. the min
ers blamed Steunenberg. As 1t turned out
later. they swore vengeance on him,
d wa IN hea heF Il could
be put into execution.
Murder of steunenberg.
Ex-Governor steunenberg of Idaho hav-
ing ended his official term with credit. and
retired 10 his home in Caldwell, laughed
at the occasional rumors of threats
against his life. The Coeur d'Alene affair
had been so long past that it seemed in
credible for any one 10 be seeking re-
venge against him on account of il. At
the end Of 1905. he. ike everybody else
in Idaho, thought of it only as a fading
memory.
But on the night Of December 80 Of that
year he was torn limb from limb by a
bomb buried under his front gate. as he
was returning home to dinner
Immediate steps were taken 10 capture
the murderer The best detectives in the
land were summoned. soon they arrested
a man WHO had been in Caldwell for sew
eraI weeks. His name was Harry Orchard
in Caldwell. though it was learned after
ward that he had been known elsewhere
by other names. In his rented room were
found the paraphernalia OF the bomb
maker. A neighbor had seen him, n few
minutes before the explosion walk past
the ex-governor home. He was sent TO
the penitentiary at Boise.
Mcfarland Gets Confession.
For a time nothing in the way of a con-
fession could be got out of him. Then
Mcfarland, most skilled of all the Pinker-
tons. known for a quarter Of q century as
the man who had routed the Molly Ma
guires out of Pennsylvania in the 20 s,
was called into the case. He visited Or
chard in the prison. Failing to elicit any
information from the prisoner he adopted
a novel plan TO enforce candor. By his
orders, Orchard was placed in a solitary
cell, and no guard was allowed TO speak
to him The man was to live in silence
until he released himself from its hor-
rors
No sign of the punishment's effects We're
visible for a few days but then the cap
tive began to grow nervous. His diseom-
fort increased with the days, until he was
almost a wreck. Suddenly MCFARLAND said
to him
What will that old mother OF yours
think when she reads Of you in this fix?''
Responds TO Treatment.
McPariand's psychology had been accu-