The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-07-11

ms ieiioW defendant, William ID.
Haywood, and besides making a
positive denial of all the crimes, he
offered an explanation of the unso.
llcltcd appearance of the Western
Federation of Miners as defend
ants of Harry Orchard Immediate.
ly after his arrest at Caldwell for
the murder of Steunenberg. Mover
Sworc that it was Jack Simpkins
who engaged Attorney Fred Miller
at Spokane to go to Caldwell to
represent Orchard, then known as
Thomas Hogan and that it was at
the request of Simpllins that the
witnesses for Haywood subscuuent-
ly ADVANCED 81, ,5GO from the funds
of the federation to meet the eS
pense of defending Orchard. At
various stages of the recital the de-
ienSe offered in evidence a number
of documents, including the here
totorc undiScioscd cipher telegram
which SimpliinS sent to the Fedora
tion headquarters and union at
Silver City, Idaho, covering the
moves to protect the federation
which was charged with the crime
withina few days after it occurred.
Meyer began by saying he got
his first knowledge of the crime
from the Denver newspapers, and
that on the evening of january 4,
five days after the crime, tele-
gram i'll the federation cipher code,
in which certain numerals repre-
sented the alphabet published in
the ritual of the organization was
used TO transmit the password to
local unions, came to HAYWOOD
from Spokane. 1t was long and
the translation was difficult and
uncertain, but that he and Hay
wood figured the next day that it
was signed by Simpkins, and read:
"Cannot get IL lawyer to defend
Hogan, answer.
Meyer testified that he was sus-
picious about the message, the
newspapers having already charged
the crime to the federation, and
that he decided to consult John
Murphy, general counsel for the
federation, before he took any
steps. Meyer said he left for Chi
cago that afternoon, but that Hay
wood took up tho matter and
opened communication with the
union at Silver City, and made ar
r;,ngements with Attorney John
Nugent TO look after the interests
of the federation and defend Or
chard if necessary.
The defense procured copies of
this correspondence and all was
read into record.
Continuing, Meyer said Attorney
Miller came to Denver about the
first of the following month, bring
ing with him the record of Orch
ards preliminary hearing. Miller
went TO Denver at the suggestion
of SimphinS, so the witness testi-
fled, and brought the request from
SimpkinS that the federation fur
nish large amount of money that
he needed to defend Orchard.
Meyer said he and Haywood
conferred with attorneys Murphy
and Miller, and subsequently gave
Miller 81 800. Meyer denied he
ever discussed any kind of criminal
act with Orchard or anyone else or
bIltiI IIt Isiu ever given MIN Il cen L,
except for expenses on the trip
Orchard made to Ouray as body
guard for him. He said he had no
personal feeling of hostility for
Steunenbcrg, and no circumstances
that would make him desire the
life of John Neville, whom Orchard
testified Meyer wanted killed.
Meyer said Neville came to him
after his arrest for alleged com
plicity in the Independence station
affair and ask that the federation
give him 5000 to reimburse him
for the expense that he had in
CURED in clearing himself, but this
request was refused.
Meyer denied he participated in
the con nference in Pettibone'S back
yard, where Orchard said he, Hay
wood and Pettibone had discussed
various acts of violence; denied
knowledge of a subsequent meet
ing at federation headquarters.
where it was sworn that the Steun-
enberg and Neville executions
/ were planned. He denied prac-