The Detroit times., 1908-01-04
NJ { RELY SMILES
WHEN He HEARS
HE'S FREE
DEATHLY ILL. LIBERATED MAN rs
HURRIED TO A HOSPITAL
DOUBTFUL WHETHER HE EVER
LEAVES BOISE.

BOISE. Idaho. Jan. AFTER delib-
Grating IA hours. the jury which has
been hearing the case OF George A
Pettibone. charged with completely In
conspiracy to murder ex-Gov. Frank
Steunenberg, this morning returned q
verdict Of not guilty.
The jury came into court at 1890!
Pettibone, who is believed to be fatal
ly Ill. was summoned. He seemed en-
tirely confident of the verdict, and
only smiled when the foreman said.
mot guilty"
The jury was then discharged and
Pettibone released. He was imme-
diately sent TO a hospital His physi-
clans say ii Is doubtful IL he ever
leaves Boise. owing to the seriousness
of his illness.
Pettibone Is the second OF the trio
OF Western Federation OF Miners TO be
exonerated OF the charge OF conspiracy
to murder ex.Gov. Frank Steunenberg.
of Idaho William ID. Haywood. sec
rotary treasurer OF the organization.
was acquitted July 2s last. The case
of Charles II. Meyer. president OF the
federation, Is still pending.
Summary Of the Case.
This Is the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
wood case briefly summarized:
Ltf.Jl tt
the Occur d'Alene mining district over
a period OF 15 years. in 1899 the min
ers OF the Bunker Hill and Sullivan
mines at Wardner were ordered 10
quit work. A hundred out OF the $50
obeyed. Demand was then made upon
the owners for an increase in pay,
which was refused In a week. a mask
ed mob held up mail train on The
Northern Pacific road, which was LAD
en- with dynamite This explosive waA
used to blow up the $250.000 mill OF
the Bunker Hill property. This was
the beginning OF the trouble which tod
directly to the assassination or ex-
Gov. Steunenberg. Steunenberg was
killed because he declared the region
In state OF instruction and asked
the assistance OF the federal authorf
ties, the local militia being In the
Philippines.
President Mckinley sent 500 troops,
under command of Brig. Gen. Merriam
Martial law was not declared. but SOL
diers seized union leaders wherever
they found them, herding the men In
a sbull-pen" at Kellogg. three miles
from wardner. The imprisoned men.
II was alleged, were subjected to var
ions indignities, and union men were
not permitted to work, unless they
first signed papers renouncing ALE
glance to the union.
The Western Federation men believ-
ed Steunenberg directly responsible
for all these things. Up TO this time,
Steunenberg, who was a member Of q
typographical union, had stood well In
the miners estimation. II was after
he had retired from Office, that he
was returning home on the afternoon
of Dec. 30. 1905, when he was killed
by the explosion OF bomb connected
with the gate and laid with devilish
cunning. The community was greatly
aroused and placed the blame on the
Western Federation OF Miners. Pink
erton men were hurried To the scene.
one OF them being James McPartiaud,
who helped run down Harry Orchard,
who by his own confession, WAS guilty
of the murder of Steunenberg and
many other bloody crimest-at the So
iicitation OF the miners union. he de-
clared
Orchard made a confession. involv-
ing Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone.
They were arrested in Denver and tax
en- to Idaho. Then followed the ac-
quittal OF Haywood. after cost to
Idaho of $4,000 and to the defense OF
over $4,000.