The Colorado statesman., 1908-07-11
OF
MCFARLAND
DETECTIVE TELLS HOW HE Sc
CURED CONFESSION FROM
STEVE ADAMS.
MADE NO PRO MISSES
ALLEGED STATEMENT MADE IN
PENlTENTIARY AT BOISE,
IDAHO.

Denver.-A Republican special from
Grand Junction Wednesday night
says:
Detective James MCFARLAND this
morning testified that he secured a
confession from Steve Adams, charged
with the murder of Arthur Collins.
Feb. q, 1906, while Adams was in the
Idaho state penitentiary. He testified
further that it was made voluntarily
and of his own free will by the de-
iendant
The defense denies this, and charges
that the alleged confession was Sc
cured on promise of immunity.
The state is basing its strongest
hope of securing a conviction upon
the alleged confession the admissions
in which are said to De startling.
Arguments over the admission as
evidence of the alleged written con-
fession Of Adams took up the entire
time of the court.
Mcfarland stated that he went to
Boise about Feb. 26, 1906, and WIS.,
tied the penitentiary, where he had
a conversation with Adams by permis-.
sion of Governor Gooding of Idaho and
Warden Whitney. The killing of Ar
thur Collins was discussed, MCFARLAND
said, and the other alleged crimes or
Adams were taken up.
In the alleged confession Adams
is quoted as saying that it was given
voluntarily and that he was not
threatened promised immunity or
mercy at the hands of the law for
giving the confession. A preliminary
conference took place between McPar-
land and Adams February 26.
The next day, February 81, a ste
nographer was taken to the peniten-
tiary and took the alleged confession
in shorthand. afterwards transcribing
it and turning it over to Mcfarland.
MCFARLAND stated that he was with
the prisoner all day previous to the
confession and that they conversed'
freely. He said he quoted from the
Scriptures to Adams prior to the al
legged statement of the latter, and cited.
instances of salvation for murderers.
After the alleged confession had
been typewritten, he said it was taken
to the prison and submitted to Adams
| for his approval MCFARLAND said
Adams made several interlineations in
his own handwriting and had the CHIEF
clerk of the penitentiary, who later
testified to the truth of the statement,
correct other typographical errors.
After the paper was completed to the
satisfaction of Adams, witness said it
was signed by him and the original
document was produced in court today
In the alleged confession Adams is
said to have told what part he had
taken in the murder of Collins, how
much remuneration he had received,
and gave details of the killing which
had not been made public Mcfarland
stated that no threats had been made
in securing the confession and that no
immunity had been promised
A number of witnesses were intro
duced this morning, each corroborat-,
ing the evidence of MCFARLAND. w. B..
Hopkins, one of the stenographers
who took the notes of the alleged
confession said he heard no threats.
from MCFARLAND and that Adams made
his own answers. Hopkins, at the
time, was in the employ of the Pin
kerton detective agency, he testified.
Bulkeley Wells, chief witness for
the state, testified that he had gone
to Boise in May, 1906, and had ar
ranged for the meeting with Adams
through Attorney Hawley, who was
counsel in the Moyer-Pettibone case.
Wells said Adams went to Telluride
for the purpose of eXhuming body
and the men who went with him were
for protection against violence at the
hands of the Western Federation of
Miners Adams claimed at the time
witness said, that he was not in good
standing in the organization and had
since said that he had severed all con-
nectiou with the organization. Sc
curity from mob violence was asked
by Adams on the trip and he was care.
fully guarded en- route to Telluride!
and during his sojourn at the Wells
home in that city