Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-19
COURT WOULD
SA VEORCHARD
i, FROM MOOSE
RUM0R OF IMMUNITY PLEDGE
STRENGTHENED
MANY TIMES ASSASSIN MAY YET
ESCAPE GALLoWs
of Federation Men Seek to Save
the Murderer Of Steun-
enberg
Special to The Herald.


CALDWELL, Idaho, March 1s.-Ful-
filing the prediction of the defense in
the Haywood and Pettibone trials that
Harry Orchard would not be hanged
for his many murders, Judge Wood to-
day asked the state board of pardons
to commute Orchards sentence to inn
prisonment 1t is believed the board
will comply with Judge Woods request.
1t has been asserted repeatedly that
Orchard had been promised partial inn
munity in return for his testimony,
never corroborated, against Pettlpone
and Haywood.
one of the attorneys for the defense
in the recent trials of the Federation
men said when he learned of Judge
Woods action: ITO the general pub
lie it may seem strange that the men
who a short time ago clamored for the
lives of Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone,
against whom there was virtually no
evidence, now clamor for the life or
Orchard a self-confessed assassin,
murderer of many Truly this Is re-
markable enlightenment"
In sentencing Orchard and srecom-
mending the communication Of his sem
tence Judge Wood reviewed the case
from the time of the killing of Frank
Steunenberg to the present, including
the arrest of Orchard, his confession.
Ine arrest OF tndTleS "A. hOyCls pitSi-
dent of the Western Federation of Min
ers, and George A. Pettibone; the tri-
ais of Haywood and Pettibone. and the
plea of guilty entered by Orchard to
the charge of murder in the first de-
gree, the punishment for which under
the Idaho statutes is death.
Believes His Story
In regard to the part of Orchard in
the trials, Judge Wood said:
IT am more than satisfied that the
defendant now at the bar of this court
awaiting final sentence has not only
acted in good faith in making the dis
closures that he did, but that he also
testified fully and fairly to the whole
truth. withholding nothing that was
material and declaring nothing which
had not actually taken place"
Judge Wood, after reading his rul-
ing, formally sentenced Orchard and
fixed May Is as the date for his exc
cution. Orchard asked permission to
sneak and it was granted. He thanked
the court for the review of the case
given and for the kindly remarks In
regard to him. He repeated that he
had told the whole truth, and that
no promise of immunity or of mercy
had ever been made to him.
Before he had concluded, tears were
streaming from his eyes and he all
DuI DTOke QOWH do DC o6oihp ~ ~
broken voice, thanked Judge Wood for
his recommendation to the board of
pardons.
Ernest Mills, acting secretary of the
Western Federation of Miners, said
today that the federation would re-
main passive in regard to the dispo-
sition to be made of Orchards case.
Promised Immunity
IF Judge Wood made the statement
credited to him." said Mr.. Mills, there
is little doubt that he is paving
the way for freedom for Orchard. 1t
has been claimed all along that Or
chard had been promised freedom by
Governor Gooding of Idaho for maxi
ing the confessions he made at the
trials That the political ring back
of it has promised to go down the
line for Orchard is also well known
fact
Secretary Mills announced his inten-
ton to place in the hands of the post
office inspectors anonymous letters
which he said had been received by
George A. Pettibone and his wife since
his acquittal of completely in the
Steunenberg murder threatening
them with death.
President Meyer of the federation
recently left Denver for San Diego
Cal, to visit Pettibone, who is sick
at hospital there.
DENVER, March 1S.-"I know moth
ing about what will be done with Or
chard," said James MCFARLAND, the
detective who secured the confession
of Orchard, today.
He was never promised immunity,
and never asked any. I do not know
whether his sentence will be commuted
or not.
''He is guilty, and he has confessed
his guilt. He has told all he knew
about those who caused him to COM
NIT his crimes. The fact that they
were cleared by juries makes no differ
ence to him."