The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-11-01
Wm b. Curtisl

fNlu- T.. N4fAAHf
Harry Orchard. who tied The dyna-
mite bomb to Governor steunenberg 8
gate at caldwell. and on the witness
stand confessed to twenty-seTen mur-
GERS. is still in the penitentia-y, EN-
ployea in the shoe shop. where he mas
become quite proficient at the trade.
his sentence of death was eommutea
10 life Imprisonment BY former Gov
ornor Gooding. although he insisted
upon being hung, because. he argued
such a penalty was necessary for the
expIatidn OF his crimes ana slonid be
imposed In order TO furnish an exam
ple and warning for Others Governor
Goodfngs reasons for committing the
sentence were to crafty public setit
ment and to keep Orchard as wit
ness against man named slmpkihs,
s:impgins has never been arrested
although a reward OF 5000 has peeh
Offered for him suspects are brought
IN periodically by jealous detectives
both professional and amateur but
they have never found The right man
vet
orchard is a model prisoner and eN-
eretses good Influence. although lew
of the other prisoners will have any
thmg to do with him, nor because OF
his infamy, but because he - an IN
former He occupies very huhllliae
ing situation and talks frankly apou'
it He told me that he hoped 10 gam
me respect and confidence Of his fel'
low prisone.s sooner or later. and ad
mits that their anilpathy to him is nat
ural and justified He considers arm
self the greatest Of sinners and SAID
that no humiliation or contempt could
he too severe for his deserts. lie is
willing to bear everything and do eN
ervthfng in the way of atonement ana
expiation for his crimes Tie is in q
stare of religious eXaltaiion, IKE me
penitents and zealots Of the middle
ages rhose VINO nlve had the Desl
opportunity to watch him consider h1'
conversion genuine and no sentiment
al interests affects public opinion
When his case came TO the point oi
pardon or the penalty OF death the
poople of Boise and that part OF rue
state were entirely indifferent Fhcy
took no part in the discussion. they
signed no petition, but lei the gov
ernor and tie district attorney settie
the question without outside lntefVeh
ton.
Orchard is regarded as a psyeholog
ical phenomenon and religious en-
thusiast. He has oganized q pray
inc band' in the prison and holds
nrayer meetings daily, at which ne
and several other conyicts who nave
become subject to his influence con
fess their sins and pray for forgive
ness Orchard was baptized into tae
Seventh Day Adventist church on July
Il last when the preacher announced
that his repentance was complete, ana
that his sins had been forgiven, but
Orchard himself does not go so TAR
as that He believes in the atone
ment. but feels that he must do some
thing and suffer something himself IN
o-der to be sure Of salvation. he
wants 10 pay some penalty or furnish
some evidence to show mis- repentance
and discussed al length the question
whether he could atone for his sulll
better by suffering death upon the gal
lows or hy living a life of usefulness
trying to reform criminals and othef
men OF his class. 1t is a subject y
which he has given a great deal oi
thought, and one that he does not con
slider himself competent TO decide
sat with Orchald nearly an h9ul
and we discussed many subjects pe
sides religion. He showed the extraor
dinary memory that has been SO much
commented upon, and a high degree o.
intelligence He has been sublecleu
10 repeated examinations by psyche
logical experts and has submitted
cheerfully to al the tests they naNs
desired 10 apply They have amused
him rather than otherwise: but the
doctors do not agree. Some OF them
give him credit for Abnormal intel
lectual force like Professor Webste
and Professor Ruloff OF Elmira, tw'
eminent criminals who are usually re
terred to in the discussion OF all Q
such cases. Ruloff was one of th'
greatest linguists ever known. WINE
he was in prison awaiting trial n
leaned several new languages an'
was able to speak and read neal
every civilized TONGUE; but at th'
same time be- was guilty Of one of tn
Other students have come 70 IN
conclusion that orchard Is an exampi
Of arrested development, that he
simple minded and harmless n "a
motives without any natural vicious
ness, but subject to the control O
stronger wills, and that the twenty-se
IN murders TO which he has confesse
we're committed under the hypnoil
Influence OF the labor leaders II !
difficult TO accept such theory a.
ter one has eonversed with him q II
tie while He talks easily aud SIN
ply, and expresses himself in perfec
English. He is perfectly seli-posses'
"a and seems to have absolute eonlr'
of his faculties. He is frank and Tea
less and has a sense Of humor.