The Washington herald., 1910-04-17


out penny"
You also prosecuted the celebrated
Occur dAlenes cases in 1892" l said
There was a contest to compel the
operators of mines to recognize tina
miners union and to refuse to employ
nonunion men. On the 18th Of April, In
broad daylight. 1000 miners, masked and
armed, took possession of a railway train
at Burke and rode TO Wardner. where
they destroyed the mill OF the Bunker
| Hill and Sullivan Company with dyna-
mite. The mill was worth 100000 It was
actually blown to splinters. No greater
ruin Of a building could be Imagined on
their way back to the railway station. the
masked miners caught a number Of nom
union meu who were watching the pro-
cession. When near the depot, the non
unEn men were told 10 cut and run
! While they were making off as fast as
J they could several guns were fired A
nOnunion man was killed. and so was a
union man, but by accident. Gov. Frank
Steunenberg declared the region under
martial law and the militia took posses
sion. 7 was employed with others TO
/ ,
miters. We went TO Wardner and be-
gan our investigation. A woman told us
she recognized the man who fired the
shot that killed the nonunion mill worker
A pun Of wind had blown the handker-
chief TO the side OF his face and she saw
he was Paul Corcoran, leader Of the
Burke Union.
Sent to Penftcntiary
About twenty men were arrested
Twelve OF them were sent to the Federal
penitentiary in California. Eight bribed
a military guardsman at the bull pen.
where they were confined. and got away
The escape was fortunate in that il dis
posed Of them for all time. They never
came back. The guardsman was sent 10
prison.
we tried COrcOran for murder The
railroad from Burke to Wardner' runs in
a high and narrow canyon. with houses
here and there and few small stations
between. Persons along the line said they
saw Corcoran returning 10 Burke seated
on the top Of a high box car "a rifle IN
his lap, and his feet hanging downward.
They knew 1t was Corcoran by the stoop
in his shoulders The defense claimed
Corcoran was not at Wardner on that
day in April. Moreover. because OF the
crooked track and the sharp windings Of
the canyon. no man could ride the road
seated on the top OF a box car. Brake
men and conductors. taking the stand.
agreed with the defense In that particular.
! Il decided TO try the experiment my
self. James II. Hawley my associate.
who has prosecuted and convicted de-
Tended and acquitted more men charged
with crime than any lawyer in America.
said ] might be killed or az best. II
couldn't ride the car, would kill our
case. ] had ridden on freight trains but
was not an expert"
Sometimes Took n Freight.
why did YOU ride on freight trains?'
inquired
Il don't think I shall 20 further into
the matter" Senator Borah replied
There are times when I have wanted
20 be somewhere else. You can draw
your own conclusions Well. 7 got an
order from the railway company 10 have
the engineer Of April . duplicate his
train and running time from Wardner 70
Burke I stationed witnesses along the
road and took four men with me. With
a rifle on my lap and my feet hanging
over the side Of a high box car. I made
the trip and wasn't joggled of At
Burke I jumped to the ground. as Cor
coran was said 60 have done and got 4
hard jolt. II any one thinks il is fun 10
u frrrr
through the experience just once. The
turn in the case came with my practical
test. Corcoran was convicted and was
confned for two years in the peniten-
tiary."
you also prosecuted William d. Hay
wood" l said.
Yes. ! had refused 10 accept criminal
business, but Gov Steunenberg's murder
grew out Of the events Of 1899, and / was
persuaded to assist Jim Hawley. who
framed up the case and to whom not
enough credit has ever been given by the
public or the press. Steunenberg had de-
clared martial law al Wardner and had
ordered the prosecution of the dvna-
miters. Six years afterWard Che was out
os Office at the time and no labor troubles
aEitated Idaho he was assassinated In a
terrible manner by means OF a bomb
buried in the ground at his garden gate.
Haywood. as you know. was acquitted"
FnvorS Income Tax.
why have you urged the charging OF
a tax against incomes?"
Because I do not believe that all Of
the cost OF the government IN Washing
ton should be met by the men who toll
| for their bread and butter We are in
creaslns our army and navy. we are i'm
proving our harbors and rivers. and we
are constantly adding to the already
enormous sum OF our national expenses.
/ Practically all of the money comes from
a tax on what the consumers of the coun-
try eat and wear. Mr.. Carnegie. for ex-
| ample, has a yearly income of So. 900 600
| from bonds of the United States Steel
/ Corporation. Twelve of the men who
worked in his mines or mills and are
working now for his successors con-
/ tribute more to support the government
! than he does. The theory OF our system
of taxation goes back to the days OF
feudalism. when. 1t has been said. the
clergy prayed for the government. the
mobiles fought for IT., and the common
people paid the bills I would equalize
the load and shift some of it to tho
shoulders Of the rich, where it justly be-
! longs"
Would you tax all incomes?"
mo. would exempt those of less than
5000 year. Beyond that sum. should
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