The diamond drill., 1914-03-07
SOUTH RANGE
SHOOTERS ARRESTED
PROVE TO BE MEN HIGH IN THE
FEDERATION COUNCILS
ONE MAN MADE A CONFESSION
Entire Mystery Surrounding the Affair
Has Been Cleaned up by This Mans
Story as Well and the Capture

lie mystery mas Dccu eOlNcus us
Srien responsible for the murder of the
two Jane boys and their boarding boss,
Daily. at South Range in Houghtor
county on the night of December 7tt
has been cleared up and live men are
now resting In Houghton county jai
awaiting trial on a charge of murder
The men under arrest are Nick Yer
banac, John Huhta, Hjslmer JaIlonen,
and Joseph Juttenin.
The four named were. il is
alleged, on the ground and did the
shooting while the last mentioned is
the man who planned the act and was
the responsible head. although when
the deed was done he was at Calumet,
many miles away.
The arrest of the men was brought
about by the confession of Huhta,
made to Sheriff Crus, last Friday.
The copfession of Huhta was entirely
voluntary, and it precipitated the ar
rests, though they undoubtedly would
have followed within short time
as Sheriff Cruise has had number OF
officers working on the case and they
gradually were drawing the net around
at least Huhta. verbanac and another
man. Huhta approached one OF
Sheriff Cruse's officers at South Range
last Thursday afternoon and abruptly
stated II want TO make confession
/ was in the Painesdale shooting.
The officer would have picked the man
up at once but two of the other sus-
poets were within sight and It was
thought best 10 defer the arrest. Huhta
willingly made a later appointment
and he was arrested shortly after noon
on Friday and brought at once TO
Houghton, where he made TO Sheriff
Cruise the confession.
Huhtas confession. after he had
signed and sworn TO IL, was turned
over 10 Special Prosecutor George +.
Nichols, who was called to Houghton
by wire Thursday and arrived Friday
night
Huhta said that this shooting and
others of similar purpose but Of lesser
accomplishment were planned by
another party. After planning the
shooting he went to Calumet and
was there that night, miles distant
from the tragedy to which his machi-
nations had given birth.
Huhta said that verbanac, who was
his chum. got him into the matter
and that they and two other men under
arrest did the actual shooting, He
went into details as to the number of
shots fired. the kinds of rifles used and
the position of the various participants
in the shooting. as we'll as how they
got away unseen from the see ne OF the
killing.
Hnhta's real reason for confessing
his part of the awful crime Is that he
had a deep grudge against the Western
Federation of Miners and he has fed
this grudge so he could no longer con-
tain il. He enjoyed brief period OF
wild prosperity while secretary of the
South Range local and because he lost
his Office he swore to get even.
Huhta was made secretary of the
local after John KosKi. the former sec
retary, was arrested on charge OF
shooting Deputy Sheriff Tim Oriscoll
during the south Range raid. Huhta
is young Finnish miner and he had
never been particularly prosperous.
HisSiiice Of secretary gave him, IL Il
SAID, &75 month and pickings. the
otter in unknown amount. From the
time he was made secretary he was
very flush. He exhibited generous
roll Of money nj all times and he went
on wild debauches with boon oompan
ions, thereby killing the goose tha
laid the golden eggs. as his disslp 5
.lion made his work rs secretary suffer
nd the books became so tangled tina
the strikers began TO murmer tor 1
new secretary. The powers in the fed
GRAFTON released Huhta from the fal
office he was enjoying and his income
was cut off.
Nick Verbanac was Huhta's Dool
companion most Of the time durinl
this brief period Of splendor Th'
story Of one of their wild nights !
told on the records Of the county Jail
Early in the evening Of January 2
a,catter dashed out OF South Rang
livery stable aud as IL disappeare'
Ger q hili at the edge Of the town tw