The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-11-09
ORCHARD
WRITES. TO
FORMER
GOVERNOR
MURDERER OF GOV. STUNEN-
BERG OF IDAHO. SERVING LIFE
SENTENCE IN ~PENITENTIARY
AT BOISE, SENDS LETTER TO
MAN HE TRIED TO KILL.

Gov. Jas. H. Peabody received a
letter a few days ago from the notori-
Gus Harry Orchard, now serving
life sentence in the state penitentiary
at Boise, Idaho, that is extremely
interesting in view OF the events that
prompted it. In 1903, thirteen years
ago, when Governor Peabody was at
the head of state administration here
a labor war of unusual bitterness and
intensity was in progress in this state
larry Orchard. acting as tool for
the leaders of the mola anarcharisuc
of the strikers, trailed Governor Pea
body all over the state to kill him.
but was III every instance prevented
frola carrying out his murderous
plots by u combination of circumstan-
ces that viewed in the light of sub
seQuent happenings seem TO have
been avoided as a direct inteTposition
of providence.
The story is too long to be told
in this connection; many people will
remember it. Harry Orchard one
night, as a hired assassin, place a
dynamite bomb on the window sill Of
Governor Peabody's residence on Riv-
er street in this city and waited on
tie outside of the house for two
hours in order to get good chance
TO explode it. Mrs. Peabody sat at
side of her husband just inside
e window and Orchard did not set
off the bomb because he had no de-
re to kill her. Three or four times
in Denver attempts were made by
Orchard to murder Gov. Peabody by
bombs and once by means of a saw
ed-off shotgun. By a strange unity
of things in his favor Governor Pea
body escaped the assassin and was
afterwards instrumental in his con-
viction for the murder of Governor
Stunenberg. He was sentenced to be
hung, but was later commuted to life
imprisonment at the instance of those
who had prosecuted him; Governor
Peabody among the number.
Five or six years ago Governor Pea
body visited the penitentiary at Boise
and had a long talk with Orchard, in
Ihe course of which he told him that
lie had no enmity towards him and
that IL was the men that had employ
ed him for the commission of crime
that were most TO blame. Governor
reabody found Orchard engaged in
making hair brushes while in prison
and purchased one of them from him
as a souvenir and it is to that Incl
dent that Orchard refers in his COM
municaion Orchards letter follows:
Boise, Idaho, Oct 31st, 1916.
Hon. Jas. H. Peabody,
Canon City, Colorado.
Dear Sir and Friend:
No doubt you will be somewhat sur
prised to receive a letter from me but
/ have been thinking of writing to you
Ior years and send you some little
remembrance in appreciation of your
forgiveness to one SO unworthy of it,
templated against you. / am glad
God in His mercy spared my life and
led me to repentance, and that have
made all of the earthly restitution
within my power for my misdeeds
and that He gave me that desire to
live, day by day. a clean, upright
life, and, truly it is the only life
worth living.
l have often thought of the little
brush you bought from me and the
price l charged you for 1t but they
charged me S1.50 for those bristles
and / think ! would be ashamed of
the workmanship now. altho ! thought
it very good at the time, but | think
I have improved some since then, so
am sending you sample of my
work as a little remembrance of an
unworthy friend.
Hoping that this finds you well, as
leaves me, and thanking you for
your generous forgiveness, am
Very Sincerely Yours,