American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-07-12
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BILL HAYWOOD-CRIMINAL
A Review.


World organization q. w. W. now in
progress before the federal court in
Chicago on charges of conspiracy
against the government of the United
States, coupled with the fact that the
principal defendant is William ID. Hay
wood, who is head Of the offending
organization, recalls to the people Of
Idaho, and particularly those Of old
Canyon county, the cruel murder OF
one of its honored citizens, ex-Gov-
ernor Frank ~Steunenberg.
The death of Frank S-teunenberg,
former governor and leading citizen,
the best loved mar in the common
wealth, and the friend of practically
every resident of Canyon county since
its foundation, occurred on the night
Of December 81. 1905, by the explo-
sion of a bomb at the gateway Of his
own home. In the settled con-
viction and belief Of the citizens Of
this state, guilt was fastened directly
on W. d. Haywood, who is now on
trial in Chicago. The escape of Hay
wood and his co-conspirators in Boise
from deserved punishment, il is firmly
believed, was brought about through
a carefully laid out plan by the de-
Tending attorneys and which included
bribery, intimidation, subordination OF
perjury and attempted murder, and fl
nally as a last resort the murder OF
Sheriff Harvey K. Brown at Baker City
Oregon.
The assassination of Ex-Governor
Steunenberg has been termed by
writers and j%urists the greatest crime
of the century. 1t was the only in
stance where a governor Of a state
has lost his life because Of his stand
for the enforcement Of law, main
nance of order and punishment OF
crime. The trial of those accused
of the conspiracy resulting in his death
is known everywhere as 'Casu Ce-
lebre"-the result of the trial was
admittedly a miscarriage of justice,
in that those accused were acquitted
when all the evidence and the known
facts pointed Individually to their guilt
It is interesting and instructive,
even at this late date, to tell the story
Of the happenings leading up to the
commission of the crime. 1t was
on April %, 1899, that labor troubles
in the Occur d'Alene mining region
which had been threatening for sew
eral months, a mob of miners and
their ~sympathizers captured a railroad
train at Burke, and loaded with some
thing like 100 men from Burke, Gem
Mace. Mullan, Wallace and simllal
points, proceeded to Wardner juno
ton. over a hundred of the mel
were masked, several hundreds were
armed. and several hundred pounds o.
l-o-,sr1 vro faEan which had hppT
stolen from mining companies up thu
canyon" The train arrived at Ward
ner Junction. an attack was made OF
the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mill, sew
eral hundred shots we're fired on tn
mill. which was then rushed, when /
was found that the mill had been de
serted. The attack had been made iron
both sides, and it was later learneI
that during the fusilade n of the at
lacking force. named Smith, had bee.
shot and instantly killed. The mi
was blown up and destroyed. Tn
masked men took into custody an in
offensive old man named Cheynn'
who had peer a Bunker Hill employ
He was shot and killed by them, hi
murder in its manne being partiC
larly atrOcious.
Frank S~tenuenberg was then GOV
ernor of Idaho. Being notified OF IN
outbreak he at once established ma
tial law. asked for and obtained III
troops. and proceeded to re-establis
order in the district. As a result
his efforts a number of the ringleadei
in the riot were arrested-over II
suspects were held in a stockade
Wardner-eight men were indicted Il
the murder of Cheyne. One of theT
Paul C~orcoran. vas tried and convl
ted of murder in the second degre
He was sentenced to the penitential
and served for a time there. II
other indicted men broke Jail and ha'
never been arrested, having been spl
tied II of the country through the {
forts of the a~pologists for law viol
ton in the mining camps and els
where.
The action Of Frank S%teunenbe
in restoring peace and punlshl
crime brought upon him the settl
enmity of the sympathizers with I
Occur d'Alene rioters. including b
HAYWOOD. From then until the til
of his death he was in constant
ceipt of threatening letters on that
count. But Frank Steunenberg was
truly great nan Although he fully &
preciated the fact that his doom b
been sealed. he kept about the or
nary affairs of life. kindly and &c
tempered. full of optimism and CHAIR
He always felt certain that his enem
would take his life. From what he b
told them his friends believe that
the instant death there must HI
come to him very clearly he thoui
that the bolt had fallen as he had
pected il to fall. His friends. and Il
were legion, will always remem
him as one who in the very shadow
death. walked unafraid.
To a good many people of Caldv
will come remembrance of the ext
sion that shattered the quiet Of {