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@ Maclean's flashback falsifies history

The TRUE story of

an anti-labor killer

ANADIAN - BORN Harry

Orchard confessed to mur-
dering 20 men during his life-
time, among them Governor
Steunenberg of Idaho. Mac-
lean’s magazine is now run-
ning in a two part series the
unsubstantiated claim that
he was “a murderer for the
Western Federation of Min-
ers,” which in the early part
of this century had a large
membership in B.C.

To set the record straight,
Orchard was an admitted paid
agent of the Mine Owners’ As-
sociation, bitterly opposed to
trade unionism, which used
killers to frame labor leaders
like Big Bill Haywood, sec-
retary of the miners’ union.
Based on documentation,
authors Richard O. Boyer and
Herbert M. Morais in their
book Labor’s Untold Story,
teil the real story of Orchard’s
crimes. This is the second of
two installments condensed
from their book. Last week’s
installment ended with Orch-
ard plotting the murder of
Governor Steunenber®.

> he had permit-
himself to make a
the privacy of his
hotel room, number 19.

It-v ready on December
30, 1905 and when the. gover-
nor stood up from his chair in
the lobby, a slow-moving man
preparing to leave for home
and supper, Orchard quickly

A’ any
ted

bomb in

sidled upstairs to his room
and his bomb.
Concealing the bomb be-

neath his coat, he ran through
the early darkness to Steunen-
berg’s home, taking a short cut
through snowy ds, while
the governor, who liked to
think that he resembled a
Roman senator, ambled sedat-
ely along the streets towards
his death.

With swift and expert
ers, Orchard fastened his bomb
behind Steunenberg’s gate,
rigging a fishing line before it
in such fashion that the
governor’s step must stri
the string and pull the bomb’s
trigger as he entered the gate.
Then he ran as fast as he could
back toward the Saratoga
Hotel. He was almost there
when he and the whole town
heard an explosion that rattled
the windows and dishes
over Caldwell.

The governor, a huge hole
blown in his back and side,
was dying in the snow before
his home. He spoke but once
before he died when he- asked
those who carried him into his
house, “Who shot me?”

As the Governor died, Harry

1 was having a drink
in the hotel He had ac-
complished his design of kill-

fing-

€

all
all

bar

ing the governor without wit-
and now it was his
peculiar purpose to be arrested
ae

fon it oo.

nesses

A citizens’ committee was
organized, holding its first

meeting on December 31, the
day after the murder, and
offering reward of $25,000
for the apprehension of the
murderer. Orchard attended
the first meeting, declaring
that he understood he was
suspected of the slaying. This
was news to most.
However, his campaign for
arrest was rewarded on Jan-
uary 1, 1906, after two days
of effort. He sang as he was
put in his cell, giving every
evidence of happiness, appar-
ently undisturbed by the fact
that the same materials that
had gone into the murder bomb
had been found in: his room.
Students of the case have

Second of

long been puzzled by Orchards’
extraordinary performance.
His later confession to the mur-
der offers little to illuminate
his actions.

Although he had frequently
been in the pay of the Mine
Owners’ Association, the evi-
dence indicates that Orch-
ard’s crime was, at this point,
a private enterprise of his
own. Most experts have con-
cluded that Orchard, not overly

bright for all his cunning,
wanted the murder for pur-
poses of speculation. He felt

that the fact there had been no
witnesses afforded him room
for manoeuvre and he was
apparently willing to gamble
his own life, which he : felt
confident he could save, for

hone Geli wih. witcy, t

Kosher: Parry Ore ard aitet fIssacte
aay F
fler hh

erg Federation ato Afi

actin a?

POY Pac ttntadtone Bel
:

+ @

*

£
iHaywood Chines Moyer twith wilted
cxSoawhigh jad: Orchard: far his: murders,

i

t
died FOES

66, He

These pictures are reproduced from the Maclean’s article
purporting to prove that Harry Orchard was working

for the Western Federation of

Miners. The evidence proves

that he was a labor spy and a murderer in the pay of the

companies.

.

two parts

the pleasure of notoriety and
the possibility of profit.

Thus he was seemingly hap-
py in the Caldwell jail as he
awaited developments. He
was in the market with a
murder for sale to the highest
bidder.

A good many mine owners
immediately perceived the
value~ of Orchard’s property.
On the day of Orchard’s arrest,
General Sherman Bell, who
had never been accused of
misrepresenting the operators’
viewpoint, declared in Denver
that’ he was* sure Orchard
could be,induced to confess to
the murder “and name his
accomplices.”

“T think,” he repeated, “that
we will be able to convince
Harry Orchard of the wisdom
of naming his accomplices,”
and even as “he spoke news-
papers all over the West, in-
cluding the Idaho Daily States-
man and the Denver Republi-
can, were charging that Steun-
enberg’s murder was the result
of a conspiracy of the Western
Federation of Miners.

But to James McParlan, the
framer of the “Molly Ma-
guires,” Orchard’s arrest was
an opportunity for which he
had long lusted. It was a
chance for vindication, a
chance to show that despite his
years he was as good ashe ever
was. He was no longer the
fine boy he once ‘had been,
ever ready for a fight or a
frolic, and there were even
traducers who were - passing
it around that he no longer
had the artistry at frame-up
that had once been his.

Old and crusty and embit-
tered, he had to use a cane now
to get over the streets, and his
insensate unblinking eyes were
warmed when he spoke of the
glory that had been his in thé
old days when he had been
young and hanged the 19 min-
ers of Pennsylvania. Then the
new detectives would crowd
around the old fellow, boss of
the Denver Pinkerton office,
his hair silver gray, ‘his scalp
pink and bald, their young
eyes shining with the inspira-
tion and example that he gave
them,

He was rich enough in
wordly goods. As head of the
Pinkerton Agency in Denver
he brought in some $70,000 a
year for supplying the mine
Owners with strikebreakers,
guards and spies.

He was a success. He as-
sociated with the best people.
Governor Peabody was_ his
good friend. He was the strong

SEPTEMBER 28, 1956 —

right arm of the Mine

ers’ Association. There
not one of -its officials
did not enjoy having hu
of an evening where, smom

fine Havanas and
sound whiskey before the®

the graying veteran of pee
ing unions would give # ;
este!’

on how to smash the
Federation-of Miners. - «*

He saw from the first
Orchard’s arrest was his =
opportunity. He knew he
as good as he ever van
confident that age ha
weakened -his ability 1.
stroy labor  orgamlZ if
through the execution of Ug
leaders.

Not many minutes
hearing of Orchard’s ®.
he was in communication
his employers, the Mine ttle
ers’ Association, having Hf
trouble in convincing ee
ers that here was the ©,
place, and means of Sia" 7
the Western Federation bot
Miners, thereby reducié ae
cost and. saving millions ©
nually. :

Within a matter of a
McParlan was in the: of e,
Governor Gooding at ple
Idaho. Nor did he have # a
representing the mine oW the
as he did, in convinelnt be
governor that he shoul of
placed in complete chaté®
the case with all the pow’ —
the state, behind him. |

The State of Idaho, ?
tally, spent some $96;
the case, much of which! not
to McParlan. Age
withered his ability t '
twice for the same job, qne |
was also being paid
Mine Owners’ Associa

thot
eat

tion:

wed
Having been appointel
the governor as chief 1? pit:
gator, the old Pinkertor did
ceeded to Caldwell PU" ing
not speak to Orchard. Fm
that the prisoner woe pat
brash and confident, be
lan felt that he shows ae |
broken down a bit befor wit!
gotiations were starte@
him. peo |
Although it was iNes 1
had Orchard remove rave!
the county jail at © és
to the state penitents ot
Boise where he was 1 wilt
into a disciplinary cer gf?
out light or other faciliter se
held in solitary co 4):

for ten days.
Daily the astounded on 0
received one small P tl
{0

=

moldy bread and one
cup of water from #
who had ‘been insttUt at he
tell the fat little ma?

would surely hang- ant
The ten long bag $5
nights in the cold

worked a remarka
formation. - Sick, ha! 5 ace!
frightened, believing ee
death, he was no longe! vig!
when he was led into # pet
and sunny room in t © it
tentiary where Warder Me
ney introduced him,
Parlan.

of the hand. In his ot e
he held a Bible which '5 af
1t5 ie

(Concluded on next P

PACIFIC TRIBUNE —