OCR Text |
Show HDD MAKES FULL CJFESS1 Admits Assassination of Ex-Governor Ex-Governor Steunenberg of Idaho. Implicates All Those Now Under Arrest, Ar-rest, and Others, Including J. L. Slmpklns Tells the Story of Twenty-six Murders as Result of Conspiracies. Boise, Idaho. Governor Gooding on Sunday night Issued a statement with respect to the Steuncnbcrg assassination assassina-tion case, In which ho says: "I wont to state officially that Harry Orchard has made a full confession as to the manner anil motlvo of tho as-, sasBlnatlon of ex-Governor Steunen-' borg, telling of tho plnns mado and giving the names of thoso making them. "Tho assassination of cx-Govcrnoi Stounenberg, which occurred at his 'own goto on tho evening of Dccombct 30th, 190G, wns tho third attempt that Orchard mado against his life. "This confession wns made to Cnp. tain James McPnrlnnd. It Included a history of his life from his early boyhood boy-hood up to the tlmo of bis arrest. In that confession Orchard Implicated all thoso under nrrcst and othors. Including Includ-ing J. L. Slmpklns. Ho told tho story bf twenty-six murders, tho results of (conspiracies In which all tho accused jpartios woro Interested. When this story is given to the public, I believe It will bo tho greatest narratlvo of prlmo which, tho world knows. "Thero has never been any doubt las to tho truth of Orchard's confession confes-sion among thoso who aro familiar T,-;th tho crimes committed In Idaho and Colorado and chnrgod to tho Inner jclrclo of tho Western Federation of, Miners. I attribute. Orchard's confession confes-sion to tho groat brain of James Mei iParland, who has been employed by, the statu to run down tho murderers bf ex-Governor Steuncnbcrg. I havd seen Orchard myself since- this confession con-fession was made. Ho told mo that no promises of clemency or reward had been held out to him by McPar-land McPar-land or anyone elso. Mr. McParland was aided In his work by Orchard's early training. In hlB boyhood the bible was read night nnd morning by bis parents. Tho Impression of the early days came up and smoto his. conscience when ho was brought face to face with his God., Ho told mo that he believed In a Supreme Being and a horcaftcr, and that now his ona thought was to mako his peace with his Maker. "Tho finding of tho bomb at Judge, Goddard's gate, and many other things which will lator bo madq )known at tho trial, havo proved thq truthfulness of Orchard's confession boyond all question to thoso familiar with his story. Tho stato desires to secure Justice There Is no thought o( punishing tho Innocent or waging war on any labor organization. Tho assassination as-sassination of oxr-Govornor Steunenberg, Steunen-berg, a grnvo crime against the statq pf Idaho, was committed. As Its ex-ecutlvo ex-ecutlvo r folt It my duty to bend every enorgy toward the discovery of Uhu guilty parties and their fitting punishment. "I wish to announco thnt I havo withdrawn the offer of IC.OOO reward, mado by tho state, for the punish, ment of tho guilty parties, and havo advised that tho parties who had offered of-fered rowardB to do llkowise. They havo agrcod to, and today thero Is not a single dollar of reward offered for tho conviction of tho murderers of Btcunenberg. A roward of $1,000 Is now offered by us for Information leading to tho arrest of J. L. Slmpklns, Slmp-klns, and this Is tho only reward now offored In connection with the Btcunenberg Btcun-enberg assassination. "My reason for withdrawing tho reward re-ward and advising others, who had offered rewards to withdraw them, Is that I felt that no detective association associa-tion or nnyono else is entitled to tho rewnrd offered by tho stato. Harry Orchard was arrested beforo any detectives de-tectives wero on tho ground, on Information Infor-mation secured by a committeo of cltlzons of Caldwell, nsslBted by a few of us who loft Boise on tho spcclnl train a fow minutes nftor tho assassination assassi-nation of ex-Governor Stounenberg. Wo wero all tho friends and nolgh-,bors nolgh-,bors of tho ox-governor, and I am suro their services will nlways bo rcmom-bored rcmom-bored with gratitude." |