1 Adventist Heritage Harry Orchard Script By Richard Wright

A banker and former rancher by the name of Frank Steunenberg was elected as Governor of Idaho in 1896. As a Democrat, Steunenberg relied heavily upon support from labor unions, especially the Western Federation of Miners, or WFM. Idaho after all, was a mining state. On April 29, 1899, around 1000 miners, under the leadership of the WFM, high jacked a Northern Pacific Railway train, diverted it to the small mining town of Wardner, near Coeur d’Alene, took over the town, and blew-up the Bunker Hill silver mine. Two innocent people were killed. The remaining miners took over the town of Wardner. Governor Steunenberg did not have the manpower to deal with this insurrection in the northern part of his state, so he telegraphed President William McKinley, requesting help. McKinley immediately responded by ordering a force of 500 federal troops, under the direction of General Henry Merriam, to Idaho. The troops arrived in Wardner on May 4, and, within 2 days, restored order by arresting at least 1000 suspects. The arrested men were jailed under severe conditions for several months. The WFM would never forgive Frank Steunenberg for what it considered as excessive force used by the U.S. Army. The governor barely won re-election in 1900, and he chose not to run for a third term. On Saturday evening, December 30, 1905, former Governor Steunenberg left his office on the second floor of the Caldwell Banking and Trust Company and walked in the darkness toward his home. Upon arriving at his corner home on the outskirts of Caldwell, he opened the side gate. Suddenly, a bomb – made of ten pounds of dynamite – exploded, throwing him ten feet across his yard. As soon as his family and passersby realized what had happened, they got him to his bed. With his wife, Belle, at his side, Frank Steunenberg died just after 7:00 p.m. Upon learning of the assassination, current Idaho Governor Frank Gooding took charge of the investigation. State and local police scoured the area around Caldwell, Idaho, rounding-up anyone with a criminal background. Workers at the Saratoga Hotel, across the street from the Caldwell Bank, told police that a man named Tom Hogan had been staying in a second-floor room which had a view of the former governor’s office in the bank. Upon investigating the room, 2 police found traces of both dynamite and plaster-of-paris. Hogan was arrested by Sunday evening. The police had a difficult time getting any information out of Tom Hogan, and so Governor Gooding contacted the Pinkerton Detective Agency for help. William Pinkerton sent Agent James McParland – a man who was considered to be the number-one private investigator in the nation at that time. Before McParland arrived, however, Tom Hogan confessed to the state police that his real name was Harry Orchard. Meanwhile, the former governor’s wife, Eveline Belle Steunenberg, had to prepare for a state funeral for her husband. Mrs. Steunenberg had been a leading and influential member of the local Presbyterian Church in Caldwell. However, while Frank was serving as governor, Belle became acquainted with some Seventh-day Adventists, and eventually joined the local Adventist congregation. This caused a shock wave among the social elite of the state, the majority of whom considered Adventists to be some strange little sect. Mrs. Steunenberg followed protocol in planning the funeral. However, she insisted that Elder Grove Snyder, who was a religion professor at Walla Walla College, give the funeral sermon. Her son, Frank Jr. attended the college, and she had gotten to know the professor. Most state officials were aghast, but Elder Snyder was invited. The state funeral for Frank Steunenberg was held in the Presbyterian Church, and was packed with state and local officials. The attendees were pleasantly surprised when Elder Grove Snyder gave a very eloquent and moving message. On January 22, 1906, the first of many meetings took place between Harry Orchard and Detective James McParland. McParland was friendly with Orchard, softly appealing to any sense of guilt he might have. He also worked to persuade the prisoner that he was taking the fall for other people. Finally, on February 1, Harry Orchard signed a 64-page document, which is considered to be one of the most remarkable confessions in history. In the document, Orchard not only confessed to assassinating Governor Steunenberg, but to murdering 17 other men, as well. He also attempted, unsuccessfully, to assassinate five other officials, including the governor of Colorado. All of these murders were done for money. Harry Orchard claimed that he had been a paid assassin of the Western Federation of Miners! As Harry Orchard spent his days in jail, he began to read a Bible that had been sent to him by a missionary society. Then in June, a local clergyman – Rev. Edwin Hinks, visited Harry. Harry told the pastor that he wished to give his life to Christ, and Hinks prayed with him. As time passed, even Detective McParland prayed with Harry, and various people sent him literature. Harry was becoming a changed man. 3 Meanwhile, based upon Orchard’s confession, three leading members of the WFM were arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder the ex-governor. Charles H. Moyer was president of the union. William D. Haywood was secretary-treasurer, and George A. Pettibone was an advisor to the union leaders. The state decided to try Haywood first, because he appeared to be the ringleader of the conspiracy. The trial began in June, 1907. William E. Borah, an influential attorney, headed the prosecution team. He would soon be elected as a U.S. Senator, where he would gain national prominence. He was assisted by James Hawley, a former U.S. attorney and the state’s most experienced prosecutor. The WFM spared no expense in hiring the most famous defense attorney of the time – Clarence Darrow. Edmund F. Richardson, the WFM’s own lawyer assisted him. The trial became a national event, with reporters from all the major newspapers covering the proceedings. Harry Orchard began his testimony on June 5. Due to death threats against him, armed guards were stationed throughout the courtroom. Observers sat in awe as he calmly confessed to all his crimes and implicated Haywood and the others. On a few occasions, he broke down and sobbed, as he told of how Christ had changed his outlook on life. During the cross-examination, Clarence Darrow did everything he could to discredit Orchard’s testimony. He recounted Orchard’s past crimes and vices, which included killings for hire, bigamy, heavy drinking, compulsive gambling, and womanizing. Darrow’s cross-examination lasted for a record 26 hours. Harry Orchard never lost his composure. He calmly admitted to Darrow’s accusations, and stated that he was now a changed man. Clarence Darrow attacked Harry Orchard’s conversion. He said, **“Orchard saves his soul by throwing the burden on Jesus, and he saves his life by dumping it on Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone.” Toward the end of his cross-examination, an exasperated Darrow shouted, “Before Harry Orchard got religion, he was bad enough. But it remained to religion to make him totally depraved!” The hardened newspaper reporters were amazed by Harry Orchard’s ability to remain calm throughout his testimony. But they were completely shocked when the jury found Haywood not guilty. Jurors would later claim that they acquitted the defendant, because Harry Orchard – an admitted low-life – had been the only witness. After the trial, Frank Steunenberg Jr. visited Harry Orchard in jail and brought him some Adventist literature from his mother. Eventually, Mrs. Steunenberg sent Harry a letter of forgiveness and a copy of Steps to Christ. George Pettibone was tried and also acquitted in January, 1908. At that point, charges were dropped against Charles Moyer. 4 Harry Orchard, himself, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in March, 1908. Due largely to the recommendation of James McParland, Orchard’s sentence was commuted to life. According to Adventist historian Leroy Froom, at some point during Harry Orchard’s imprisonment, he left the Idaho State Penitentiary under armed guard, and went to the Boise Adventist Church. There he was baptized. Harry spent his prison years raising chickens, growing strawberries, and witnessing to fellow inmates. Harry Orchard died in 1954.