During the time that she (Olive Woolley Burt) worked at the Deseret News as an editor, a man came in to sell a story. She decided against using it, but he replied that inasmuch as he had been a prospector, rancher, and sheepherder, he must know something that would be of interest to her. She asked about murder ballads. “My father was a great singer,” he replied. “Used to sing all the time around the campfire, even at real parties and such. Give me a day or two and I'm sure I can recollect some of his songs." Within a day or so, he brought in seven verses of "The Song of Harry Orchard.”
Harry Orchard is in prison,
The reason you all know;
He killed Frank Steunenberg
Right here in Idyho.
He set his bomb out carefully,
He did not hesitate;
It blew poor Frank to Kingdom Come
When he tried to shut the gate.
Harry says he has killed others,
For them my heart it bleeds;
He should pray for God’s forgiveness
For his terrible misdeeds.
Harry blamed the Wobblies,
And maybe he spoke true,
For no one on this earth can tell
What such a band will do.
The chiefs were brought from
The were shanghaied as you know;
Bill Haywood and George Pettibone
Were brought to Idyho.
Clarence Darrow stood to shield them;
The result it was so sure,
Bill Haywood and his comrades
Free men walked out the door.
Now listen all you young men;
The lesson it is plain,
Just be prepared to pay the cost
When you set a bomb for gain.
Items at the ISHS History Museum
No comments:
Post a Comment