"STEUNENBERG IS WELL SUPPORTED"

Click on the image and be taken to my Footnote spotlight for enlarging and easier viewing.

"The Finish of the Poker Game" - Posed by Harry Orchard "For Fun"

This photo was shown by the prosecution at the Haywood trial. The one on the right appeared in the book Cabal of Death by Robert Grimmett. I never knew who the other two men were until I recently found the newspaper version (left) of the same image on Footnote.com

Harry Orchard is on the left, Peter Christianson is standing and Andrew Christianson is slumped over the table.

As far as I know, neither of the Christiansons' figured in the trial or murder of Frank Steunenberg. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Publication Title: The Chicago Tribune 1870-1877
Content Source: Allen County Public Library
Chicago, Illinois
July 5, 1907
Page 5, V. 66, N. 160

6/2/1919 - Man Who Single Handed Routed The Molly Maguires Succumbed To Operation"

Here is a new way I can post images on the blog and use the Footnote.com image viewer. Give it a test drive and let me know what you think.

That's Charles Siringo with James McParland on the left and of course McParland, Governor Frank Steunenberg and Harry Orchard left to right across the bottom.

"KEEP ME IN PRISON!" The Wail of Harry Orchard

"It is not remorse that has made of Harry Orchard a broken man, for he says with a smile that he has forgotten his crimes. It is not authority that has bred fear in Harry Orchard's heart, for he is treated humanely and with consideration.

It is the dominating thought, the one ogreish vision of half-slumbered nights; it is the possibility of Cammora (sic) vengeance being taken that impels him to give tongue in the night to prayer: "Do not let me out. Protect me, protect me--from them!"

Who? Harry Orchard knows."
(The Chicago Tribune 2/5/1911)

To read what Harry Orchard knows click on the picture above to enlarged or go to my Spotlight on Footnote.com to use the viewer for easier reading.

"I am glad to say I was his friend--the friend of a man who gave up his life for his state and his country."

"I have felt the humiliation deeply," he continued, "especially because of the manner in which the name of my dead friend, Frank Steunenberg, has been brought into this case. I am glad to say I was his friend--the friend of a man who gave up his life for his state and his country."
Click the article to to enlarge.

Above from Senator William E. Borah as quoted in the Chicago Tribune, October 3rd. 1907 after being acquitted of conspiracy to defraud the government. Click the sentence above to see the full article as a Footnote Spotlight.

Mrs. Steunenberg Pardons Slayer Of Her Husband

Here are a few brief mentions of Eveline "Belle" Steunenberg that appeared in the press during the Haywood trial in 1907, and in 1908 when the issue arose regarding a pardon for Harry Orchard.

Belle kept a pretty low profile and only made a couple of brief appearances in the courtroom. Borah and Hawley would have preferred to stage a greater family presence with the bereaved widow and children as did Darrow and Richardson with the family of Bill Haywood. Belle would have nothing of it.

Belle was already a rather controversial member of the family after having left the Presbyterian Church and converting to Adventism. She was a founding member of the small Adventist church in Caldwell, Idaho and her view's were often considered somewhat radical at the time. The family relationship was probably one of tolerance as she undoubtedly did not participate to a great degree in the social circles or gatherings common to the rest of the Steunenberg's. She was a very devout and active member of her church, committed to its growth and teachings and her time and energy were focused on those efforts and on her children. I certainly can't fault her for such devotion.

While reading the pre and post assassination diary entries of Will Steunenberg (one of the governors brothers), what stood out in stark contrast was the absence of Belle from most of the informal family gatherings, usually at the home of A.K. and Carrie Steunenberg. The family certainly rallied to Belle's side to provide support and comfort during the difficult days and weeks following the assassination. However, I am speculating that she drew most of her comfort and strength from her Adventist Church family. Belle would remain very busy with her church activities where none of the other Steuneneberg's, with the exception of her own children, were members. In 1915 she would move away with the children to the Adventist community of College Place near Walla Walla, Washington. Later in 1920 she would head to California where my grandparents Julian and Francis had settled.

As the above article indicates, Belle was very forgiving toward Harry Orchard, visited him at the Idaho Pen and influenced his eventual acceptance of the Adventist faith. It would be safe to say that most of the family at the time did not share in those views and the press clippings shown here likely strained relationships even further. Clearly, the Steunenberg brothers would have preferred that Orchard hang from the gallows along with the threesome of Haywood, Pettibone and Moyer. My grandfather Julian, eldest son of the Governor and Belle, was by then a member of the Adventist Church (and remained so for his lifetime) and at the very least went along with his mothers views. I am sure it raised considerable internal conflict for him as a young man but he never spoke of these events to any degree for the rest of his adult life.

You can view some of the letters exchanged between Orchard and my great grandmother Belle and grandfather Julian in the following post on this blog: Saturday, December 29, 2007, Letters from Assassin Harry Orchard

For a little more religious history, go to Sunday, April 20, 2008, Steunenberg's and Religion.

Below is a picture of Belle in her later years. She died in 1951, the same year in which I was born but I did not come along until a few month later.

7/28/1907 - Scene And Principal Actors In The Great Haywood Murder Trial In Idaho

Here is another article on the trial with an interesting composite photograph. I like the nice inset picture of Governor Steunenberg but it's the rest of the picture that is a bit unusual. Around a normal photograph of the jury, it looks like an artist drew the tables and bodies in the foreground and cut out photos of the the heads to place in the appropriate positions. Hopefully no one got mixed up such as an Orchard head ending up on a Haywood body. Interesting technique. Note the Independence Depot and Steunenberg house drawings up near the top on each side depicting the moment of the the respective explosions. Click on the pic to get a larger image.

I found this on Footnote.Com.

The Idaho Murder Case

A short original article
I obtained that comes
from The Independent
magazine, May 16, 1907.
Nice composite photo of
Borah, Orchard, Judge Wood,
Darrow and Richardson.



Today's Quote:
Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It's the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then, we elected them. (Lily Tomlin)