In connection with the bomb-rigged assassination of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg, radical union official William "Big Bill" Haywood is arrested and extradited to Idaho in February of 1906 to face murder charges. Covered extensively by the media, Haywood's trial ended on July 29th, 1907 when he was acquitted with the help of respected defense attorney, Clarence Darrow. Read more about it!
The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.
Jump to: Sample Articles
Important Dates:
- December 30, 1905: Frank Steunenberg, a former governor of Idaho, is struck and killed by a bomb planted outside his home.
- January 1, 1906: Albert Horsley, a former member of the Western Federation of Miners, is arrested in connection with the murder.
- February 1, 1906: Horsley confesses to killing Steunenberg. He implicates leaders of the Western Federation of Miners, including William Haywood, the organization’s secretary, George Pettibone, WFM’s president, and Charles Moyer, a former member of WFM’s executive board.
- February 17, 1906: Haywood, Moyer, and Pettibone are arrested and extradited to Idaho. December 3, 1906: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the extradition of Haywood, Moyer and Pettibone was not unconstitutional.
- May 9, 1907: Haywood, represented by Clarence Darrow, goes on trial for the murder of Steunenberg. On July 29th he is found not guilty.
- January 1908: Pettibone is acquitted and charges against Moyer are dropped. March 1908: Horsley is convicted of murder and sentenced to death, but his sentence is commuted to life in prison.
Suggested Search Strategies:
- [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as
phrases using Search
Pages in Chronicling America.] Steunenberg, bomb, assassination, Horsley, Haywood, Pettibone, Moyer, Darrow, trial.
- The name of Steunenberg’s assassin, Albert Horsley, was also reported as “Alfred Horsley.” He was also known by the aliases “Harry Orchard” and “Thomas Hogan”, so when searching for information about him in relation to the incident, use each term separately in combination with other search terms.
- To narrow results, search between December 1905 and March 1908.
Sample Articles from Chronicling America:
- "Bomb Carries Death to Steunenberg,"
The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT),
December 31, 1905, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Officers say they have Steunenberg's Assassin,"
The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT),
January 2, 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Miners' Union Officials Landed in Penitentiary,"
The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT),
February 20, 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Prisoners Rushed to Boise City,"
The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA),
February 19, 1906, page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Many Marked for Death by Band of Assassins,"
The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA),
February 20, 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Miners Lose Appeal,"
The New York Tribune (New York, NY),
December 4, 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
- "Trial of Haywood begun in Boise,"
The Desert Evening News (Salt Lake City, UT),
May 9, 1907, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Great Trial On,"
The Perrysburg Journal (Perrysburg, OH),
May 10, 1907, Page 3, image 3, col. 1.
- "Harry Orchard Takes Stand,"
The Pensacola Journal (Pensacola, FL),
June 6, 1907, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Harry Orchard Tells of the Murder of Steunenberg,"
The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA),
Jun 7, 1907, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Haywood Free,"
The Washington Herald (Washington, DC),
July 29, 1907, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "WM. D. Haywood Declared Not Guilty of Murder Charge,"
The Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA),
July 29, 1907, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "George Pettibone is Acquitted and Moyer Discharged,"
The Daily Arizona Silver Belt (Globe, AZ),
January 5, 1908. Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- "Court would save Orchard from Noose,"
The Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA),
March 19, 1908, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
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