Haywood, Big Bill, 1869-1928

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert Shaw

President Roosevelt asks Albert Shaw to reproduce a cartoon from Puck. As Roosevelt has no plans to hold another position in public office, the upset on Wall Street will have no lasting effect on him, but he comments on the related press coverage. The New York Sun has tried to disparage the Great White Fleet, but Roosevelt is certain Shaw understands that the fleet’s journey is necessary. Roosevelt asks Shaw to lunch with Mark Twain and Frank Nelson Doubleday on Friday the 13th.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt details how Attorney General Bonaparte is to respond to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick, using quotations from various correspondences.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth

President Roosevelt is pleased with the letters from Representative Longworth and his wife, Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Roosevelt tells Longworth he feels positive about the “Taft business,” but friction with the Japanese, and the outcome of the Big Bill Haywood trial, are causing him anxiety.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-31

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Allen White

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts regarding the upcoming presidential election and the land fraud case against Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah with William Allen White. Roosevelt outlines his personal reasons for supporting Secretary of War William H. Taft for president as well as the political considerations necessary to secure his nomination. In the case of Borah, Roosevelt would like White to come to Oyster Bay to discuss the matter with him and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte; Roosevelt thinks it would look bad for Borah to come himself, and asks White to bring Borah’s lawyers on August 9.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reed

President Roosevelt approves of the response sent to the Smart Set magazine in response to a request for his endorsement. He says reports of Ambassador Reid’s “ostentation” and other unflattering news reports about official embassy conduct are harmless; he appreciates all the speeches Reid has made in an effort to unite the “right classes” of Americans and English people. Roosevelt agrees with Reid regarding pursuing arbitration in a treaty dispute with Great Britain over fisheries in Newfoundland. He also comments briefly on the result of the trial of Big Bill Hayward, calling it a “gross miscarriage of justice.” Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt appreciates the silver bowl Elisabeth Mills Reid sent as a gift.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Oscar K. Davis

President Roosevelt considers Oscar K. Davis’s reporting on the land fraud case in Idaho to be admirable and gives his word careful consideration. Roosevelt believes that the worst thing he can do is to be seen as shielding Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah from prosecution, but if what Davis says about the grand jury proceedings is true, he will remove District Attorney N. M. Ruick at once. Roosevelt will bring up the matter with Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

The Haywood verdict

Thomas B. Stuart analyzes the “class struggle” aspects of the Big Bill Haywood case. Stuart discusses the case as it relates to legal ethics and the court system in Colorado.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Creator(s)

Stuart, Thomas B., 1859-1926

Letter from Ben B. Lindsey to Theodore Roosevelt

Judge Lindsey asks that President Roosevelt read the enclosed article written by former Denver District Court Judge Thomas B. Stuart on Big Bill Haywood’s trial. Lindsey describes the situation between himself and Governor Henry Augustus Buchtel and clarifies his statements regarding Senator Simon Guggenheim. Based on his knowledge of those involved, Lindsey feels that the Republican Party in Colorado is controlled by corporate interests and is largely against Roosevelt’s policies. In response, Lindsey asks if he can send Roosevelt a political pamphlet on the topic, and if they could meet in person in November to discuss matters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-03

Creator(s)

Lindsey, Ben B. (Ben Barr), 1869-1943

Letter from Frank Robert Gooding to Theodore Roosevelt

Idaho Governor Gooding informs President Roosevelt that there is an attempt to have Senator William Edgar Borah’s trial postponed, which would interfere with Borah’s involvement in the case against George A. Pettibone. Through Roosevelt, Gooding appeals to the Department of Justice that the local authorities not postpone it, as its resolution is a matter of public interest and necessary for the proper conduct of the Pettibone trial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-21

Creator(s)

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Letter from Frank Robert Gooding to Theodore Roosevelt

Idaho Governor Gooding laments to President Roosevelt that most people associated with the prosecution of the alleged murderers of Governor of Idaho Frank Steuenberg have been indicted and accused of connection with the alleged timber land frauds in the state.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-15

Creator(s)

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Letter from Frank Robert Gooding to Theodore Roosevelt

Governor Gooding encloses secret reports from a Pinkerton agent who has immersed himself on the defense team of the Haywood Trial in Idaho. Gooding calls President Roosevelt’s attention to his understanding that during the trial, the defense plans to release information about Governor Steunenberg’s supposed fraudulent activities in timber land sales. Gooding believes that the Department of Justice in Idaho is sympathetic to the defense.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-10

Creator(s)

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Report from William A. Pinkerton to Frank Robert Gooding

Detective Pinkerton updates Governor Gooding on their investigation into the Western Federation of Miners (W.F.M.). Pinkerton learned that the W.F.M. is pursuing a strategy to implicate the late Governor in fraudulent timber sales. In doing this, Pinkerton believes the Western Federation of Miners hopes to “discredit him (Governor Steunenberg) in the eyes of the people in order to help the cause of the defendants,” Bill Haywood, Charles Moyer, and George Pettibone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-05

Creator(s)

Pinkerton, William A. (William Allan), 1846-1923

Letter from Thomas Crimmins to Theodore Roosevelt

On behalf of the Committee of the Moyer-Haywood Protest Conference, Thomas Crimmins criticizes President Roosevelt for his negative characterization of William Haywood and Charles Moyer. Crimmins points out that Haywood and Moyer have not yet been charged with a crime and are widely believed to be innocent victims of a foul conspiracy. Crimmins expresses concern that Roosevelt’s words will poison the minds of the general public, as well as the possible jury for their trial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-04

Creator(s)

Crimmins, Thomas

Partial newspaper

The Daily News covers Grand Jury disclosures in the land fraud case of Charles H. Moyer, Big Bill Haywood and George A. Pettibone. The disclosures seem to indicate a connection to the late Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg, as well as an anonymous message that was sent to Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone’s attorney. Significant support of Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone was also noted in a series of speeches made at the Coliseum protesting their incarnation. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-31

Creator(s)

The Daily News

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt is happy to hear that his son Kermit is running and rowing. Roosevelt hopes to finish dictating some speeches so he can take a vacation. He adds that the “labor people” insist on having a row with him, and he wrote a letter to the Charles Moyer-William Haywood Defense Fund. Roosevelt closes by saying how lucky he is to have Secretary of State Elihu Root and Secretary of War William H. Taft, and he believes Taft should be nominated next for president.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1907-04-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Beach Needham

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks Henry Beach Needham for his letter about William D. Haywood, which he is forwarding to George W. Perkins. He asks Needham to tell Haywood that the Progressive Party is permanent.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-27

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to C. R. Greer

Theodore Roosevelt writes C. R. Greer that the interview in the New York Call was a joke and not to be taken seriously.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-05-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt tells Lyman Abbott that he is amused that the Outlook just printed an article that comes close to expressing his own views on socialism. Roosevelt compares some of the figures involved in socialist movements of the present to figures of the French Revolution, and says that while the French Revolution was beneficial and necessary in its early stages, it turned sharply towards evil as it progressed. Roosevelt has sent Abbott the open letter that he wrote to Rudolph Spreckles.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt explains his thoughts related to socialism, saying that socialists do some good in waking some people up to the evils of modern life and the great disparities of wealth, but that for the most part they “merely add to the mass of aimless discontent.” Roosevelt discusses several instances in which socialism praises people who he believes do not deserve it, such as Eugene V. Debs. He believes that socialism also is frequently associated with an “only partially concealed crusade against domestic morality.” For Roosevelt, trending too far towards the ideas of socialism is just as bad as going too far towards the actions of swindling financiers or corrupt politicians.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-17

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to S. S. McClure

President Roosevelt agrees with S. S. McClure’s opinions about the Western Federation of Miners and the Big Bill Haywood case, but can only handle troops within the limits of the law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919