Your TR Source
President Roosevelt details how Attorney General Bonaparte is to respond to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick, using quotations from various correspondences.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-24
President Roosevelt explains his opinion to Lyman Abbott on several points on which they disagree. First, Roosevelt would interfere on behalf of the Armenians if they were willing to fight. Second, he is currently trying to form an agreement with Japan that would prohibit laborers from each country immigrating to the other. However, he feels that all the Japanese already in the country should be given “the franchise and school facilities,” and treated as well as possible. Third, he is “not well acquainted with the situation in Utah,” but thinks Mormons should be treated exactly as anyone else. He does understand the situation in Idaho, which was not about Mormonism. McLain W. Davis’s claims regarding polygamy among Mormons in Idaho were investigated and found baseless.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-03
Secret Service Chief Wilkie informs William Loeb that the letter from the German Ambassador which Loeb mentioned contained a lot of “information” from an informant who specialized in anarchist matters. Wilkie relays what the informant has told him, but does not believe him. Over the past seven years, Wilkie has investigated this informant’s information repeatedly and found it to be false. Even so, Wilkie recognizes there could be a grain of truth in what the informant says.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-09
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-03
Stuart, Thomas B., 1859-1926
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-15
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-10
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-05
Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on the trial in Idaho related to the murder of former Governor Steunenberg. After consulting with Calvin Cobb, owner of the Idaho Statesman, Bonaparte has directed United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick not to investigate any allegations regarding Steunenberg’s possible involvement in timber fraud. Any such involvement would be under the statute of limitations, and investigation of such would only help the defense case for those accused of Steunenberg’s murder. Bonaparte notes that if any reasonable evidence arose that Ruick was helping the defense, he would recommend Ruick’s immediate dismissal. He asks that if Roosevelt would like to speak with him for any reason, he should let him know. Otherwise he will stay in Baltimore and do work that he brought with him relating to the whiskey controversy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-29
N. M. Ruick provides Attorney General Bonaparte information on a conspiracy to defraud the United States of timber lands in Idaho. Ruick mentions that Governor Steunenberg was involved in the conspiracy, and suggests the possibility that Steunenberg’s murder case is being used to check the investigation of the frauds.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-29
Billings F. Cash informs Attorney General Bonaparte that he is convinced that Calvin Cobb and Governor Frank Robert Gooding were involved in timber fraud. The special agents involved in this case – Gorman, Goodwin, and O’Fallon – connected this timber fraud case to a senator who is serving as the prosecution in the trial of the murder of Governor Frank Steunenberg.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-23
Cash, Billings F. (Billings Franklin), 1859-1924
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-31
The Daily News
Uncle Sam and President Roosevelt look at a variety of graves: Frank Steunenberg, Arthur L. Collins, and others. In the background is a skeleton that says, “murder,” “ruin”; and explosions at Vindicator Mine, Independence Depot, and Bunker Hill Mill. There is a handwritten note under “Lest we forget!”: “…[t]hat I was with you as newspaper correspondent in Victor when you were mobbed there by this same outfit. Harold Baxter E.M. Consulting Engineer for Davis [,] Goldfield.” Caption: Uncle Sam–“Must we have murder and destruction before we need troops?”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-21
President Roosevelt responds to a letter from William Henry Jackson, sent on behalf of the Cook County Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone Conference. Jackson had taken exception to an earlier letter in which Roosevelt had referred to several people, including Charles H. Moyer and Big Bill Haywood, as “undesirable citizens.” Roosevelt stands by his description of Moyer, Haywood, and Eugene V. Debs as undesirable citizens, although he assures Jackson that his statement was not an attempt to influence the outcome of the trial of Moyer and Haywood for the murder of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-22
President Roosevelt is delighted with the army’s preparations under Secretary of War Taft. He thanks Taft for sending Judge Advocate General George B. Davis’s opinion on the right to intervene in Cuba. However, if intervention is necessary, he would “not dream of asking the permission of Congress.” He regards the treaty as the law and he “shall execute it.” Roosevelt requests Taft give speeches in Colorado and Idaho.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-17
President Roosevelt has heard that Idaho Governor Frank Robert Gooding has received contributions from mine owners to help in the prosecution of the alleged murderers of ex-Governor Frank Steunenberg, and tells Idaho Statesman owner Calvin Cobb that if this is true it would represent “the grossest impropriety.” The government must show that it is a neutral party and is not working on behalf of either the mine owners or the Western Federation of Miners. Roosevelt has previously condemned labor unions sending money to the accused, and just as strongly condemns capitalists sending in money to support the prosecution. He asks that Cobb show this letter to Gooding.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-20
President Roosevelt tells Calvin Cobb that he appreciates what Idaho Governor Frank Robert Gooding is trying to do in trying to bring the murderers of ex-Governor Frank Steunenberg to justice. Roosevelt believes that the Western Federation of Miners has been conducting a reign of terror on many Rocky Mountain states, and recognizes the risk that Gooding is in in trying to prosecute them. While Charles S. Moyer and Big Bill Haywood deserve a fair trial, Roosevelt believes that their “black record of wrong-doing” should get them no sympathy. He hopes, however, that Gooding will act against both the Western Federation of Miners on the one hand and the corporations on the other, and not fall into the errors of former Colorado Governor James Hamilton Peabody.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-16
President Roosevelt asks Lyman Abbott to look over an article by Philip Battell Stewart to consider it for publication in The Outlook. If he decides to publish it, Roosevelt asks Abbott to not use Stewart’s name, as he fears being that it could put him in danger of an assassination attempt by the Western Federation of Miners. He would like to see Abbott in Washington, D.C., sometime to discuss matters that have come up in Congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-06-16
President Roosevelt tells Idaho Governor Gooding that he had not seen a particular editorial Gooding mentioned. However, he is not surprised that it gave the wrong impression, as he feels that “the editorial writers and the correspondents of Collier’s Weekly write with a reckless ignorance of their subjects.” He will gladly speak to Calvin Cobb, but he is not sure that he can have any effect on the reporting of the eastern press. Both the men accused of the murder of ex-governor of Idaho Frank Steunenberg and the nation as a whole deserve a fair trial and to know the facts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-21
President Roosevelt thanks Outlook publisher Lawrence F. Abbott for the letter, and reiterates that in working to produce reform and reduce the size of the largest fortunes, he wants to set out explicit steps and avoid vague language. He also wants to make sure that it is clear that he does not encourage “what is wicked among the labor people,” referencing “the hundreds of murders perpetrated under the foulest and most infamous circumstances by the members of the Western Federation of Miners,” which he considers Big Bill Haywood and Charles H. Moyer guilty of. While it is possible to go too far in the enforcement of order, Roosevelt considers it worse to encourage crime.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-28