Boise, Idaho, September 8th, 1906. This is to certify that the statement that I signed was made up by James McParland, detective, and Harry Orchard, alias Tom Hogan. I signed it because I was threatened by Governor Gooding, saying I would be hanged if I did not corroborate Orchard's story against the ofl&cers of the Federation Union of Miners.
STEPHEN ADAMS. Witness: ANNIE ADAMS.
Simultaneously with the above eloquently suggestive statement, came the announcement that the attorneys for the Western Federation of Miners had made application for a writ of habeas corpus for Adams, and that Adams would be an important witness for the defense. But of greater interest was the following story of Stephen Adams, when he was brought into court to plead for his liberty :
"I had not been in the penitentiary but a few days, until I was persuaded into admitting the truth of some of the statements by Orchard in his confession to McParland, first, by threats of the Governor that there was a mob waiting to hang me in Colorado, where they would send me if I did not do as they demanded, and second, because I was promised to go clear if I followed directions.
"After I had been in jail about three weeks, Thiele, a Pinkerton detective, was sent to my place in Oregon and brought back my wife and two children, confining them in the female ward of the penitentiary, and where I was permitted to live part of the time.
"Last June I was asked if I knew a certain location near Telluride, being a spot designated by Orchard as being the burying place of a man named Barnum, said to have been killed there. I said I did, and was then informed that I was to go down and pick out the place.