Hellraisers Journal: Confession of Miner, Steve Adams, Leads to Search at Pocatello for "Greek Fire"

There are no limits to which powers of privilege
will not go to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
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Saturday April 7, 1906
Pocatello, Idaho - Steve Adams Searches for Cache of "Greek Fire"

From the March 28th edition of Oregon's Eugene Morning Register:

DELVING INTO PAST HISTORY
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Adams Cached Greek Fire at Pocatello, Idaho
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NOW SEARCHES FOR IT
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OFFICERS ACCOMPANIED HIM-
FIRE WAS INTENDED TO DESTROY WORKMEN
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Steve Adams, Haywood-Moyer-Pettibone Case of 1906-07, Darrow Collection.png

Boise, March 27.-Steve Adams, one of the men who confessed regarding their connection with the crimes in Colorado and in this state charged against the so-called "Inner Circle" of the Western Federation of Miners was taken to Pocatello today to dig up a lot of material designated as Greek Fire, which he claims was buried there in the summer of 1903.

Adams, in his confession, said he was sent by Moyer and Haywood to Pocatello to intercept a carload of non-union men being sent from the Coeur d'Alenes to Colorado. He was, he says, directed to kill the entire lot and and expected to do so with Greek fire. This was to be thrown into the car where it would immediately envelope everything with fire that nothing could extinguish. The car did not come through as expected, and Adams buried the stuff in an old sawmill building, packing the bottles of Greek fire in a tin can. He was certain he could go to the spot and unearth the cache.

A special to the Statesman from Pocatello says the place is now used as a stable and Adams is digging up the floor to find the cache. One glass stopper was found, which Adams thinks belongs to one of the small bottles. He says he took the stuff to Pocatello in a canvas telescope and threw that behind the mill when he buried the bottles. The owner of the building, J. C. Weeter, it is alleged, found the telescope exactly where Adams says he placed it.

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[Photograph of Steve Adams added.]

From Utah's Spanish Fork Press of April 5th:

FOUND BOTTLES OF "HELL FIRE"
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Result of Search at Pocatello on the Strength
of Steve Adams' Confession
-----
Declared He Had Been Ordered by Haywood and Moyer
to Assassinate Strike Breakers, and That He
Buried Greek Fire in Old Saw mill.
-----

James McParland, Spartacus Ed.png

Pocatello.-Four of the bottles that Steve Adams buried in the old mill were found shortly after 6 o'clock on Wednesday evening as a result of investigations started by Chief of Police C. F. Smith of Pocatello. When the chief learned of the object of the visit of McParland and others he remembered some circumstances which he deemed it wise to investigate. He tipped off the suspicions and the investigations turned out entirely successful. The bottles were found under a pile of cinders not far from the mill. It develops that a little over a year ago a man by the name of George McConkey, engaged in taking out timbers at the mill, discovered the tin which contained the bottles in the exact location pointed out Tuesday by Adams. He took the stopper out of one of the bottles and the fire burned his hands and clothes severely. He threw the bottle out of the mill as far as possible and buried the rest under a cinder pile, where they were finally located.

Adams, in his confession, stated he was sent by Haywood and Moyer to Pocatello to intercept a carload of non-union men being sent from the Coeur D'Alenes to Colorado. He was directed to kill the entire lot, and expected to do so with the Greek fire. This was to be thrown into the car; it was in bottles. These, breaking, would immediately envelop everything with fire that nothing would extinguish. He had two quart bottles and three small ones.

The car of non-union men did not come through as expected, and after waiting a good while the plan was given up. Adams then burled the stuff in an old building that had been used as a saw mill, packing the bottles in a tin can.

-----

[Photograph of Pinkerton Agent McParland added.]

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SOURCES

Morning Register
(Eugene, Oregon)
-Mar 28, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/136267508/

The Spanish Fork Press
(Spanish Fork, Utah)
-Apr 5, 1905
https://www.newspapers.com/image/47623802/

IMAGES
Steve Adams, Haywood-Moyer-Pettibone Case of 1906-07, Darrow Collection
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=356
James McParland, Spartacus Ed
http://spartacus-educational.com/USAmcparlan.htm

See also:

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood, Moyer, & Pettibone Held on Murderers' Row at Idaho Penitentiary by JayRaye
http://caucus99percent.com/content/hellraisers-journal-haywood-moyer-pet...

C99 Search: Hellraisers McParland
http://caucus99percent.com/search/node/mcparland%20hellraisers

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Gerrit's picture

like a classic example of how not to, ahem, go about one's affairs. Top to bottom mistakes. Very interesting, JaeRae.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
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JayRaye's picture

you read!" The Pinkerton's were experts at creating evidence and "confessions" and testimony.

But remember that the miners had a bit of support also: Eugene Debs, Mother Jones, the Appeal to Reason, the Western Federation of Miners, and even the United Mine Workers put aside their differences to support Haywood and Moyer against this frame-up. The UMWA sent them $5000 before a defense fund was even established!

And Darrow has barely entered the fight!!!

So...take a deep breath and stay tuned.

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Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons