The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-12-21
ARRESTED FOR muanrp


70 Dc investigated
Our readers will remember tho roro,.o
Killing OF an Indian, in the latter mart of ,o,.
september, down near Superior, Missonla
county a deed generally credited to one Wi
nam Losa, otherwise known as Buffalo Rin
nof a long time after the occurrence the an
tnofitles took no action in reference to it. nm
I'll at length it was supposed that the affair
was 70 De allowed to pass unnoticed. But
s'eps nave finally been taken to bring about a
Iuolciai inquiry into the facts connected with
INC killing. On the 9Th of this month. at the
instance OF Major Roman, agent Of the Flat
heaa Indians, a warrant was issued nv .Jps-
.ice Fomeroy, of Mlssoula, for the arrest of
Aosa' and OF Samuel Asher, who was in COM
pany with the former at the time the fatality
LOOK place. This warrant was served on
the 18th inst. by Sheriff Woodman, who ar
rested Asher at Superior, 60 Miles below Mis-
souia, and Losa at Contests station. at tbe
Mlssodla Ferry, Is miles down the river from
M'ssouia. The prisoners started with the
sheriff for the last mentioned place, there to
undergo their preliminary examination, with
what result remains to be seen.
The facts OF the case, as we are informed nv
a gentleman from Missoula, are briefly as fol-
lows: On the day of the killing Asher start
cd from Superior in company with John
Slowey, intending to go down to the ranch of
the latter, situated eight miles below SUPERIOR.
Asher, who Is a hard drinker, was under the
influence OF liquor at the time, and had a fur
ther supply Of half a gallon of whisky in a
demjohn. On the way down he either be.
came exhausted from the heat, or overcome
by liquor, but at all events, when about a
mile below Superior, he d%ismounted, fasten-
ed his horse, leaving the demijohn hanging
to the horn OF the saddle, and lay down un-
de r a tree, declaring himself stoo tired' to
proceed further, just then. Slowey, who is
strictly temperate, and, of course, entirely So
Der at the time, had little patience to await
the conclusion of such a "rest'' so he proceed
cd homeward, leaving his companion to sleep
Of the effects of the liquor. As he neared
home he met William Losa, driving all empty
wagon with two horses, and making his way
up the road. Slowey described to Losa the
condition in which he had left Asher, request
ing him, IN case he oun him still helpless
and drunk, to place him in his wagon and
take him back to superior. This Losa prom.
ised to do, and proceeded on his way toward
the spot where Asher had been left. In the
meanwhile three Indians, riding down the
road, discovered Asher, as we'll as his demi
john, the contents of which they made shor,
work of finishing. When the whisky wa!
used up one Indian started back towards Su.
perior to drive up a horse that had refused tt
follow, while the othertwo-both quite drunl
him toward Slowey's ranch, where Asher ha,
formerly lived, and which the Indians likely
believed still to be his home. They had pre-
ceeded but a short distance when they me
Losa, travelling alone in his wagon. At tn
time of the meeting Asher occupied the mid
die of the road, with an Indian riding clos
on either side. Losa Immediately alightet
took Asher from his horse and placed him i
the wagon, removed the saddle from tn
horse and placed it in the wagon ard tied tn
dAiHdl w liO ASal VI fClilClCs SlCClflA
that they were to be deprived of the con
pany of their protege, the Indians remonstraI
ed, first in words, and then in actions of sue
a nature as to bring on a fight with Losa. l
this fight Losa acknowledges that he cut
tall, spare-built Indian across the breast wit
his knife, but declares that this was the on
one he cut. Next day an Indian answerin
this description crossed at the Missoula Ferl
where he declared that he was badly wount
ed by a knife cut in the breast, and describe
the place and manner Of receiving the woun
his description agreeing with that of Losa
On the same day, though, the dead body
a short, thick-set Indian was found a sho
distance below the scene of the fight, with
knife wound in the neck sufficient to hay
caused death. 1t is of the killing of this Ii
dian that Losa is accused, although he pos
lively disclaims all connection with the dee
declaring that he never saw the Indian, viii
alive, and that he knows nothing whatev'
about the manner in which he came to h
death. Asher, who remained in the WACO
during the fight, also maintains that Losa ha
au encounter with only one Indian, but
was too much under the influence of liquo
upon returning to Superior, half an hour afte
the trouble, for his testimony to have muc
weight.
The above is Losa and Asher's account {
the fight and It's result. The indian yersio
of the tragedy will probably be ELECTED at til
trial.
The Alice Mill.