The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-02-04
TWENTY YEARS AFTER.
A Prominent MiSSOurian Arrested
For the Murder OF an
Indian.

Halter. one OF the most prominent citiz ~
of Cole county, was arrested yesterday By
Deputy United States Nj 4rshal J. L. Gates,
on a warrant issued by United Stats Com
missioner Childs, of Kansas City. He WAS
brought heiv al so p. IN, taken before
Commissioners Geisburg, aud was by thnt
official comuii Tilted To the custody OF >hsrIh
Mahan until a warrant of removal can be
secured from Judge John r. Phillips, OF
, The United States District court,
whec he will be taken 10 Fort
Smith, Ark, 10 answer TO a charge Of muI-
der, committed twelve years ago In the a.
dian Territory. The arrest of DIR. Halter
created the most profound sensation In this
CITY. He is prominent In business, profess
ional and political circle. The unbem-
ished reputation he has borne all hts life,
and the many good traits of his character
which have made for him perhaps more
friends than any other man In the county,
rend-I.d the news of his arrest ali The
morr startling. The STORY of the killing
can be briefly tod.
In the early part of 1870, DR.. Halter
went with his family from this county TO
McDou AID County Mo. He l"cated Just
on the line of the IHcian Territory, or what
is known as Cowskin Prairie. and pro-
ceeded to erect house. While il was In
course OF construction he occupied rooms
In a house In a village half a mile from
the line, In the Indian Territory. IL was
owned by a half.bred Cherokee Indian
named Nm. Stoop, aud il was after earnest
solicitation on StoOns part that he cons.n-
ted 10 move in and stay until his house was
finished. IL March, few weeks after DIR.
Halter has been IN the house, Stoon, with
out any previous notice, told HIM TO
vacate. The doctor protested that he
could not move out that day, but would as
soon as he could fad shelter for his fam
iiv. The hslf-breed few INFO a yioieni
passion, and swOre that If he did roI leave
at once he would kill him. Stoou then
LIFT the house, and tried TO borrow a pistol
from another Indian, who refused 10 lend
NJ TO Kim. He then walked four miles to
ranch and borrowed q shotgun, with
whiok he returned TO the housH, declaring
10 several persons whom he mel IbaI he
would 'fnih ihe trouble with 'ha,
DIR. Halter" who WAS ab.e,I ~l,rr,
he returned, boz came back shortly aIIeI-
ward. As he catered the house Ihe Iadian
was sitting on the bed, sh-tgun In hsnd.
He raised il to shoot, bat before he could
do SO Hattie had pIck-d up a hachet and
given bin blew un the head that killed
him. Dr.. Halter rem aimed ia Mcdonald
county some time afrer the killing of the
Indian, and while people were cognizant
OF the tragedy, IL WAS generally considered
plaia case Of self-deiense. From Nc
Donald ne mGrei to- Stod6ard county,
where he liTed eight years, and then came
back to this county, locating at RUSSELL
vile. where he has built up a splen-
did practice and accumulated prop
erty. He has never made any secret
among his friends about the killing of the
lndian, and has never concealed his iient-
ity or ~here sbouis or attempted TO do SO.
Nothing was ever done an the case until
1885, when the Federal Grand Jury, sit
ting at Fo-t Smith, indicted DIR. halter
for murder. No effort so far as known
vas made to serve any papers in the case
until to day. and ii is the belief that the
reward Of $500 IS the secret of the arrest to-
day. Deputy Gates went to Kansas City
tonight co secure the warrant OF removal.
Ok. Halter will likely start for
Fort Smith on Wednesday. He says that
it was a IN after of kill or To be killed, and
he has no fears of the outcome of a trial.
A meeting of his friends was held TO- night
All Of the prominent business men of the
city and nearly all of the state officers were
present, and a committee vas appointed 20 |
him 10 Fort Smith TO furnish |
bond il it Is necessary. He could give |
bond in the sum of $500 600 If that sum |
was demanded. The sensation is the only |
theme of discussion here 10 night
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