Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-04-15
A Bad Man from Wyoming.

His name is John Koch. He came
to America from Germany little over
three years ago, ana can't talk good
English yet. He is only nineteen
years old, but he has learned enough
wickedness to send him to the pen for
several years. For a long time some
one has been breaking into houses all
along the trail between his lair in
Wyoming and the bad lands east of
here. About the first of March Jim
Bells house on Hat creek was broken
into and some blankets and a shot gun
taken. Last week, Thursday, the
house OH the rsncL owned by Warren
Jencks, one of the city BARRIERS, was
broken in and some provisions stolen.
1t was soon suspected that John Koch
was the thief, and since then Sheriff
Clifford and deputies have been on the
fellows trail. They learned shat he
was up in the vicinity of French creek,
and deputy sheriff LaFleiche went
after him. Koch's hiding place was
found, but he was not there when La
Fleiche reached there, yet he had left
the shot gun which he had stolen from
Bell, and other articles, so that it was
evident he intended to return. La
Fleiche laid in wait near by aud after
a time his man returned. laFleiche
soon rode up to Koch and enquired
after some estray horses, in order to
mlslead his man. He was quite sue.
cessful, and as he was describing his
estrays as 1.-TWO old bay horses and six
colts he pulled his slx-colts revolver
upon the unsuspecting robber with the
order to throw up his hands. The fell
low threw his left hand up fairly we'll,
but seemed inclined to leave his right
hand quite low. LaFleiche made a
second demand and Koch's left hand
went higher and his right one lower
Not wishing to kill Koch for his viii
lainous disobedience LaFleiche grabbed
him about the waist from behind with
his revolver in hand. While thus
holding his captive, with his revolver
in his right hand, the weapon was sud-
denly discharyed-LaFleiche believing
that Koch pulled it otf-and the bali
went through the palm of LaFleiche's
hand, inflicting very painful wound.
The gritty deputy then struck Koch
upon the back of the head with the re-
voIver and knocked him down. stun
ming him so that he didn't strenuonsly
object to being handcuffed. LaFleiche
then went to Fairourn with his man
and took the evening passenger train
for Buffalo Gap where he had his in
jured hand dressed. DIR. Cheney is
now attending to it, and says it will
soon heal, as no bones were broken.
The STAR man called on young Koch
at his cell Tuesday, and the fellow
broke down and cried like baby when
questioned concerning the course he
had pursued, expressing the wish that
he had been killed rather than cap
tured. He admitted to going into the
house on Hat creek (Jim Bell's), claim
ing that he was hungry and cold and
asked why he took the things away
with hlm he was silent. He claimed
to ostp three horses at present, having
sold one the other day. He is a young,
rather innocent looking fellow, yet
there is look of toughness about him
that would arouse ones suspicion. He
has evidently been making business
Of thieving for some time, and deputy
sheriff LaFleiche says he told him that
he was once in prison in Germany for
stealing. He will doubtless go to the
penltentiary for grand larceny, as
there is said to he plenty of evidence
against him to convict him of horse
stealing.