Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-30
THE SPRING CREEK TRAGEDY.
Dean Killed Carter in Self Defense-No
One Else implicated.

from the eastern part Of the county
Sunday night, bringing with him the
report Of the coroner's inquest held on
the body of Richard ID. Carter in Spriup
Creek school house. The day after the
killing OF Carter, NJ. l.. .olman, justice
OF the peace, acting as coroner, en-
paneled jury, and the body Of the dead
man was viewed. i. was then delivered
to l.. G. Faris, uncle Of the deceased,
and the inquest was adjourned until the
witnesses of the affray, Frank stanton
and Francis Rousch, could be supenaed
from Rapid. The inquest was resumed
Friday, and concluded Saturday night.
The evidence introduced proved that
Carter was intoxicated when shot, that
he had been seeking trouble all day
and that Dean was acting in self defense
when he killed Carter. No one else is
Implicated, and rs the aggressor is dead
there viii he nc court proceedings.
Frank Stanton, proprietor Of the
| Acorn ranch and the man whom Carter
undoubtedly intended to kill, told be-
fore the coroner's jury the following
story of the tragedy, and the trouble
which led up to it
FRANK STATIONS STORY.
About 3 or o'clock p. IN. on Decem-
Der 22nd, 1893, | was coming in with
horses. As we went down the hill on
the timber draw, Carter and Rousch
came in. Carer :old Rousch to ride on
down, then he said to me, "WeII, you
have sent for me, what do you want of
me?" ! had asked Mr.. Wilson to tell
Carter to come over to the ranch He
passed by the ranch twice while was
there before, but did not stop. told
him l wanted to see him about that note
Il had signed note with him in the
Pennington County Bank and it was
due and unpaid. | indorsed with him
and he got the money saw he had a
gun and that he was drinking. said
to him, Go away, yoD are drinking,
and don't want 10 talk with you" We
were riding in the road. I was riding
as close to him as | could, for he had
made threats that he was going to kill
me, and wanted to keep close 10 him
He SAID, II want you to sue me-" lie
repeated it, Il want you to sue me, you
have said you were going to-" said,
"Dick, never said / was going to sue
you" He said, "you are a liar, hit me"
and he put his hand on his gun. threw
my hand up and pushed him off his
horse, and started my horse on the run.
l expected he would shoot after me, and
| rode as fast as | could to the house.
He and Mr.. Rousch rode on out past the
house and rode out of the gate. In the
evening Mr.. Dean and / went over to
Mr.. Volts. We went afoot across the
F-'~~~ -~'s 7~--- ---7.r--s =.
AS near as | c{n remember, We staid
there about I wIgn hour, went back
across the past - AS We passed the
little strip of2..nber this side of the
ranch, and were walking from there to
the barn, we saw two men riding south
and a little west of the ranch. We
walked around to the east side of the
barn by the east door and stood there in
the shade of the house, and watched
them. They rode up to the outside
fence, near to and south of the ranch,
got off their horses, both ofthem. They
were there some time. cou.d not say
just how long, seemed to be parleying
about something. One Of them gets
over the fence and takes a course that if
he went straight would have brought
him to the timber east of the house
Left his horse at the fence. He follows
that course till he gets between the
brush and the house, behind little
raise in the ground, and also behind
wood pile and cabin in the corner of
the yard. He then comes up behind
the cabin, then goes further west along
the fence behind pile of cedar posts.
He was Richard Carter. When he left
his horse the other man gets on his
horse and rides straight west, turns the
corner and rides up to the big gate, gets
off his horse aud opens the gate, gets on
his horse and starts toward the house.
Cannot say how far he came. Dean and
were both inside the house, had no
light and were watching their move
ments. Dean was at the west door, /
was at the east door. looked around
and Dean had gone out. looked out
the door and saw Dean getting over the
fence straight north from the east door.
! He got over the fence about 7 or feet
| from where Carter was. | walked along
to the northeast corner of the house ou.-
side. Dean says, "D.ck, what do you
want here?" Carter says, II don't want
anything" and pulled gun, just as If
he had it cooked behind him. and throws
it around in front and shoots Dean.
Dean staggers, almost falls. Carter turn
ed around and took about two steps
away from Dean, turns around and
shoots again. Dean got righted up by
this time, and commenced 20 shoot.
Carter shoots one more shot. Dean had
| uouoAS oShhS eohs 1Ac ohct ~ AnSt
could not tell how many times he fired.
either Eve or six. Dean turns and g es
west and Carter goes east at the same
time. Deans gun was in the scabbard
when Carter shot the first time. Carter
fred first. / was near enough to dis
tinguish that Of my own knowledge. 1
had no gun with me and did no shoot
ing. Deans revolver is 50. s shooter,
Colts. and all the cartridges were empty
when he gave it to me. l don't think
Rousch did any shooting. could not see
him. Could not say whether Dean and
Carter had any words in the afternoon.
but think they had. had qnris in
the afternoon. might have hit Carter
with II, but not Intentionally as it was
ON my wrist at the time. He told me in
the afternoon that he was going to kill
ma. Roth Carter and Rousch were un-