Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-12-13
o OF THE GRIM c.
Double Murder Was Caused by a Quar-.
rel Over q Load Of Hay.

A quarrel over a load of hay was
what led to the dorible murder for
which George Bear today paid the death
penalty.
The wife Of Bear vas formerly mar
ried to a nan named Shaw, now dead.
Her son, John Shaw, lived on one of
the quarter sections of and owned by
her and when she married Bear, the
latter demanded the hay raised on the
place. John Shaw objected and despite
Bears protests SOLD several loads Of
hay to a llveryman named Slaughter,
residing at Bonesteel. Bear went to
e. G, Tayloe, government school teach
er and assistant farmer, at POnca sub
agency, n made complaint. Tayloe
wrote to Major McChesney, agent Of
the Rosebud agency, who had the mat
ter under consideration at the time OF
the murder.
Bear, however, chafed at the delay
and learning that Shaw was continuing
TO sell the hay, he borrowed a repeat
ing shot gun from a man named John
Kelley and at 4 o'clock on the afternoon
Of october s, he drove to Shaw's place
on Ponca creek. He found his step-sOn
loading hay. Angered beyond all rea-
son, Bear accosted him and wanted TO
know whether he intended to settle for
the hay. Shaw, who was unarmed, gave
an evasiVe answer, whereupOn Bear
raised his gun and shot Shaw IN the
back. The Indian rolled off the load
of hay and lay writing on the ground.
Running around the stack, Bear again
fired a load of bird shot into the wound
ed man at close ange, killing him.
Then he turned his u on an Indian
named Shorty Thigh, who with his wife
and a son Of the murdered man, were
near. Thigh ducked and the charge
went owe his head.
Savage Blood Aroused.
The sight of blood aroused all the he
redity ferocity OF the Indian, and Bear
Immediately drove five miles to the lit
tie school house at the Ponca sub
agency, where Tayloe was engaged as
teacher. Tayloe had just dismissed his
school for the day, and two Indian boys,
John and Main MIX, sons Of a famous
chief, were in the school house with
him. Mrs. Tayloe vas present. on
the school grounds Bear met Miss
Klackner, a cousin of Mrs. Tayloe.
Where is Tayloe?" asked the Indian,
as he clambered out of his wagon, shot
gun in hand.
why, l think he's In the school
house." she replied.
Bear grunted, smiled and walked
straight into the house. AS he entered
the door Tayloe looked up from the
desk where he had been writing.
Hello, George; been chicken hunt
ing?" he asked as the Indian strobe
down the aisle and stopped not six feet
away.
Yes, and here's another chicken I'll
kill" he cried.
Deliberately he lifted the gun, point
ed it at Tayloe and fired, the charge en-
tering below the right shoulder blade
and tearing a wound -four inches in di-
ameter. Tayloe died instantly.
With the screams Of Tayloe's wife
ringing in his ears, Bear chuckled with
satisfaction and walked out of the
building, waved aside those whom he
met, got into his wagon and drove to
his home, where he spent the night.
Sought Third Victim.
Early next morning he rose and drove
to Bonesteel to see Slaughter, the liv-
eryman who had purchased hay of
John Shaw. AS the Indian drove up the
street with his shotgun across his knees
he chanted loudly the death song of the
Sioux and drove without molestation
to the barn, where he found that
Slaughter had gone out of town for
the day.
Disappointed, the Indian, with the pa
thence of a bloodhound, prepared to
await his coming. He put up his team
and walked about the streets of Bone
steel until an officer arrested him. He
quietly, acknowledged he
had killed Shaw and Tayloe and said
he only regretted he a not murdered
Slaughter.
Although the indian admitted he
killed Shaw and Tayloe. a plea Of not
guilty was entered at his trial before
Judge Garland of the federal court at
Sioux Falls. An effort was made to
that he shot Shaw in self-defense,
but the theory fell fat, and as there
were no eXtenuating circumstances in
the case of the murder of Tayloe, the
jury brought in n verdict recomemnd
ing the death penalty, which was i'm.
posed.
Bear appeared well satisfied with the
and carried himself with an al
of bravado for a day or so after he was
sentenced to hang. Prior to this, how.
ever, he had been badly frightened by
Allen Walking Shield, the murderer of