Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-06
NET DEATH LIKE A sToIc
Remarkable Nerve Displayed on the
GaIiows by an Indian Murderer-Not
the Slightest Symptom of Fear Shown
History Of His Crime, Which Was
Cold Blooded and Cruel.

t'oSfNAS1s
teacher and additional government
farmer at the Ponca sub-agency on the
Rosebud reservation. The bravery ex-
hibited by Walking Shield, the Indian
who was hanged here on Oct. "a, was
surpassed by the nerve displayed by
Bear. While the rope and black cap
were being adjusted Bear did not ex-
hibit the slightest symptoms of feeling
or fear. Not even culver shook MS
form.
Rev. William Holmes, native Eplsco-
pal preacher at the Santee agency in
Nebraska, accompanied him to the gall
lows and while the black cap and rope
were being adjusted repeated in low
tones to the condemned Indian an APP
propriate portion of the Episcopal serv-
ice. The body of Bear left at noon in
charge of Rev. Mr.. Holmes who will ac-
company it to Bears old home where
interment will be made In the Ponca
creek cemetery.
Thursday night Rev. Mr. Holmes Wis
tied Bear in the county jail and remain
ed with him for some time, At 1870
Bear retired and slept until about u: lo
in the morning. He was perfectly
composed until the last.
After committing the double murder
for which he was hanged, George Bear
met his wife, who was riding horse.
She was armed with a butcher knife.
The murderer stopped her. loaded and
cooked double barreled shot gun with
which he had just taken two liyes-one
of them a son of the woman by former
husband-and, handing the weapon to
her. begged her to avenge her son
death by emptying the barrels into MS
own breast.
She returned the weapon to him with
the words:
mo, + guess I'll let the government
kill you.'
Prior to committing the double muir
der. Bear was considered as peaceable
an Indian as there was on the Rosebud
reservation. He was under the I'M
mediate charge of c. Edward Iayioe'
Virgfnian. who occupied the position OF
school teacher and additional govern
ment farmer at Ponca sub-agency Bear
married an Indian woman named SHAW,
whose husband had died some time pre-
viously. She had son named John'
aged 81. He was intelligent, having
been educated at the Genoa, Neb., In
dian school. While Shaw's father was
alive he was granted valuable ailot-
ment of land. Upon the death OF the
father the allotment became the prop
erty of the son. Bear, who lived near
by. was also the owner of an allotment,
but it had no timber upon 1t, being or
binary hay land.
When Bear married the mother OF
Shaw. he took up his residence on
Shaw's land. Shaw afterwards mar
ried young Indian woman, and rather
than bring his bride to the already
crowded quarters on his allotment, ar
ranged to reside upon Bears land.
which was unoccupied. They thus
temporarily traded allotments, Bear
getting much the better OF the bar
gain.
Last fall Shaw and an uncle named
Shorty Thigh, put up quantity of hay
on Bears allotment. They did all the
work themselves. Bear having nothing
whatever to do with it. The two In
dams sold one small load of hay at
Bonesteel, for which they received 81.
Bear heard Of it, and, Notwithstanding
that Shaw and Shorty. Thigh had done
all the work themselves, and that he
was occupying Shaw's land, of which
he had free use, he demanded a share
of the 81.
Realizing the injustice of the demand.
Shaw refused to comply with Bears
request for division of the money.
The mother of Shaw sided with her
son and because of this she and Bear
separated.
The original trouble between Bear
and Shaw occurred about three weeks
before Bear committed the double muir
der. 1t appears that Tayloe to whom
the hay difficulty was reported by
Bear for adjudication, had in turn re-
ferred the matter to his superior In
Office. Major Charles e. McChesney,
United States Indian agent at Rose
bud agency.
About o'clock in the afternoon of
Oct. Bear. started in buggy toward
the sub-agency. On the road he passed
within view of the place where John
Shaw, his stepson, lived, and observed
UudI SHlW duu Ills ullClcr soiioi y
Thigh, were in field loading wagon
with hay. Bear drove up to where the
two men were working and again de-
manded that Shaw pay him his share
of the load which had previously been
sold. Shaw was on the wagon, While
Shorty Thigh was pitching the hay
up to him. As Shaw, who was I'M
armed, replied that he wouldn't give
him the money, Bear, who had stepped
from his buggy to the ground, leveled
his gun and fired at Shaw.
The charge took effect and the re-
port of the weapon frightened the
horses which We're attached to the
wagon and they started to run. Bear
caught them by the bridle-reins, and
when he had Quoted them he deliber-
ately walked up to where Shaw was
| lying on the ground and fired another
charge into his PROSTATE form. killing
| him.
| Bear then looked around for Shorty
Thigh, who had fled at the first shot
Bear fired at him, but the distance was
so great that he missed The murders
reloaded his weapon, stepped into his
| buggy and started for Ponca sub
agency.
When Bear entered the room, Mrs
| Tayloe was the first to see him. AS M
approached the little group she asked
In the Sioux language: