Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-06
GEORGE BEAR ON SCAFFOLD
indian Pays Penalty for Brutal Murder Of
Two Men.
ONE is TEACHER ON THE RESERVATION
Other Victim L. Son of wife Of the
Murderer by n. Former Mar
ringe-QuarreI over
Two Dollar

SIOUX FALLS, s. D., Dec. Especial
Telegram.)SThe bravery exhibited by
Walking Shield. the Indian who was hanged
here October "a, was surpassed by the
nerve displayed by George Bear, the Sioux
Indian. who hanged here this morning for
the murder Of John Shaw, his stepson, and
G. Edward Tayloe, a white man who hlled
the position Of school teacher and addi-
tional government farmer at the Ponca,
Neb., subagency, on Rosebud reservation.
Bear was brought to the gallows at 1902
and the trap sprung a minute later. He
was of1cially pronounced dead thirteen
minutes afterward.
While the rope and black cap were being
adjusted Bear did not exhibit the slightest
symptom or feeling Of fear. Not even a
culver shook his form. He was accom-
panied to the gallows by Rev. William
Holmes, a native Episcopal preacher at
Santee agency, Neb., who repeated In low
tones an appropriate portion Of the Episco-
pal service.
Bear retired at 1870 last night and slept
soundly until about $40 this morning. He
was perfectly composed until the last.
The bo1y was taken by Rev. Mr.. Holmes
to his old home, where interment will be
made in the Ponca creek cemetery.
History of the Crime.
After committing the double murder for
which he was hanged in this city today
George Bear, while enroute from the Ponca
subagency, on the Rosebud reservation. to
his home about two miles distant, met his
wife. who was riding a horse. She was
armed with a butcher knife.
The murderer stopped her, got out of the
buggy in which he was riding, loaded and
cooked the double-barrelled shotgun with
which he had Just taken two lives-one of
them a son Of the woman by a former hus-
band-and, handing the weapon TO the
grief-stricken woman, begged her to avenge
her sons death by emptying the barrels
into his own breast.
She returned the weapon to him with the
words:
mo, 1 guess I'll let the government kill
you"
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon OF Oc-
tober 8 last Bear started in a buggy toward
the suhagency. On the road he passed
within view OF the place where John Shaw,
his etepson, lived and observed that Shaw
and his uncle. shorty" Thigh, we're in a
field loading a wagon with hay.
Bear drove up to where the two men
were working and again demanded that
Shaw pay him his share Of the load which
a u A1a1AJ. bRoa ocAAe Sha" Woe W
the wagon, while shorty Thigh was
pitching the hay up to him.
Shaw, who was unarmed, replied that he
wouldn't give him the money. Bear and
himself talked for a while longer, when
the former once more demanded the money.
Shaw replied that he couldn't have 1t, when
Bear, who had stepped from his buggy to
the ground. leveled his gun and fired al
Shaw.
The charge took effect, wounding Shaw
and causing him to fall off the load on the
side Of the wagon fartherest from Bear
The report Of the weapon frightened The
horses which were attached to the wagon
and they started to run.
Bear caught them by the bride reins
and when he had quieted them he DELHI
erately walked up to where Shaw was lyine
on the ground and fred another charge
into his PROSTATE form. killing him.
The murderer, after taking the life of hi
unarmed stepson, reloaded his weapon
and started for Ponca subagency. Arriving
at his destination, he drove into the yar(
surrounding the school house and living
quarters Of the few whites who resided
there in their capacity of government EN-
ployes and stepped from his buggy.
Commits second Murder.
In the school room, one corner Of whicl
Tayloe utilized for an once, school no
being In session, were Tayloe, Mrs. Taylot
and two young Indians named MIX, son
of a prominent Brule Sioux chief. The,
were consulting with Tayloe upon som
matters OF business.
When Bear entered the room Mrs. Taylo
was the first to see him. AS he approache
the little group she asked in the Siou
language:
why, George, where are your chickens? ?
Seeing the gun in his hands, she suppose
he had been hunting prairie chickens.
He replied in his native tongue:
II have already got one and / will hav
another in a minute"
At this junrtpre Tayloe turned aroun
and reached out his hand for the purpos
OF shaking hands with Bear. But the latter
before those present could raise a hand I
prevent the tragedy, leveled his weapo
and emptied both barrels into Tayloe's RICH
shoulder.
The heavy double charge OF bird she
ENTERED near the arm pit and tore a great
gaping hole about four inches long an
two inches wide in the unfortunate man
body.
The murderer then walked out Of tn