Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-05
John sepo, an Indian Police,
Murdered and His Body
Thrown Into River
GIRL WITNESSES THE CRIME
Young Indian squaw Who Saw the
Body Pushed into the Water Was
Sweetheart of Murderer and Murder
ed Indian-John Earl Arrested for
the crime-Body Recovered Today.
Special to Times Republican.

Tama, Sept 5.-Jealousy over the
love of OF young Indian girl on the
reservation here led to the murder of
John Sepo, one of the Indian police
whose body was recovered from the
Iowa river about 10 o'clock this morn
ing. The throat of the murdered man
was cut from ear TO ear and but-
let was found in his head. John Earl,
a visiting Indian, supposed to be from
the Winnebago agency in Nebraska,
was arrested by Deputy United States
Marshal Mike Healy, of Cedar Rapids,
and taken to that place this morn
ing.
ceno-o-Fa-Ha a sqraw about is years
of age, who is said to be the cause oil
the crime. gave the authorities the
clew 10 the murder, which she says was
committed Wednesday night. She has
been taken to Cedar Rapids. together
with one or two other Indians who are
suspected of having knowledge OF the
crime.
John Sepo, the murdered man. Is
about Is years old, and has lived on
the reservation for a long time, IN fact
nearly all his life. He has been one OF
the Indian police for several years.
Thursday he was missing and when ne
failed to show up Friday the author
tiles began to make inquiries with the
result that the young girl, Gem Ora
Ha, last night went 10 the police ana
told a story of having seen an indian
throw the body Of man into the
river. She claimed she did not know
thrown in or not and but little inforrld-
ton could be obtained from her last
night. Deputy Mike Healy OF Cedar
Rapids, was telegrap,led for early TINS
morning and arrived on the nrst train.
An attempt was made, last night to re-
cover the body, but owing to the dark
ness the search was abandoned until
this morning, when L. was renewed at
the spot indicated by the girl as the
place where she had seen the body
thrown in. The search was rewarded
about 10 o'clock today when the re-
mains were taken from the water. That
Sepo had been murdered before the
body was thrown in was evident, for
a bullet hole thru the head showed how
the murderer had accomplished MS
deadly purpose. TO make death doub-
ly sure and to carry out the adage that
dead men tell no tales the murderer
drew the keen edge uf his knife across
the victims throat making CHASTITY
wound. Then the stealthy murderer
with his Indian cunning sought to cover
up his crime by throwing the body
into the river. According to the story
told by the young girl, Gem Ia Ha,
the body was thrown into the rivar
about s O'Clock Wednesday evening
1t is believed the murder was COM
mitted only a few moments before ana
that under cover of the darkness thu
Indian lover sought the life of his
hated rival But he was not alone.
In the gathering darkness. the OBJ
ject OF his affection, the girl for love Of
whom he was taking the life OF his
rival saw him drag the unconscious
form and drop it into the sullen waters
OF the Iowa river. She did not reve Il
her secret at once, but when the au-
thorities began TO make inquiry and
questioned her closely she told her
story. John Earl was a sutton for the
hand OF Gem O. Fa- Ha and Sepo was
his rival. Earl, 1t is said, has been
on the reservation orly short time and
belongs to another tribe. Whether Sepo
was the favorite or not Is not known,
but it is not believed the girl was in
collision with Earl in the commission
of the crime, altno he may have init
mated his purpose, which would ac-
count for her presence near the river
when the body was, thrown in by the
murderer. 1t is thought Earl will make
q confession