Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-21
LITTLE PLUME
DID KILLING
confesses That He is the Murderer
of the Wakes-Up-Last Family at
Two Medicine.
GIVES DETAILS OF THE CRIME
Maddened by Whisky Furnished by
Boot.legger He Starts Out on His
Murderous Expedition.

Browning, Mont. Oct. l5.-James
Little Plume was today brought be.
fore United States Commissioner
Arnaux charged with the murder OF
seven Indians and the wounding of an.
other on Two Medicine on Sunday.
Little Plume entered a plea of not
guilty.
The prosecution introduced evil
dence proving conclusively his guilt.
Little Plume thereupon confessed
dramatically and in detail. going over
the minutest particulars of the trag.
edy.
Saturday afternoon three young In.
dams went to the town of Cut Bank,
procuring whisky from a boot-legger
named Williamson. On their return
they went to Little Plume's house,
where a drunken orgy ensued. The
party broke up about midnight, leav-
ing Little Plume and his wife alone
with sufficient whisky TO last them
until daylight.
Little Plume then saddled a horse
and rode to Wake-Up-Last's house,
just across the Two Medicine river,
taking with him a Winchester carbine
belonging to Running Owl, who lives
close by, and who was a participant
in the drinking bout at Little Plume's.
After a short visit at Wake-Up.
Lasts Little Plume went out at the
door, leaving it slightly ajar. Through
the crack he shot Wake-Up-Last, who
was in bed, the ball taking effect in
the left eye.
R%e-entering the house, he shot
Catherine, aged 6, through the back
the ball ranging upward and tearing
off the top of the head. Julia, aged
4, was shot in the right side of the
neck, the ball coming out through the
right cheek and Mrs. Wake-Up-Last
with her infant son, raj out of the
the house, but was killed just outside
the door, falling upon the child she
carried in her arms. The child was
shot through the right cheek.
All except Wake-Up-Las were bad
ly powder burned, showing that the
shooting was done at close range
The eye balls of the infant were
charred to a cinder.
Remounting his horse, Little Plume
crossed the river. Passing the house
of Running Owl. he shot to death Su
san Big Road, and seriously wounded
her sister Alice.
He then went to his own house
about 100 yards distant. Here he at
tempted to shoot his step-daughter
but she escaped into the brush.
He then turned upon his wife, fir
ing one shot at her, and the cart
idges then became jammed in the
gun, rendering it useless. He and his
wife then grappled. He finally over
powered her. cutting her throat will
a case knife.
This was followed by an abortiv,
and half-hearted attempt at self-de
struction. by stabbing himself in the
arm and inficting a surface wound
upon the neck.
Little Plume speaks and writes
English fluently. Has for years at
tended the reservation boarding
school. When asked his motive hi
declared he had none but ascribet
the act to Cut Bank whisky.
He admitted further that his inten
tons were to kill fourteen other peo
pie, and would have done so had moi
the shell stuck in his gun.
So far as can be learned report:
which have been circulated about {
uprising are without foundation. Rep
resentatives from all the camps OF
the reservation were present at thu
hearing and not an incendiary wore
could be heard. The Piegans are {
%peaceable people and object strongly
to misrepresentation that have beer
sent out concerning them.