The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-16
.CONFESSES TO
MANY MURDERS
Indian Littleplume Describes How
He Slaughtered Seven on
the Blackfoot.
Had Planned to Kill Many More,
but the Cartridges damned
in His Gun.
Wholesale Murders Started From a
Drinking Bout Among the
Reservation Reds.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Helena, Mont, Oct. 16.-James Lit
tleplume was taken before United
States Commissioner Arnany at
Browning yesterday. charged with the
murder of several Indians and wound
ing another at Two Medicine on Sun
day. He entered plea of not guilty.
The prosecution introduced evidence
proving conclusively his guilt and Lit
tleplume thereupon confessed dra-
matically and in detail, going over the
minutest particulars of the tragedy.
Saturday afternoon three young In
dams went to Cutbank, procuring a
quantity of whisky. On their return
they went to Littleplume's house,
where a drunken orgy ensued. The
party broke up about midnight, leaV-
ing Littleplume and his wife alone
with sufficient whisky to last them
until daylight. s.-s
Littleplume then saddled horse
and rode to Wakes-Up-Last's house.
taking with him Winchester rifle.
After a short visit at Wakes-Up-Last,
Littleplume went out the door, leaving
it slightly ajar. Thru a crack he shot
and killed Wakes Up-Last, who was
in bed. Re-entering, he shot Gather
inc thru the back. Julia, aged 4, was
shot in the neck and Mrs. Wakes-Up-
Last. with her infant son, ran out Of
the house. Both were killed just out
side the door.
Littleplume then shot to death
Susan Bigroad and seriously wounded
her sister Alice.
He then went to his own house
where he attempted to shoot his step
daughter, but she escaped into the
brush. He then turned upon his wife,
firing one shot at her. His cartridges
then became damned in his gun, MAX
ing it useless. He and his wife Crap
Ill Id Io 117yo =, a,,
cutting her throat with a knife.
This was followed by an abortive
and half-hearted attempt at self-de-
struction by stabbing himself in the
arm and inf1icting a surface wound
on the neck.
Littleplune speaks and writes Eng
fish fluently. He has for years at
school, When asked his motive he
declared he had none, but ascribed the
act to Cutbank whisky. He was held
to await the action. Of the federal
grand jury at Helena. His intention,
he said, was to kill fourteen more.
More Dynamite Found.
George Hammond. suspected Of
having some connection with the
dynamite outrages on the Northern
Pacific, was brought to Helena yes
terday and locked up in the county
jail. Ills arrest +lOllOWcu lIc ulSCOV-
cry of dynamite in two places on the
| line west Of Helena yesterday. An
examination Of the dynamite showed
that 1t contained no cap and that there
WAS nothing at hand to explode. -.
Bloodhounds were turned loose
| where the powder was found. While
! the dogs went ahead Chief Detective
McFetridge stopped, to give deserted
barn a search, and over in one corner
found horse. McFetridge then went
| in and just as he entered there stepped
from behind the door a man. Lying
| on the place where the man had been
sleeping was Colts six-shooter and
a belt Of cartridges, but no dynamite.
Hammond says he is from Colorado.
Two More Arrests.
Two other men were arrested in the
vicinity Of Avon. They were put off a
| train and the conductor wired in their
description. A posse then arrested
them and they gave their names as
James Black and Ernest Shaufty and
were brought in last night. They are
in the city Jail and say they were on
their. way to Missoula looking for
work.
Detective McFetridge is doubtful
about the dynamite found yesterday
being put on the track by dynamiters.
He is inclined to believe some one
dropped it accidentally for the reason
that the dynamiters have never yet
failed to fix a charge SO it would ex-
plode and the latest finds were not in
condition to explode. e