The Washington times., 1904-12-17
INDIAN SLEUTHS
PROVE MURDER
Find Gold Tooth in Fire
With Human Bones.
REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES
Nils Andersen Arrested and Brought tc
Fort Observation-Disclosures
With Killing AccomayO.
REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES

lar NoitA 10y party tL NORTHWEST
mounted police who arrived at Fort
Saskatchewan In charge Of Nils Anders-
sen, accused of numbering his COM
panion on the shores of Lesser Slave
Lake in the early fan
ANDERSEN and a companion. whom the
Indians called Accomayo. or chief. start
ed from Peace River Landing last sum
mer 10 prospect along Smoky River and
across the country TO the headwaters of
the Fraser Their outht consisted of
pack mules, tent ana a ful equipment
OF prospecting tools.
Reach Hudson Bay.
The party was next reported from the
Hudson Bay post ut the west end of
Lesser Slave Lake, where the men
stopped Tor supplies some time i'm Sep
TENDER. Il was when next heard from
that suspicious of foul play were
aroused, ana the police went on their
Tail
The collection Of the necessary cir
cumstanual evidence for swearing out
the warrant was done by Indian trap
pers. and IL is entirely 10 the acute
powers o. observation and deduction
possessed by these Indians that the
credit fer the arrest is due.
Early In August the tracks OF the two
prOspectors were noticed by party OF
Indians on Puskwaskamon River The
Indians followed The trail 10 camp and
stopped Tor smoke and pOW-WoW.
After a couple OF hours the Indians de-
parted. pitching their camp couple Of
miles distant.
Every detail OF the prOspectOTs' APP
pearance and outfit had been noted and
the two parties remained in the same
nelghbOrhoOd Tor several days. ON the
fourth Gay one OF the prOspectOrs came
10 tile Indian camp looking Tor the
mules, which had str3yed. The Indians
found the stock ard IL was returned.
Two days after this the Indians heard
shot IN the direction OF the other
camp, and during the middle of the
same night there was another shot This
was UNUSUAL, and the following morning
the Indians set out Tor the camp of the
white men. The situation of the camp
had been changed 20 a new site on she
shore OF Sturgeon Lake. but when the
Indians arrived there was no sign Of the
party.
II was here that the training of the
Indians in observation ana WoodcraIt
first came strongly IN evidence. A
search OF the country surrounding the
camp mace il evident that while the
Two men nad arrived at the camp to-
gether, but one had left
3ones IL the Fire.
The camp fire had been unusually
large, and me men had made their beds
on opposite sides OF the fire, without TAX
ing the trouble 10 put up their tent ON
searching the ashes OF the IRE fragments
OF human bones were found. among
others part OF a skull. which was char
red almost beyond recognition.
A further search OF the ashes reveal
ed a gold tooth which had been mounted
On q pivot This tooth the Indians had
noticed in the mouth or AccOmayOs and
the deduction was that IL had been
knocked out either in a struggle Ca
when the body was being thrown on the
fire.
There was no hesitation on the part of
the Indians. They started Tor Lesser
Slave Lake and reported their susplc-
ions 10 Sergeant Norman. i'm charge Ot
the post there.
The following day ANDERSEN appeared
at the police post and offered two mules
and an OuJnt Tor sale al bargain. lie
was tired OF the country and wanted
10 50 OuL on the Hudson Bay supply
steamer, which was leaving for Atha-
bascst landing,
The sergeant had 10 positive proof.
and the Indians were gone, SO Anders-
charge of Whiskey smuggling. The
Indians were then sent for, and party
o. police verified the story OF the camp.
The arrest Tor murder followed, ana
the prisoner was taken 10 Fort SEES
katcAcWan, where he arrived sew -u
weeks after The crime was committed.
lie nrmly denies having been with q
companion and there ts no trace of the
name OF the murdered man, who was
evidently put away for the sake Of the
money las carried.