The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-12-08
WAS BROUGHT HERE YESTERDAY
MORNING AND PLACED IN
COUNTY JAIL.
PERFORM AUTOPSY
One Bullet Hole Only Is Found in Nc
Ciaren's Neck-Ball Passed Through
Spinal Column and Severed the Cord
Indian Police Are After the Boy.

James NEEDLES, who is suspected of
numbering Roy McClaren, whose dead
body was found on the reservation last
Monday and was brought to this city
Wednesday night, was brought here by
Sheriff Adams on yesterday mornings
Burlington train, and is locked up in
the county jail to await hearing.
From evidence adduced at the cor
oner's inquest it appears that after Nc
Claren was killed that NEEDLES left his
dead body where it was lying and was
proceeding on his way to Dry Head,
when he was met by gentleman who
ranches in southern Carbon county.
The man had previusly heard of Nc
Claren's death and as soon as they
met in the road NEEDLES asked him
what he thought of McClaren having
killed himself. The man replied that
he didn't know what to think of it. He
then asked NEEDLES if he had left the
body without notifying anyone at the
agency of McClaren's death, and upon
the advice Of the man NEEDLES turned
around and went back to the agency
and reported the matter. The boy did
not want to go back, and NEEDLES
made his excuse for not reporting
to the agency in the statement that the
boy didn't want to leave the wagon and
didn't want him to leave.
Boy to Be Brought Here.
The boy who was with the two men
is named Claude st. John and he is
stepson of G. w. Berry, of the Hidden
Canyon Gold Mining company. Sher-
ia Adams did not have the time to go
into the Dry Head country after him
and he deputized A. G. Van Hoose, sub
agent at Pryor, to go after and arrest
the boy. 1t is stated that Mr.. Van
Hoose left the agency this morning,
accompanied by a number of the In
dian police, and went directly to the
Hidden Canyon, which is about 25
miles from the agency. Doubtless be-
fore this time the boy has been placed
under arrest and it is thought that he
will be brought to this city tonight
Persons who are acquainted with the
locality say that the Hidden Canyon
is not a very desirable place for an Of
ficer to go single handed. Mr.. Kelly,
the employment agent of this city, is
well acquainted with young ST. John.
He says st. John is an honest boy and
that he believes he will tell straight
story of the affair.
An Autopsy Performed.
At the direction of Coroner Rinehart
and County Attorney Wilson, Doctor
Cliff Lindsey yesterday performed an
autopsy upon the body of McClaren,
at George Settlers undertaking rooms.
1t was thought, upon cursory examin-
alton, that there were two bullet holes
in the dead mans neck. Only one was
found, however, the other place being
bruise of some sort. The bullet
passed just back of the jugular vein on
the right side, crashed through the
vertebrae severing the spinal cord,
and was found in McClaren's left
shoulder near it's point. The ball was
from a revolver of large caligre. Med
dies admits that McClaren had no gun
of his own, but alleges that McClaren
used his, NEEDLES, gun, with which to
kill himself. NEEDLES says that he
and the boy were at the back of the
wagon in the act of lifting out sack
of oats when they heard shot from
the direction of where McClaren had
been standing. He and the boy went
around the wagon and found McClaren
sitting on the ground. McClaren said,
"Pick me up. I've been shot" NEEDLES
says he tried to load the body into the
wagon and take it along with him but
was unable to do so.
Story of Fight.
There are several reputable men
who state that McClaren and NEEDLES
had two fights while they were in Bill
lings the day before they started out,
and that McClaren blacked one of
Needless eyes. NEEDLES acknowledge
ed on the witness stand that they had
had trouble but said it did not amount
to anything. He denied emphatically