Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1907-08-01
STOLE A STEER
Two Indians Make Away With
Two-Year Old Steer.
HEARING HAD LAST TUESDAY
After Hearing Evidence Vine.
yard Binds Them over.

Two full blood: Nezperce Indians,
Samson Smith and Jesse Spotted
Eagle, were mp before Judge Vine
yard Tuesday on the charge Of
larceny. 1t seems the red men
drove of two-year old steer, the
property of j. G. Austin of Tahoe,
to Kooskis and sold the same to
the local butcher, pocketing the
money and hitting the hike for
home. The preliminary hearing
was held in the court chambers,
County Atty. Griffith prosecuting.
The Indians were informed they
might have legal counsel if they
desired but they waived the right
Spotted Eagle claimed he could
not understand English so Andrew
Whitman was sworn in as official
interpreter. Andrew often had t.
ask the court to Aexcuse mel as
he had the questions put in simple
English.
Owner Identifies Property.
j. g. Austin, the party who
lost the steer, was the first witness
called and testified in sum and
substance as follows:
Said he knew his steer by the
brand, letter "A". Was red
and might be called roam by some
people. Spoke of marks in the
ear Of the animal which also help
ed him to prove the property
Stated he had seen the carcas of
an animal in the butcher wagon of
the Clearwater Meat Produce Co. +,
June 10. The hide was in the
wagon with the carcas and he
knew it was his steer. The JUS
tice had ordered the carcas deliv-
cred over to him by the meat com
pany who had purchased the same
of the two Indians. He later on
sold the animal back to the butch
ers, receiving 500.
Butcher Tells of Purchase.
J. M. Burkinbine, the proprie-
tor of the company's shop, was
next placed on the stand. He
stated he had bought the steer of
Jesse Spotted Eagle who was ac-
companied by Sampson Smith.
Smith had asked witness if he
wanted to buy beef and it was
through Smith the deal was made.
He paid the money to Spotted
eagle who gave $500 Of it to
Smith.
Whites Testimony.
Oliver Reynolds, who has charge
OF the slaughtering for the market,
stated he was present in the shop
when the money was paid to the
Indians and that Smith had stated
Spotted Eagle owed him ten dol
lars. Saw Spotted Eagle pay
Smith $500 Of the money he re-
ceived for the steer. Didn't see
anything that resembled an "a"
brand on side of steer purchased
of Indians.
Indian Can't Remember.
Through the interpreter Spotted
Eagle gave in the following testi-
mony: Didn't remember any
thing about selling any steer to
the whites. Did not know the
steer at all. Had feed steer year
on his straw. Here he contradict
ed his previous statement. Claim
ed he had never hired Smith to
drive animal to Kooskia and that
Smith had not hired him. Said
it was mighty hard for the Indian
to understa nd or remember much.
In fact it was mighty hard for
The Indian to understand or re-
member when the attorney had
him in a tight place. He had
ciouded brain on June g and 10
Smith Was Drunk That Day.
Sampson Smith smiled rather
broadly when Spotted Eagle was
giving in his testimony. He ask.
ed to be heard but didn't have much
to tell other than had "found"
bottle Of whiskey upon the public
hig hway that day and gulped
it down faster than a pup would
hot milk. He had been ordered
by the other defendant to take a
"dry" COW to the butchers at Koos-
kia on June 10. He had driven
something but he couldn't remem-
Der whether it was a COW or steer.
or the color. While he was too
drunk to distinguish the sex
or color of the animal, he was
not unable to see that the amount
OF money paid was correct. Adj
mitted Spotted Eagle had been at
the slaughter house at the time
Of delivery but he was too far away
to tell just what sort of a critter
had been yarded.
Bound Over to Court.
After considering the evidence.
Judge Vineyard bound the defend
ants over to the district court
u