Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-11-18
SLAYER or THE CHRISTIE FAM
| ny ExPlATEs TO LAW FOR
AWFUL CRIME
MURDERED FOUR PEOPLE
ON A FARM NEAR RUDOLPH IN
BROWN COUNTY WITH M
TENT TO ROB

Aberdeen Emil Victor, young
man formerly Of East Aurora, N. Y,
was officially executed in this city on
Tuesday for the fanton killing OF four
persons. His victims were ]. w. Chris
tie. grain buyer at the little town of
Rudolph, Brown county; Mrs Christie,
Mildred Christie, aged 10, and Michael
Ronayne, young man. The Quadru
pie murder was committed on the
morning of July 3. the motive being
robbery.
In confession made by Victor he
slater that he hid during the night in
the Christie barn. awaiting the coming
of Christie to do the morning chores,
when he intended to pound him into
insensibility and rob him of the large
sum which he expected to find in his
possession. However. he killed Chris
tie. and. young Ronayne appearing up
on the scene, he also killed him in or
der to cover up the first crime, and
then also felt compelled to kill Mrs.
Christie and her daughter so there
would be no living witnesses against
him Victor secured only about $13 in
cash and jewelry as the fruit OF the
murders.
Victor was the seventh person to die
on the gallows In South Dakota since
the strte was admitted to the union.
The six who have been hanged were:
John B. Lehman, Jay Hicks, Two
Sticks Ia Sioux Indian, gorge Bear
and Allen Walking Shield, also Sioux
Indians, and Nathaniel K Thompson
Lehman was executed for the muir
der on uly II, 1889, Of James H.
Burns, a constable Burns had gone
to the home of Lehman to arrest MIN
on minor charge. Lehman had been
warned BY friends, and as soon as
Burns appeared he fired upon him.
the charge passing through the Of
| ficer's body and causing almost in
slant death.
The murderer fled and was not cap
tured until Sept. 1, 1889, when he was
found at Rushville, Sheridan county,
Neb., near which place he had secured
employment on q farm. The case was
a remarkable one In several respects,
one of which was the fact that Len
man was sentenced to death no less
than three times.
/ Jay Hicks was hanged at Sturgis on
Nov. Is, 1894, for the cold Dleoded
murder Of an old Meade county cat
tleman named Meyers, whom he killed
for purpose Of robbery.
Nathaniel X. Thompson suffered
death on the gallows at DeSmet on Get
Z. 1893, closing one Of the most brutal
charters Of crime In the history of the
state Thompson's wife had obtained
divorce from him and had gone to
the home OF Mrs. Electra J. Billion, a
resident OF the town of Arlington.
Thompson went 10 the BlitOn home to
| zee her After a brief interview at
which Mrs BlitOn was present, ThOmp-
son drew q knife and attempted to
stab his former wife. Mrs. Billion. to
protect her friend. threw her arms
around Thompson and received the
knife intended for Mrs. Thompson.
She soon died from the wound.
The murder created Intense excite
ment throughout Kingsbnrys county,
gcf which DeSmet Is the county seat
and Arlington one Of the PRINCIPAL
towns. and Tor a time there was strong
talk of lynchlng ThOmpson, Hut wiser
cos'a,Sel - Nsiled and the law vas per-
mitted to take IT. course.
Two Sticks, Sioux warrior whose
home was On tire iPne Ride veserva-
ton. vas hanged ct Deadwond for the
murder Of some boys at the ranch Of
Isaac Hmmphreys. near the borSer OF
the reservation George Bear, BruIe
sioux indian, whose home was Oh the
Rosebud reservation. was ganged IN
Sioux Falls In the fall of 1909 FOR the
murder Of hts nephew and eyyers-
nyept a6npl0vee named \ w. Tayloe.
Who Ms the government aRent In
ctarse ~ the district where BAaf re-
sided.
Allen Wsikins 6bieid. vho slso was
i BRINE 6loux Indian. With His bime
On tiye K,SebuA. wa~ har9ed ID Sioux
FbIIs On on. n, 1902, ~ the msirder
~ N Indian woman. whose dastghfer
be fOrelbIv abdUcfed after Killing TIE
mDfheY, w1,0 obtHcfed 10 the aftentinns
peN w him to hef dau9lteF. 1
N n IN interesting colncidencA I'M,
IN ~ Al persons hapxcd Iii eonth H.
tots yipre sisfebood, fhyee werc s'x-
~eHteA NJ nm stafe spthnrittes, while
mr. cthey three werc evectitsd " me
limited 1tafe1 4uthOrities On South
pe1pofa yhA three executed ~. the
&tslN e1thOgl1f2p wArA Nhife men,.
Nn)ye 1nA thfse akeeWfs< M ~ f6der-
u ~ m WeSe sioux indiana