Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-20
INDIAN TELLS
STORY Of MURDER
Tom Rice Who Killed John Takes
Stand in His Own
Behalf.
SCENE IN THE COURTROOM
Interesting sidclights ON the Efforts
To CNilizc the Noble Red Man
ON the Reservation.

Tom Rice. fuli-bloodcd Shovwit
Indian. accused Of staying John Rice.
fellow Indian ON the reservation
near ST. George on Dec. n last, told
the story of the ARRAY before "a jury In
the. United States court this morning.
Tom Rice Is a splendid specimen of his
tribe large. strong and wiry. and ac-
cording to the testimony OF those who
know him. hc is pretty good Indian
ass long as be leaves drink alone; but
in his cups be is % VIGOROUSLY bad
Indian" Some Information as TO the
mode oft life OF the Indians on the
Shcvwit reservation was given by the
witnesses on the stand this morning
during the progress of the trial of Tom
Rice for manslaughter. lt appears that
the Indians live in houses have house
keeping material and have adopted the
ways OF white people as Far as possible
some Of the women even having car
pets ou their floors.
According Co the testimony Of the
defendant. which was given iu very
good English. he was defending him
self when he struck John Rice with the
AK. He said John crept up behind him
and struck him in the back with
club. and that tho defendant then ran
90 the wood pile. with John Rice after
him with an open knife iu his hand.
and he picked mp the AK and struck
his pursucr. and ass John Rice dropped
the knife and picked mp club he
struck him again with the AK I'm the
back. John Rice was taken into
the house and such attention as was
at hand was given him. He fingered
five days and died from the effects OF
the Injuries on Doe rs.
Tom Rice said he returned homo
from over the mountains early on the
morning of Dec. H. the day OF the
quarrel lie said he found another In
dian. VIII Carma by name. in the
house with his wife. Alice Rice. when
he broke open the door leading into
the house. He first tried the kitchen
door. and finding 90 locked. went around
the house 20 the front door which he
found was also locked. He then broke
the door IN and found Gamma in thu
house with Alice Rice lie said Carma
dashed past him out Of the house and
be did not follow him. lie then told
Alice that ne did not want such "a thing
to- happen any more. John Rice was
standing outside the house when they
went out. but John ala not say any
thing: as Tom was leaving the house.
ne said. John came up behind him and
struck him in the back Tom thon
raH to the woodpilc. with John after
him. brandlshing a pockctknife. Tom
picked up the ak and struck John. whn
picbed up "a club but boforc)hc could
strike Tom defendant had struck him
again IN the back with the AK. John
fen to the ground and De was taken
10 the house.
DOMESTIC FBACAs.
Cross-examiucd by Asst Dist Atty
d la 81
that ho Kicked his wife. Alice, aztec
Cama had fled from the house.
you kicked her In the face, didn',
you9" asked the prosecutor.
yes 1 kicked her In the face re-
piled the Indian,
why did you kick herr"
"shc make me mad. she have Carma
I'm the house, and other time other In
dians. ] tell her she must never any
more have Carma in the house
Defendant admitted, too. that he
struck Sally Rice, widow Of John Rice.
why did YOU strike Sally Rice2'
asked Mr. McCrea.
Because she curse me like hell"
stoldly replied the defendant
Defendant admitted he had been
drinking II take one wine that
morning he said Boo reply to tho Ques-
ton. He said that John Rice had
been drinking rather heavily. and that
Alice Rice and win Carma had also
been drinking Defendant said he had
been drinking several days before. at
which time he chased Alice around
the blacksmith shop for receiving the
attentions of other Indians Defend
ant said that while John Rice was rs
years old and could not see very well,
yet DE. Tom Rice WAS afraid of him
"Hc very strong Indian" said Tom
Rice.
WIDOW TELLS OF MURDER