Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-14
GRANDJURY HEARS
STORY OF MURDER
One Of Most Brutal Crimes Per-
petrated by an Indian
Being Reviewed.
BUCK TRACKED BY NAVAJOS
Lhuni Now In County Jail Awaiting
Trial-Some Traits of Poor 10
ON Reservation.

One Of The most brutal murders ever
perpetated by an Indian, at least since
they have come under government con-
troll, is the case which Is being invesd-
gated by the federal grand jury today.
Il is that Of the United States against
one zhuni. as the government agents
spell 81, and zhuni is at present in the
county Jail awaiting trial.
The crooked hind foot OF a pinto
cayuse which Zhuni was riding led 20
his being tracked and apprehended.
Had IL not been for his mark on his
trail he probably would have been able
to escape into the Mexican country and
mingled with the reneEados among the
Yaquis. As II was. his fellow Navajos
got him "a hours after he had COM
mitted his crime.
on the night Of Nov rs. Of last year.
Zhuni appeared at the home OF Charles
Fritz a trader who lived on the
Navajo reservation about 80 miles from
the Shiprock agency. The Indian ask
ed for food and a place TO sleep. He
got both and after a time said that he
thought he would try to make 1t
to the agency. He went to the brow
Of the range. nearby, and then turned
back with his rife. II Is claimed. he
shot his benefactor three times In the
head and then robbed him OF valu-
ables
CAPTURED BY NAVAJos.
The case was reported to the agency
within a short time and posses were
sent out. A ruse brought into sarvice
a number OF Navajos. They picked up
the trail OF Zhuni and brought him into
the agency 10 hours after they started
after him. The print OF his horses
hind foot betrayed him and enabled
the skilled scouts 70 follow him with
ease.
The Indians who are testiSing in the
case are Stephen Dale. Albert Jones.
and Doctor John. all educated Nava-
Jos Il Is said that they we're Wit
nesses to the confession OF Zhani, ack-
nowledging that he did the killing OF
Fritz.
w. r. shelton. In charge OF the Ship
rock agency. who. together with Mrs.
Shelton. Is in the city, says that the
Nava1os are a peaCcable people given
10 stock raising and agriculture. They
are also prosperous and have as a
side line 10 their. following Of the soil
the manufacture Of blankets which are
Of world wide fame.
They are slow 20 anger" said Mr.
shelton this morning but they have
the tabled Indian trait. desire for re-
fenge, In It's most acidulated form At
AilNfrf rhiNe hNfh VIII uftdk loose even
as this Zhuni, who. really is not a fair
specimen The Navaios cause US less
trouble than perhaps any other agency
In the country They are amenable 70
discipline and show many traits Of the
white people. particularly as regards
disposition They are fond OF their kim
dred and are good workers.
IDIAN RECREATIONs.
There are about 30. 900 NaSajoa IN the
big reservations which are scattered I'm
that corner OF four states. These com
prise Utah. New Mexico. Arizona and
Colorado. There Is but one mile in Colo
RADIO and there are about 5000 square
miles distributed equally between the
others There Is a. population OF ap-
proNimRtely $1,000 Indians in the res
ervation lands, with 900 in the 5000
miles which Is under the control OF
Agent Shelton.
W. q. Hodson. who Is sub-aRent Of
the reservation. told OF the preparations
which the Indians are making for their
great day of the year. some time in