Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
MURDERER TRACED
BY PONYS TRACKS
Zhon-nc. Who Killed Trader at Hcf'
fcron. Brought Hero
For Trial

Chief Deputy United States Marsha
Lucian III. Smyth and Asst. United
states Dist. Atty William McCrca re-
turned Friday afternoon from Bluff
In San Juan county, where the prelim-
mary hearing OF Zhonc-ne. the Navajo
Indian charged with the murder al
Charles Fritz. Indian trader at Hef-
fercn, was held Feb. IS. The Indian
was brought TO Salt Lake by Marshal
Smyth and was lodged In the county
jail to await the action of the federal
grand jury.
The hearing was conducted at Blum
City before Peter Allen, justice OF the
peace. Zhon-ne confessed to having
committed the murder. and much evi-
dence of corroborative character was
produced. II seems that Zhon-ne, who
Is big husky Navajo and considered
by his trabesmen as being bal IN
dian" called at the trading post con-
Quoted by Fritz on the morning on NOV.
is last. and asked for something TO cat
Fritz gave him some bread and cheese:
and while eating the Indian noticed
that Fritz was alone. and In MS con-
fession said that he conceived the ldca
of killing the trader. thinking TO get
some money. The Indian then went
out and looked up and down the roau
and climbed a nearby hill TO see IL
anyone was in sight. He could see the
road for some distance in Dotn OIL &c
tions. but no one was In signt' ne
returned to his horse. which was tied
to q. most near the store, and took his
% caliber rifle from the saddle. Return
ing toward the store he saw fritz CONC
out of the store and turn around TO
go back In.
Just as the trader had reached the
doorway. Zhon-ne fired, the ouliet
striking the white man In the neau'
He fell to the floor, the indian toliow-
ing and shooting him twice more III tiie
head to make sure he was deau. Inc
Indian then went to the cash drawer
and took s26.35, all the money IN inc
till He then took quantity OF IN
dian jewelry of the value of about S4o,
which had been pawned by the Indians
against the next government payday.
This jewelry is highly priced by the
Indians. being made from Mexican Sill
Yer money, and formed into trlnkets'
He then mounted his pony and rode
away.
Some time later in the day another
Indian rode up to the post. and found
the traders dead body lying III tle
store He Immediately started to
ride for the reservation headquarters,
so miles away, where he notified Agent
w T. Shelton of what had happened.
The agent organized a company of In
dian police and set out for the trad
ing post The Indians first believed
the deed had been committed by
white man, but upon finding the empty
shells and tracing the footprints of the
Indian and the pony, which they
traced by means of a crack in the hoof
Of the horse. they came upon evidences
which convinced them that the culprlt
was an Indian. They found pawn
ticket and quarter which had been
dropped by the Indian. and traced the
pony to the home of Zhon-ne. They
found him in the fields and immedi-
ately seized and bound him with
ropes and took him back to the agency,
where he was held In chains and
shackles until the arrival of the Unit
I'd States officers,
The penalty for first degree murder
under the United States statutes Is
1eath by hanging. ~