The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-08-09
Oldest, Month Old, Born Day Big
Forks Man Proved Up on His
Homestead.
MISSING TRAPPER SUSPECTED
Believed He May Have Quarreled
With Homesteader, Wounds In
dicating Desperate Fight.

hoI HCoA sc 1SodIOI IaCI Ills l0Sdi1l
in rife duel in the depths of the
woods near BigFork in Koochiching
county, is the conclusion of sheriff S
posse, of which Harold Dane, nephew
of Frank Lycan of this city and form
er city editor of the Daily Pioneer,
was member. Mr.. Dane came to
Bemidji from BigFork last night.
Rather, IS years old, and the faith
er of four children, the youngest of
which is one month old, was shot Is
miles northeast of BigFork on lone
ly road on July II. The body was
found 3 days later badly decomposing
and with bullet wound in the arm
and another one in the nose. Death
was instantaneous.
Dragged Into Bushes.
The body had been dragged into
the bushes. One bulled had been fired
from his rifle. The bullet wound in
his arm indicated that he had his own
weapon to his shoulder at the time.
apparently firing on his opponent.
Tia only mott e-ad1anAed~is=t
Of jealousy existing between, trappers
OF that district, and in this connec-
ton an effort is being made to locate
Edwin Erway, a trapper of the long
hair, Buffalo Bill style, who had
previously quarreled with Rather.
Bore Evidence of Hard Fight.
Erway disappeared about the time
of the shooting He is known to be
bad fighter and that the two men
went at it hard is shown by the fact
that Rather was disfgured, his jaw
having been dislocated, his face
battered and one eye gouged out.
In telling of the crime and search,
Mr.. Dane said:
"Rahiers body was found by Mel
son Philips, homesteader, living near
the Rather claim. Rather started out
after berries toward Camp No. 5 and
was shot mile from his home. When
he didn't come back Friday his wife
told neighbors, and % starter to hunt
for him and found him Monday noon
Evidence of Foul Play.
''The body was "a feet back from
the road and the right arm was
crooked up over the head, as il
dragged into the bushes. His gun
and hat was found between him and
the road: His rifle was 5000 car.
bine and was found feet below and
feet to one side with one empt,
shell.
1.-The bullet wound through his arm
was away from him. The bullet in
head was from 38 calibre revolver
1.-The posse took the body to thu
nearest neighbor, Ole Paulson. The
coroner of Itasca county was notified
and he sent Undertaken Herried O,
Deer River and with him came Sher
III Riley of Grand Rapids and assist
ant county attorney Phiney of Dee,
RlVer. After preliminary inques
at the Paulson home it was decided
to hold the body and that Afternoon
they took body to Big Fork and tool
photos with sticks through wounds
Unable to Find Erway.
''The body was then buried at Ri,
Fork. The final inquest was hel,
August 4.
''1n the meantime efforts to locat.
Erway failed and Sheriff Riley AMI
Attorney Phiney and a brother O.
Rather and a cousin and Zade Coch.
ran, myself and a driver, with others
scattered in twos and covered thu
country in every direction, but thu
last that was seen of Erway was the
day before the murder when he hal
gone to Evergreen for mail and sun.
plies, which is four miles ont from
Big Fork.
AT the final inquest the jury found
that Rather had been killed at the
hands OF an unknown party. The
sheriff has offered reward.
Rather proved up on his claim a
month ago-the day his last baby
was born. His widow may ge,
! $500 for the claim. Who shot him
is an open question, anyone Of 50
men might have done il. z