The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-02-16
Question as to What County Alleged
Murder Was Committed in
Probably in Beltrami.
Saws His Wife Must Have Frozen To
Death After Falling From Sleigh
Torrance Investigates.

That murder has been committed
in the opinion of G. NJ. Torrance,
County Attorney of Beltrami county,
who left this morning for Cass Lake
accompanied by Deputy j. A. Cahill,
and Coroner NJ. E. lbertson. to in
vestigate as to what manner the
squaw of Chief Lon-ga ge-shij,
Of the Cass Lake Indian Band,
who was found dead on Cass Lake,
near Cass River yesterday. met her
death.
The body of the sQuaw was dis
covered by some Indians going to
Cass Lake yesterday morning, and
when they arrived in that city they
Immediately reported the case to the
authorities, saying that in their
opinions that she had been kicked
to death.
The dead squaw is more than
fifty years old and is survived by
one daughter, 10 years Old
1t is understood that the chief and
his squaw had been drinking while
in Cass Lake Wednesday and that
when they left there toward evening
they were quarreling, which to a
certain extent may have some bear
ing on the finding of the dead body,
The chief claims she was frozen to
DEATH
Coroner Miskella of Cass county
and Deputy Sheriff Brouilete to-
gether with Dr.. z. b. House, the
Indian agent left for the scene of
the supposed murder late yesterday
afternoon returning to Cass Lake
with the dead body last evening.
An examination shows that the
head of the sauaW was fractured and
that her face was otherwise battered
up.
There was for a time some ques-
ton as to whether the alleged crime
took place in Cass or Beltrami
counties, but Mr.. Torrance stated
this morning before leaving that the
body must have been found at least
five miles from the Cass county line
On his trip to bring in the body
Of the dead squaw the Cass county
coroner found groceries which had
been purchased Wednesday scattered
for over half a mile, and also clothes
of the squaw Later they found
blood spots in the snow along the
track. The body of the squaW had
apparently been dragged In the snow
some distance. The rough box of the
sleigh had been broken and scatter
ed along the track ALSO. The chic
was questioned by County Attorney
Funck of Cass county and gave tho
following story Of the affair: y.
"We left Cass Lake at about five
thirty o'clock yesterday Afternoon
from the shack of James Dunn wh'
had a hearing in Judge Ives cour
this afternoon on a charge OF furn
ishing liquor to another Indian.
"When we went to Dunn's shacI
nv squaw had no whisky but Whel
we left she had pint of it which
believe she secured from Dunn W.
drank of the whisky and | felt tn
effects of it although the squaW ha'
more, When we passed Star Island
something happened, My squaw trie'
e,1> {oh nI
on her face and thus received tn
marks. | tried to get her back in tn
sleigh but as she was such a larg
woman I could not lift her in. TIL
horse was unruly and I dragged he
forward to the sleigh.
Several times raised her up bu
she fell each time.
The sleigh broke while ! wa
standing on it trying to lift her in
Finally decided that she was get
ting so cold and shivering so muc
that something would have to b
done so cried out for help, but non
came so, | spread out the blanket
and what other clothes had al
covered her with my overcoat an
blankets and lay down beside her o
the ice for some time.
aFinally got SO cold that l coil
not stand It any longer so I went 0
with the horse down Cass river an
reported to my wifes relatives, thu
she was in bad shape on the lake an
then went on home arriving at abo,