The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-06-20
INDIAN WRITES STORY
OF CRIME FOR WHICH
He NOW STANDS TRIAL
Tells Of Numbering Young MAJ
Who Ordered Him OF Prem.
Uses With Shotgun.

Sisseton, s. D., June LEA dramatN
incident In the trial OF Joe High Bea,
and Jonah Star for the murder Of
Roland Judish developed when the
states attorney was permitted to read
to the jury the written confession OF
High Bear. made In his cell in the
county jail here.
The state showed by witnesses thai
High Bear had asked that States At
torney Patterson visit him ard that
the official, together with Clinton Croa)
an Indian half breed, who was nomj,
mated for county attorney at the re-
cent primary, assistant in Ahis Office,
Thomas Mani. associate counsel far
the state. n Sheriff John s.. Swanson
went TO the Jail and that High Bear
told in full the story Of the crime and
incriminated Jonah Star. High Bear
volunteered to write the story out in
full and had been permitted to do so
h written story OF the the crime
covered rs closely written pages Of let.
ter paper.
High Bear said that, he and Star
about a dance which the Indians in,
tended to hold at q place near Big
Coulee on the following "Wednesday
and Thursday, and that while thew
were talking the Judish boy drove IN
h road with a lumber wagon and
team. and with several cattle ahead.
~ him I'm the road. They say Judishl
drove Into the yard and put away
the horses and cattle In the barn and
came ott OF the house with a lantern,
Star and High Bear then walked TO-
wards the barn. intending. as High
Bear writes, TO o the yard and &c
TO Joe Seven Brothers house. west Of
the Judish place, TO sing Indian songs.
When they came to the barn Roland
Judish. who was the only.person on the
place, stopped out and accused High
Bear or having broken into the house.
and also called him name and ordered
him or. High Bear and Star then fol-
lowed Judish, who went into the house
and came out with a shotgun, which
he pointed at High Bear, telling him
to get off he place or he would shoot
him.
High Bear says he then advanced on
Judish and wrested the gun from him
and threw II away. As he did SO he
says the Judish boy struck him with his
fist on the back OF the head. Then
High Bear threw him to the ground and
struck him with his fists. star ran NY
and assisted him to hold Judish on the
ground, and kicked Judish about tn"
head. Then Star an on and returned
with an iron bar. with which he a!ac
struck Judish about the head, until the
latter ceased to speak or TOY
They then lifted the body UP and car
ried Il into the house and placed II on
the bed. Star folded the dead boys
arms across his. breast and hen tbs
two left the house, taking with them
the dead boys suit Of clothes and SHOES
a revolver, and also the shotgun. which
had been left outside. ~
The defense attempted to show that
the confession was given under prom
Use Of leniency by the states attorney
and under instructions which High
Bear thought were mandatory. The
question vas left to the jury by Judge
McNulty. as Is his privilege under the
South Dakota practice.
The state then rested its case. anJ
the defense interposed motions for d.
rected verdicts for each OF the defend
ants. Both, however, we're denied.
The first testimony introduced by thc
defense was that of High Bear, who DE-
clared the confession was untrue am
proceeded to relate anew the circum.
stances of the crime. In his new stor!
he stated that he alone was the guilty
person and that Jonah star had nc
connection with the crime,
II Is thought the case will be submit.
ted to the Jury late today or tomorrOW