East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-11-06
CONVICT WILL
BE CALLED ON
TO TELL STORY
Man Whom Defense in Columbia
George Trial Intimates Responsible
for Crime Brought Here.
WORKED ON BITkER RANCH
Knutc Ivcrscn, n Convict in Walla
Walla Pcnitentiary Will lie Wit
ness for the observation-disclosures
cd in seattle OF Assaults Identi-
fled by Indian.


fled by Indian.
Indications at the trial Of Column
bia George today pointed more
strongly to the fact that the defense
Will try to create a suspicion in the
minds of the jurors that Knute Iyer-
sen, former employee of the Bitner
ranch and now convict in the pen
itentiary at Walla Walla might have
caused the death OF Ti-mot. That the
prosecution IL preparing to forestall
this move is evidences by the fact
that Iversen has been brought over
from Walla Walla and will probably
be placed upon the stand to tell his
own story of his movements at the
time of the crime
He was brought into the court
room for a short time this morning
for Identification ny George Red
Hawk, one of the four Indians who
rode to the Bitner rancn on the day
following the murder. Red Hawk
was not positive that Iyerscn was the
man he saw on the ranch that day
but thought he resembled him
In their cross examination. attor-.
neys for the defense were careful to
establish the point that Iversen was
employed on the ranch at the time OF
the murder and left soon after of his
own voltion. So far there has been
nothing to cast suspicion on him
brought out save that William Barn
hart. one of the four Indians. yester-
day testified to seeing what he took
for blood spot on his shirt
Iversen was convicted in Seattle a
few months after the local tragedy
OF assault in the second degree, hav-
ing hit a man over the head with a
flat iron. He is now serving his SEN
tence in the Walla Walla peniten-
tiary.
Connecting Up Accused.
The prosecution this morning COM
menced upon its task of connecting
up Columbia George with the crime.
Heretofore, all of the evidence in
troduced had concerned the discov-
cry of the body and the finding OF
clews
This morning two witnesses, Tom
Meyer. cook at the Bitner ranch, and
-year-old Elsie Gervais. who lived
at the ranch, told of seeing the ac-
cused Indian and the old squaw leave
the ranch together and ride off to-
gether toward the pasture in which
the crime was committed. Meyer was
on the stand first On July 6,
1912, he testified, Columbia George
and william Swltzler, an old Indian.
rode up to the Bitner house about 3
o'clock In the afternoon and asked for
something to eat. He prepared meal
for them and. while they were eat
ing. he said. Ti-mot rode up to the
window OF the kitchen. Soon after
wards, she was Joined by George and
the last he saw of them. he said.
| they had just passed through the
! gate of the pasture on their horses
! He testified that George was riding
| a white horse. described his dress
and also the apparel of the squaw.
The little girl proved to be Il
| splendid witness her memory of the
/ events of the day seeming vivid ana
her answers being straightforward,
intelligent and clear, Her testimony
was substantially the same rs that
Of Noyer She identified Columbia
George as the Indian who rode Oft
toward the river with the squaw
whom she heard called Timot.
In his cross examination. Colonel
Raley attempted to draw from the
girl that she had been coached in her
testimony and that her memory OF
the dress of Columbia George result.
ed from recent conversation. The
; little girl. however, refused to be
trapped.
Mrs. Mary Gervais, mother of the
little girl, testified that she met Co
lumbla George between and o.
, clock of the afternoon of July as
she was coming to the city. she de.
, scribed his dress ana the horse n,
rode.
! This afternoon the first witnes,
called was William Switzler, feebl,
cid Indian who had to be assisted
: to the stand. Speaking through Leo
; Sampson, the interpreter. he told o
, meeting Columbia George on tn,
Saturday after July a little wa!
! Continued on page four)