Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-09-14
NICK ST. CLAIR
WIFE MURDERER
IS CAPTURED NEAR PAYETTE.
TALKS''IFREELY AND AD-
M|TS SHOOTING.

- Nick st. Clair, who shot and kill
ed his wife last Friday near Sweet
In Gem county, and then fled t,
the hills in an attempt to make hi,
escape from tfe scene of his bloody
CRIME, was captured Saturday eve
nins at 7:45 O'Clock while making hi
way towards Payette on the public
road between the P. E. Short and
b. F. Allen ranches, two and a hat
miles southeast of this city. The
arrest was made by Night Policeman
Chris. Fenske of Payette and Will
Calendar. treasurer of Gem county,
Who brought the murderer to town
and turned him over to Sheriff
Dave 'Nichols of Gem county, by
whom he was Immediately identified
as the man wanted. The prisoner
was placed in the Payette city Jail
over night and was taken to Cald-
well Sunday morning by Sheriff
Nichols and Deputies Calendar and
Talley of Emmett.
st. Clair was ready to talk freely
of his crime, admitting his guilt and
when informed that his wife had
died soon after the shooting, said
Il am glad of it," He showed no re-
morse whatever for the devilish
part he had played in the bl-ody
tragedy.
To the Pence Brothers, Lloyd
Harry and Walter, who reside on
Big Willow creek, is due much of
the credit for the capture of st.
Clair, who had successfully elIded
the officers and others until his
trail was taken up by the three
brothers, who did not give up the
chase until the man was overhaul |
ed and taken in charge Harry and
Walter Pence, who were following |
St. Clair in an automobile, close |
enough to keep track of his move
man Fenske about O'Clock that the
man was then coming towards Pay
ette on the road leading north from
the P. = E. Short ranch. Fenske i'm |
mediately got in touch with Mr.. Cal
lendar and jumping into an auto
mobile with Lloyd Pence, who had
come on into town, drove swiftly
to the point indicated None of the
party knew st. Clair, but upon meet
ing a man who was walking and
carrying his coat upon his arm,
they passed him, and Fenske and
Calendar, jumping out without stop
ping the car, rushed back and had
the drop on him before he was
aware of their presence. Disarming
him, they brought him to town and
took him to the ellison hotel. At
first there were doubts about his
being the man wanted, as Mr.. Cal
lendar didn't seem to feel at all
sure about 1t and when Mrs. Gil
son stated tha- he was not the st.
Clair who had formerly boarded
there, the officers returned his I
gun and were inclined to let him
Fenske took him in charge again,
relieved him of his gun and he
was soon after identified by Deputy !
Sheriff Win Talley of Emmett and {
admitted thai he was Nick St. Clair
and the man who did the shoo.inr.
Asked how he had gotten a cash
across the nose and another on the
cheek, the prisoner replied: THE
old man lashed me with the whip"
BY "the old man" he meant w. ].
Skillings, father OF the murdered
woman, who was with her when the J
shooting took place. Il
According to the story told by
Skillings, he did lash st. Clair, who {
held the team the former was driv- '
ing as he emptied the revolver In
to Mrs. ST. Clair's body, but not
until after he had finished shoot /
ing and seemingly started to reload
the weapon. BY vigorous use of the
whip he carried, Skillings caused st. {
Clair to loosen his grip ON the
horses, and was able to dash away /,
In the wagon, conveying the fatal
ly wounded woman and the little {
son with him.
During the day st. Clair had been '
trailed quite closely into this vicin-
ity from the upper end Of Big Will {
low canyon.
Headed for Emmett. III
That ne had intended to go tol {
Emmett following the crtme, bus lost \