The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-09-25
Mind a Blank.


George Sterling, who is alleged to
have done the shooting, is in the
county jail. He maintains that he
knows nothing of the affair and that
his mind is blank.
1t is reported that Skrief, Ster-
ling, James Haley, Jack Rabi and
other residents of the O'Brien dis
trict went to the new town hall Sat-
urday afternoon, Skrief bringing a
load of lumber for the hall.
The men had been drinking, it is
said, and Sterling became intoxicated.
He lay down on pile of lumber and
went to sleep.
In the meantime, Skrief drove to
>.sGe Rabi home for some cement.
When he. returned. Sterling was still
asleep.
Sterling a Bachelor.
When it came time to return to
their homes, Skrief said that he would
take Sterling home with him. Ster-
ling was bachelor and had home
stead of 40 acres.
\, When Sterling was awakened he
pshed at Haley, with whom he had
ben at "Outs' for years. He struck
q, him and Haley struck back. Rabi
eished between the two men.
J Then, according to the story told
Sheriff Johnson, Haley and Skrief,
= and Maynard and Junow, two other
men who were assisting at the hall,
jumped on Skrief's wagon and started
to drive away.
Shoots Horse.
They had gone about 200 PAGES
when Sterling opened fire with 30
80 rifle. His first shot went wild
On the second shot he struck one of
the horses. The men then jumped
from the wagon and ran towards the
woods
Rabi, who was standing near Ster-
ling, begged him to stop and Ster-
ling turned on him. Rabi made for
the nearby brush.
The third shot struck Skrief in the
leg.
Sterling looked on while the other
men made an attempt to stop the flow
of blood from Skrief's leg by tieing
handkerchiefs and rope above the
wound.
Several of the men went to get an
other horse, distance of about two
miles, and on their return Skrief was
loaded on the wagon and taken to
Rlackduck. The men talked to him
when about two miles from the vii
lage and he answered back.
When they arrived at Blackduck
they called DR.. Koch who found
Skrief dead.
Well Known Here.
Skrief was about 40 years of age
ic hIy
children, brother at Kelliher and
is the daughter of August Weber of
Kelliher. She was notified Of the
death Sunday.
skrief has been operating saw
mill in the town of O'Brien for sew
eral years. He was previously en-
plOyed as scaler for the Crookston
Lumber company and as captain of
ffrs steamer Beltrami on Red Lake.
Sheriff Johnson was called and he,
with Deputy Cahill and Coroner Ak
erberg, went to the scene.
Sterling, who is a man of about
40 years.. has lived in the O'Brien
district for years and always had the
reputation of being a dangerous man.
He is a crack shot with a rifle. An
odd character, he has lived alone on
his homestead, and when sober he was
agreeable. When intoxicated he was
disagreeable and at times thought to
. be demented
", All efforts to find Sterling early
Z/day morning failed.
At about six o'clock Sunday morn
+ ing J. F. Higgins reported seeing him
near the scene of the crime Ster-
ling at that time did not know of the
death of Skrief.
Sheriff Johnson secured the SER
vices ;Of Frank Cook, who is a good
friend of Sterling's, the sheriff know
fsIa. r- ''' 20 roe