The copper era and Morenci leader., 1922-06-09
(EIaqStaff Sun)

| SOu, LO COElIulL lu6 CI1ll0, to the latter's confession. He chokei f.he woman to death. on the night of May 20.
 The murderer, 23 years old, is fair ly well educated. The victim, a Moqui Indian, named Betaht An Nj Bitsui, owned lot of sheep and goats This is according to Indian custom, the squaws owning i,he sheep and goats, the males the other animals.
 Teddy Johnson already had two wives living together. But he cove.ed his step-daughter, the grown daughter of the murdered woman. The latter refused 70 permit any such arrange ment, so, according to Teddy's bro ther, Luke. the latter was the un- willing tool used to remove the ob- s:acle Luke made two confessions, each before witnesses, and they were substantially the same. He is in jail | here his brother a fugitive. This is the confession:
 I Luke Johnson, being first duly | i sworn, deposes and says.
 That on Saturday night, the goth day of May, 1922, about the hour of midnight, he killed Betaht An Nj Bitsui, by choking her to death as she slept in her hogan. Thait this hap pened in the hogan of Teddy, his brother, and husband of the woman. That Teddy, his brother, asked him to kill his wife, the said Betaht An Nj Bhsui, about 30 days before he did so That his brother Teddy asked him l number of times to kill Betaht An Nj Bitsui. That he, the said Luke Johnson, was at sing two days. , helping around That his brother came to the sing about noon of the second day That he, Luke Johnson. suspected his brokher wanted him to t go and kill his wife, Betaht An Nj Bitsui, and he avoided him. That 3 night, the third of the sing, while r he was ting wood, his brother came . to him and told him he wanted to see 6 him.
 j. That is brother Teddy told him that l. if he murdered she woman he would 1, give him reward in few days. ,. That from there he walked to the hogan of his brother Teddy. That he went in the hogan and the chil- 1T dren and the said Betaht An Nj Bit S sui were asleep. That he stood there :. a long time thinking if he would kill ,o her, the said Betaht An Nj Bitsui < Thas he finally thought if he did not m kill her his brother would be after I3 him. That she was asleep yet and he 1 took the blanket off her and sat down ,g on her stomach. That she awoke and n. said, "wha- do you want?" And he R. said, nothing Then he put his ne hand over her mouth. That he put lg his knees on her arms and one hand h. on her throat and one had over he1 ,f. mouth. That he was instructed b1 ve his brother to kill her that way. Tha "a, the children did not wake up. Tha f. oh did not ct much Th3 of when he left her he knew she wa dead That she was getting cold That he, She said Luke Johnson, the, NJ went back to his brother Teddy rd horse and from there across the rive and back to the "sing'' That il went inSo hogan at the sing an laid down and went to sleep. Ina next morning when his brother Tedd - met him outside, that his brothe asked him if he had killed her, Teo dy,s wife That he told his brothe Teddy, he, the said Luke Johnson did not know but for him 10 go an see. That he stayed at the ''sing two more nights until it was dont That he then went home. and ful ther deponent sayeth not.
 (Signed)
 LUKE JOHNSON.
 The Indian sings, held by tn men and during which the medicin men of the tribe perform various LII cantations. supposedly adding 70 thel power, are usually of several days duration. This one lasted five days
 During the sing it became noise about that the woman had been mu
 dered. The Indian police found ;th
 body, then after a search that too some time captured Luke Johnson.
 Tv-iIa r, sixth day following the murder, tha the sheriff's office here was notifie of it.
 Undersheriff S. O. Thompson an Dr. Felix Manning lief: about 3 D. m and were followed shortly afte by Sheriff w A. Campbell. Justice J. Kidd, County Attorney F. M. Golt Fred Browning and Burnell Oslel They arrived at Leupp about 7:3 D m. and went to he office of tn superintendent of the Indian schoo Stephen Janus, who informed ther that Luke Johnson had made GOT fession to he effect that he had xii ed his brother Teddy's wife, at tn instigation of his brother whom h was much afraid of.
 Sheriff Campbell and party rt turned from Leupp early Saturda morning, bringing Luke Johnson i wi them and he is now confined i the county jail.
 Sheriff Campbell and MT. Wilkic of the U. s. department of justic. returned to Leupp Saturday evenin and learned from the brother of tn dead squaw. that Teddy had entere the hogan and finding his wife dea had buried the body in shallo' grave inside the hogan, wrapping up in some blankets.
 Thereupon, Sunday morning, Shel if Campbell phoned to Justice R. Kidd, who with County Attorney t NJ Gold, Deputy Sheriff w. M. RudC R. J. Kidd, Jr., and Orinn Compton left for Leupp where an inquest owe the remains were held, che body, baC ly decomposed, being found buried i the hogan. A verdict in accordanc with the facts was rendered and tn