Seward daily gateway., 1923-09-01

to take the trip to the lake district slowly so as to get in alot of hunting, and to camp at spots for three or four days at time, whereas Robert Ed wards in particular was anxious to ge: to Iliamna and from there to Cook h. let Many arguments ensued, which sometimes led to fist fights, and final ly George Edwards told Robert he would drop him from the party and not permit him to go further with it. This occurred on the sixth night of the journey.
 "The following morning an argu' ment broke out afresh between the boys and 1t Is said that George Ed wards, who was lying in his sleeping bag in the tent, reached for his shot gun and pointed it at Robert Edwards. Robert Edwards and Wolf, it is claim ed, were outside the tent at the time, where a high-powered rifle was lean ing against the tent wall. Wolf saw Robert pick up the rifle and threaten George. Robert then raised the rifle, shooting and killing George while he was still lying in the bag.
 a''Wolf and Robert Edwards then pro- ceeded to cut about ten feet of sod in which they placed the body and covered it with soil, also burying DOT, tions of the murdered mans clothes Prior to this they had emptied his pockets of valuables and the journey back to Libbyville started.
 "When Davies heard this story as told him by Robert Edwards, ne asked him, Doesn't you conscience hurt you for what you've done? and the answer came back, Don't worry! I won't lose a minutes sleep over the -.' R. Ed wards then made off for the launch which was ready to leave and as was learned later on, found employment on the Starr as deckhand.~
 Davies went back to his cabin and
 
 thought the story over, and after a sleepless night reported it the follow, ing morning to Superintendent George F. Smith, of the Libby, McNeill & Lib by plant.
 MT. Smith wired Marshal Weston N. Reed, at Nushagak, who came over the following day, and Wolf, who was on the beach painting the dory, was promptly sent for and arrested. This occurred on Wednesday, Aug:1 The young man was handcuffed and placed under guard in the hospital where a special room had been prepared. The next day Marshal Reed, Supt Smith, Dr. Flanders and two of the guards managed to secure a confession from the boy which practically corr oborat- ed the story told by Davies The re- markable feature of Wolfe's story, was that he took all the blame that he was responsible for every thing. The confession was duly sign ed and sworn to before Notary Mar shal Reed and it was decided to go up the kvichak river to exhume the body of the murdered man.
 Friday morning the party, consist ing of Chris Nelson, U S. Commission CT al Eoggiul.g, DepuJ:: Reed and the prisontl; Dr. Flanders, d special pilot and gas boat engineer startc out in the gas boat Virginia foI the scene of l the crime A coffin was carried and all instruments necessary to exhume the body and to perform a post mor- tenn.
 "Th' confession which had been made by Wolf had not been complete ly satisfactory, and on the way up the river he was admonished to come clean and tell straight story. He did so, and in his further confession pointed out the motive for trying to shield Robert Edwards. He stated that Edwards had a wife in Seattle and a baby was expected in the family very soon. For the wife and baby's sake he intended to assume the blame, as he had no one to care or worry about him.
 Tn his story Wolf said that on the fatal morning, he and Robert Edwards who had been asleep on the outside of the tent, got up and while Wolf was frying bacon for breakfast, Robert called to George, who was still sleep ing inside the tent, Get up you lazy d. fool and walked over to the tent and grabbed rifle saying, By God, Pm going to kill you if there is shot in this rifle Simultaneously Wolf heard a shot and upon turning saw blood squirting from George Edwards ears and mouth. Robert dropped the rifle and after a short silence told Wolf to give him a hand in burying the body, which was done. They also buried parts of the clothing and threw other portions into the river Then, taking the outfit, in which were two rifles, shot gun, Kodak and automat- ic timer, tripod and money amounting to SIS in cash and a check for $52.5O which was endorsed to Geo. Edwards by the Bristol Bay Packing Company, the men hurried away, and R. Edward who did not know how to handle the boat yielded to Wolfs demands that they return to Libbyville. which they did, going with the current of the stream, and reaching Libbyville two