The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-06-21
CRUESOME TALE
TOLD BY WOMAN
SAYS SETH BANNER KILLED
JOHN SPROUCE AND WIFE
NEAR MANHATTAN.
Motive Was Robbery and Woman
Wa Killed to Cover Up First Muir
der; banner in Jail; Authorities
Investigating.

Here is the tale of a gruesome
crime as told by a wife whose
knowledge became too great a bur-
den for her to bear. Seth Ora Dam
ner, according to his wife's aIIega-
tons, killed John Sprouce No
vember, 1920 when the families of
the two men were camping between
Manhattan and Belgrade. The mo-
tive of the crime was robbery.
After shooting Sprouce according
to the woman, Banner killed Mrs.
Sprouce to cover up his crime, con-
fessed to his wife and said he would
kill her If b ever told. On Mrs,
banners statement, which follows.
Banner was arrested and locked up
in the GaIlatin county jail:
Seth Ora Banner and his wife and
their children left Kansas in 1919,
and came by auto to Dillon, where
he was employed for a few months
with a threshing crew. Near Mo-
bridge, South Dakota, he and his wife
became acquainted with Mr.. and Mrs.
John Sprouce, the former working
with threshing crews. After the sea-
son ended about the middle of Oc-
tober the two families started to Mon
tana where they hoped to secure en-
ployment. The two men worked oc-
casionally along the way. They
camped November IA, 1920, across
the West Gallatin river from Central
Park, about 400 yards south of the
bridge between Belgrade and Man
haffon noah fonoslu har-
arate tent and planning to remain in
that vicinity until the men got per-
work.
During the afternoon the two men
went fishing, and Banner returned in
early evening alone. While his
wife was cleaning the fish, he asked
Mrs. Sprouce where her husband was.
Mrs. Sprouce asked if he had not seen
and he replied that he left
him up the river fishing. Later in
evening when her husband did
not come, Mrs. Sprouce seemed much
concerned and, according to the
of Mrs. Banner, Banner
struck Mrs. Sprouce or the head with
small hunting ak he had been using
and she dropped down dead.
Danner then took a string and tied
It around her neck and took her to
her own tent. About s o'clock he
,ook his wife to the tent and showed
ler what he had done.
Sometime during the night, she
says, Danner got up and went out
ind was gone most of the night, ap-
)arently bringing the body of Sprouce
nto the tent as he showed her the
wo bodies in the morning, a gunny
ack being over the mans head. DAN
er said he had shot Sprouce while
hey we're out fishing in the after
Don. Mrs. Danner went to bed with
.er clothes on the next night but
ould not sleep. About 10 o'clock
er husband got up and went out
nd was gone for about two hours,
hen he returned to bed and went to
leep.
The next morning, when his wife
the mound of dirt, he told her
ne two bodies were buried there,
nd he warned her to keep her
louth shut" or she would suffer a
milar death.
After cleaning up everything about
lie camp and packing their belong
lgs and the tent of their former
in the two cars. they left the
November II, Danner driving
car and his wife the other. They |
ent to Three Forks, where Danner
ot a job in a garage, and the family |
been there ever since.
Mrs. Danner felt that she could not
ear the burden of the secret any /
and when her report of the