Imperial Valley press., 1931-11-02
YOUNG INDIAN
CONFESSES TO
Staying GIRL,
Continued From Page y

was clasSed as being a clean cut
young fellow" He had a grammar
school education but chose to stay
with his people, raising stock in the
high country of northern Arizona.
White River reservation lies in q
wild, infrequently visited section Of
the state. The fact that Miss
Schmerler chose to isolate herself
among the Indians was considered
strange by reservation authorities
but they entertained no fears.
The Apaches have been off the
warpath since the eighties and rare
~ molest white people. As a matter
OF fact, the reservation is remark
ably free Of crime. An act such as
that admittedly committed by Sey-
mour is virtually unknown among
the primitive Apaches, Donner said.
Miss Schmerlers body was found
July %, after a two-day search. It
was lying, partly decompoSed, in a
shallow ravine not far from her
cabin. II was found by 25 ApacheS
searching under the direction OF
George Woolford, deputy sheriff Of
Navajo county.
The earth around the body showed
signs of a violent struggle which,
according to Street, confirms Sey-
mour's confession that the white
girl resisted his attentions.
Seymour was isolated ana jailers
instructed to deny him visitors. The
investigator declined to reveal the
text Of the confession, although he
discussed it freely with the United
Press.
The confession, Street said cleared
away much of the mystery sur
rounding the death Of the attract
i've eastern girl who lived alone on
the reservation, far away from other
dwellings, and associated freely
with young braves while studying
Indian life at close range
Tall and handsome, Seymour
/ probably appealed TO the romantic
! instinct in the eastern girl but love
was far from her thoughts. The
Indian was born on White Rive
reservation and his acquaintance
ship with Miss Schmerler was his
first contact with a white girl.
He was a reservation Indian in
the fullest sense. He attended a
reservation grammar school and his
trip to Globe, where he will face
trial for his lie, was his first
Journey away from home.
Follows Clues
Street was assigned to the case
Immediately after the body was
found. He followed up thousands
Of rumors and investigated many
false leads before stumbling on in
formation that Seymour had an en-
gagement to take Miss Schmerler
to the dance at which she never
arrived.
Seymour was not only of the ear
" suspects. All Indian youths who
had accompanied Miss Schmerlcr
to various functions were question
/ ed. Seymour had never gone cut
with the girl before, although he
had observed her with interest fire.
quently and had talked to her sew
eral times.
Miss Schmerler had been missing
two days when the search started.
That was not unusual as she fire.
quently left her cabin and stayed
with Indian families in remote
parts Of The reservation and, due to
lack Of communication facilities,
reservation authorities did not know
where she was half the time. Not
! hearing from her for two days
caused no anxiety.
Gossip among the Indian started
the search. Several knew She had
planned to attend the dance and
could not understand her absence
/ as observance Of Indian social life
was one of her hobbies. These re-
ports reached Superintendent Will
liam Donner. He investigated, be-
came convinced something W a S
wrong and notified sl1eriffs oil Nav
q 10 and Apache counties.