This is a story
of Scott’s great-grandmother Annie Martha Olsen Andersen’s brother James Martin
Olsen. It was given to me, along with the pictures of James, by RoJean
Rowley, mayor of Duchesne, who is a descendant of James Martin Olsen.
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| Partial Family Tree of Doris - showing relation to James Martin Olsen |
Olsen Shot an Indian
Olsen is
the man who shot Mountain Sheep, the Utah Indian, November 5, on the Uintah
reservation. As the Indian was too tough
to die Olsen was saved from the charge of murder. As it is he is now held for assault with
intent to murder.
Janet Suddreth,
Scott’s aunt, remembers being told that while being transported to the trial,
James Olsen was hid in a barrel of mail on the postal wagon making its way to
Price, Utah. He feared for his life from
the Indians who were on the lookout for him.
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| James Martin Olsen b. 24 Jan 1877, Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah |
Deseret Evening News,
May 8, 1900:
JAMES OLSEN ON TRIAL
Charged with Shooting
“Mountain Sheep,” a Ute Indian
Claim of Self Defense
The trial
of James Olsen for an assault with a deadly weapon upon the Indian, Mountain
Sheep, was begun in the United States Court this morning. Considerable time was consumed in impaneling the
following jury: Charles Tulgen, A.H. Adkinson,
Spencer Clawson, Joseph Morrell, W.O. Creer, J.K. Gillespie, Charles W. Symons,
Cyrue Page, Daniel L. Lee, Walter J. Burton, John R. Twelves, Jeremiah Willey.
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| Deseret Evening News, Tuesday, May 8, 1900 |
Assistant
District Attorney Cherrington stated the case to the jury, for the prosecution
setting forth that on the 8th of November 1899, the defendant
assaulted Mountain Sheep with a pistol.
The alleged facts being that Olsen, who was in charge of a herd of
sheep, pitched his camp near a spring of water on the premises occupied by Mountain
Sheep, and that the latter used the water from that spring for drinking and
other household purposes, and that Olsen’s sheep were befouling the water. Mountain Sheep rode up to where Olsen and a
Mexican who was herding sheep for Olsen were camping and asked them to move
below his house, that the water might not be contaminated. Olsen positively refused to move. Mountain Sheep said Olsen would have to move,
and a quarrel arose. Olsen picked up a
tent pole and struck at the Indian but his horse, which shied, and threw the
latter to the ground. The Indian then
advanced towards Olsen, telling him at the same time that he must move away
from the spring. Olsen then took his
revolver out and fired at the Indian, the ball taking effect in the cheek. Mountain Sheep then seized an ax that was lying
on the ground and made for Olsen, when the latter fired again striking the
Indian in the right breast, who then fell to the ground. The Mexican in the meantime had tried to
suppress the quarrel. While lying on the
ground the Indian crawled to the pistol, that Olsen had dropped in the scuffle
with the Mexican and fired at Olsen, but the ball struck the Mexican in the
wrist, whereupon Olsen rushed upon the Indian with a tent pole and dealt him
three blows over the head.
Attorney
S.A. King then made the statement of the case for the defense, on which he
associated with Burton. King stated that
Olsen was a resident of Emery County, but had lived in Uintah County, where he
was employed by Mr. Reeder as foreman over his sheep: that he had a permit to take
the sheep on the reservation and was moving them there when the controversy
arose with the Indian.
Olsen
pitched his camp, maintained Mr. King, at least four miles from the home
of Mountain Sheep, when one day the latter came up to the camp where Olsen and
the Mexican were, and began cursing and ordered Olsen off the premises. Olsen refused to go, and the Indian struck at
him with a whip and endeavored to make his horse charge over Olsen, and the
latter took up a tent pole and prodded the horse to keep him from pawing him
down. Mountain Sheep then dismounted and
advanced toward Olsen, who moved away, at the same time asking the Indian to
quiet down, as he did not care to have any trouble. The Indian picked up an ax and made for
Olsen, who then shot his assailant in the cheek. The Indian then knocked the pistol out of
Olsen’s hand with the ax. And Olsen
grabbed a tent pole and struck Mountain Sheep over the head several times. The Indian fell to the ground, and, seeing
the pistol lying a few feet away, crawled to it and fired at Olsen, but struck
the Mexican in the arm. The Indian was
again on his feet when Olsen knocked him down with the pole, and put the pistol
in his pocket.
Mountain
Sheep was the first witness called, whose testimony was taken through
Mr. Harris, a half-breed, and one of the most intelligent and reliable
interpreters in the country. A ripple of
laughter went over the courtroom when the Indian, on having Olsen placed before
him, said that he had never seen him, and that he had never had a quarrel with
any man. A discouraged look spread over
the faces of the two district attorneys, but a bright idea struck one of them,
and he asked the Indian if he had a wound.
The Indian then bared his breast and disclosed a scar, and finally, by
permitting him to go at it, in his own way, he told his story, which was
practically the same as the statement made by Attorney Cherrington.
The old
Indian is being examined by the defense this afternoon. The case will probably be closed today.
And many thanks
to our sponsor …
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| Deseret Evening News, May 8, 1900 |
To be continued ...
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