◆ SpookStack

{ Post = (a8 c | Butte. ton 4 TE j . inn, ‘ame i _— j= * im Fs sar ce ool ad . fig) o> ae) Adee O \ In Although scents of the Federa} Bureau of Invesitgation often tind it necessary to resorl to disgutse “ ‘in-“eracking” difficult cases, their . 2k “diegnis -<" are Hever as obvious «and omsy Gi detection a, those ‘ * Sherlock Hoimes is supposes to * Have used, according to 14}. Guy ‘Banister, special agent in charge "ef the Butte office of the FBI. * “Agents occasionally find it . hecopgsars to resort to uninual tac- Lics fin their investizations, bur they} seldom resort to diszuises auch, as black mustaches and dark - " glasdes,” Banister saich ‘ ‘One of the Most Uniaiszi the PRU wR OW OIA mw OUD, AOU de wN ee OW DB. wh at me <<. LO ty, X \ ° A \- wh wh wt DW UIA Ae HOO OD ts ib , Solting e mers = | successful investigations conduct- ed by G-men was on the Gsage | Indian reservation in Oklahoma | in 1922 ‘and 1923, aecording to ’ Banister, I During the two years preceding | 1322 the Federal Bureau of in- } vestigation in Washington, D. C., t received a communicatign from * the thiefy of the Usare Indian tribal conncil asking the “Great White sgatner” to investigate a série, of deaths on the rescrva- tidu. Arerits went to the reservation Thev_ouickhy_pe- | ance salesman” and “cattle brve! Lia IM estipztn. CiGe convineed that a “murder oT oom oaynG.cate” consisting of a group of white men was aid had been oper- ating. More than a dozen Indians, both men and women, had dicd under mysterious circumstances, agents Jearmed. All of the vie- tims were Immen-ely wealthy from royalty rights t. almost 10,000 cil wells which Wore spouting forta muiltons of gallons of liqui wealth, in several Cat's the Tictims} were young Ind.an women who bad been married shortly before their deaths to waite men. Agenis became convince. that the mur- ders of the women were plotted by the gang berore the wedding ecremonies, Indians and white residents of the reservation were extremely hesitant to talk about the deaths, They feared that they, too, might become victims. Agents sent on the investigation were able to 5peah the language of the Indians 01. the reservation: and were those familiar with tribal customs and traditions. — They decided taat it would be necessary to use Unusual tactics in “breaking” the case, One agent became an Indian medicine man, Elis skin was Painted ang he donned suitable cletuing. A second agent posed as a Texas caitle buyer, seen to purchase stock. A third agent ted as an insurance salesman, During the long investigation tech ultimately brought life sentences to four white men, the psuedo “medicine man,” “insur- es Rev ealed Here found it necessary to meetyin r mote canyons and “hide-ogta’ 3 the reservation. . The “medicine man” was ap 3t. eessfu] that he finally sat , inner tribal council and actua. helped pass resolutions, taki part in the Indiau administratic * ’ at.airs. The “insurance salesmar ” actually sold life insurance ding the investigation, Serving life sentences after be- ing convicted of murders in eon- nection with the Osage case at: William K. liale, who wag calle! the “Hing of the Osage?! Jeobn Ramscy, Ermest Surkh and Kelsey Morrison, records juf the FEI reveal, accordit.g to Banis- ter. t qe eae ee gree ene ttm tee ae ert, on on P, u t. my