A Shuswap Outlaw

By GEORGE D. BROWN, Jr.

A Shuswap Indian Murders a Fellow Tribesman—Escapes Punishment for 13
Years—He Makes Wild Boast to Shoot First White Man He Meets—Keeps Vow,
Although Victim is a Good Friend—Armed Fugitive Ventures Back from Hiding

in the Hills—Kamloops Citizens Make Capture.

)LD-TIMERS OF Kamloops recollect the
xcitement among the citizens in the "90's
hrough the capture of Casimir Baptiste,
ndian, of the Shuswap tribe, at a time when
here was talk of an Indian uprising at the
eservation three miles north of the City.

The dramatic events leading up to that
xciting occasion are as follows:

In August, 1886, Casimir shot and killed
n Indian by the name of Jerome, in the
ills surrounding Kamloops, a distance of
ome twenty odd miles to the north of Heft-
ey Creek. All the local Indians knew that
Yasimir was the man who committed the
leed, but as the murderer was said to be a
elative of the Thompson River Chief, none
vould come forward and give evidence
.gainst him.

CHASED By POLICE

Some weeks later Casimir got drunk in
<amloops and the Provincial Constable of
he force who policed the town prior to
neorporation in 1893, chased him across
he river to the reservation. Casimir had a
run, and once on the north side of the South
Thompson river shot and wounded the
constable. The culprit then took to the hills,
vas caught and sent to the penitentiary at
New Westminster, where he served a full
ive years.

On the afternoon of April 15th, in the
year 1899, Casimir, together with a number
of his tribesmen, were engaged in sports on
he reservation. In a game of lacrosse he had
rouble with another Indian, whom he
hreatened to shoot. Casimir had been drink-

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ing, but was not drunk. The other Indian
retorted with a slur: “Oh, yes, you can
shoot Indians and get away with it, but you
can't shoot a white man; you're too much

The notorious Casimir

scared.” “I scared to shoot a white man,
eh? I will show you!” replied Casimir.
Immediately after uttering these words,
Casimir went to Chief Louie’s house, with
whom he lived, took the Chief’s rifle, and
came direct to the junction of the North and
South Thompson rivers, southward, got into
a canoe and crossed to the Kamloops side of
the South Thompson, landing on property
belonging to Mr. James Power (now the
station yard of the Canadian National).

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Passing through this property he reached the
lower street of the town, Lorne Street, and
turning to the left, the first person Casimir
saw was Mr. Phil Walker, sitting on his
verandah. He deliberately shot and killed
him. Continuing eastward, without looking
to see what had transpired, he crossed the
trafhe bridge, and again hid in the hills. It
has been said Casimir was friendly with
Walker, but apparently had made up his
mind to kill the first white man he met.
Walker for several years operated the John
Edwards Ranch, now known as the Austin
Estate at Heffley Creek, some twelve miles
north of Kamloops. He also leased the
Knouff Ranch, and was well-liked by the
Indians, whom he often employed.

Guards were kept at the approaches to
the reservation to prevent Casimir hiding
in some Indian cabin, and to prevent food
being taken to the fugitive. Chief Louie
rendered valuable assistance to the Provin-
cial Police.

Casimir remained in the hills until the
night of Sunday, April 23rd, 1899, when
he successfully reached the house of the

Chief.
MURDERER SURRENDERS

News of the return of the murderer soon
spread to Kamloops, and on the next day
practically every available man in the then
small village of Kamloops, and a few of the
women, journeyed on foot and by horse
conveyance, through the sandy stretches to
the Indian reservation—the same location
the Hudson’s Bay Company had abandoned

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