would be hanged. He finally permitted her to ride to the home of a
neighbor for assistance when she convinned him that she would join in
blaming "Dakota" for the murder but by the time that she and the neigh=
bor returned, Dakota and the men from the ditch carp had already placed
Sheoerd under arrest to await the arrival of the sheriff who had been
summoned, Brought to trial in October, his attorneys pleaded insanity
and several witnesses from Linn County testified that he had always
been considered weakeminded with an uncontrollable passion for women.
Several physicians who had examined him testified that he was sane and
he was convicted and the penalty assessed at death by a jury which de=
liberated for only thirty minutes, Throughout his trial, Shepherd
seemed totally unconcerned, chewing gum incessantly and turning and
winking at various friends in the court room, There was no appeal and
the Governor declined to grant clemency after he wecbived a scathing
letter from the traal judge who maintained that Shepherd deserved no
clemency because of the atrociousness of his crimes As his execution
approached, he showed Little concern, joking with the prison Sacha
On the morning of his death, after dressing and shaving, he rei ae
have his photograph taken and sent to his mother and this reques
: ; ‘ying absolution froma Catholic Priest
ceived Co at Aer ees at Ehe Oregon State Prison on November
on the sc
30 1906. CROO
1966; | ‘rr
fold, he was ‘hanged at
% COUNTY JOURNAL, Prineville, Oregon, 9-27-1906; 10=25-
((- 301706
would be hanged. He finally permitted her to ride to the home of a
neighbor for assistance when she convinned him that she would join in
blaming "Dakota" for the murder but by the time that she and the neigh=
por returned, Dakota and the men from the ditch camp had already placed
Sheperd under arrest to await the arrival of the sheriff who had been
summoned. Brought to trial in October, his attorneys pleaded insanity
and several witnesses from Linn County testified that he had always
been considered weak-minded with an uncontrollable passion for womens
Several physicians who had examined him testified that he was sane and
he was convicted and the penalty assessed at death by a jury which de-
liberated for only thirty minutes. Throughout his trial, Shepherd
seemed totally unconcerned, chewing gum incessantly and turning and
winking at various friends in the court room, There was no appeal and
|the Governor declined to grant clemency after he weckived a scathing
letter from the traal judge who maintained that Shepherd deserved no
clemency because of the atrociousness of his crime. As his execution
approached, he showed little concern, joking with the prison eure
(On the morning of his death, after dressing and shaving, he Bee a
have his photograph taken and sent to his mother and this request r
ceived om ae After receiving absolution from a Catholic Priest
a
he Oregon State Prison on November
on the scaffold, he was ‘hanged at
30, 19066 CROOK COUNTY JOURNAL, Prineville, Oregon, 9=27-1906; 10-25-
1986; Pee (1-30-1906
would be hanged. He finally permitted her to ride to the hoi a
neighbor for assistance when she convinned him that she would join in
blaming "Dakota" for the murder but by the time that she and the neigh~
bor returned, Dakota and the men from the ditch camp had already placed|
Sheperd under arrest to await the arrival of the sheriff who had been
summoned, Brought to trial in October, his attorneys pleaded insanity
and several witnesses from Linn County testified that he had always
liberated for only thirty minutes, Throughout his trial, Shepherd
seemed totally chewing gum i tly and turning and
various friends in the court room, There was no appeal and
y after he wecbived a scathing
erd deserved no
As his execution
clemency
approached, he showed little
On the morning of his death,
have his photograph taken ani
i i er receivin
ceived compliance. jas hanged at the Ored
Pa tinhs crook COUNTY va Prineville, Oregon,
po aie, een oe ee
episy
SHEPHERD, Fred A.
Shepherd, a 23-year-old white man, was a native of Linn County, Ore,,
who was employed as 4X a laborer on the ranch of Ben F, Zell located
about 20 miles from Prineville in Crook County, He and another Labor~
er, Jein ("Dakota'!) Bjorndal, slept in the loft of the barn which was
adjacent to the cabin which Mr, Zell shared with his wife, Early on
the morning of Sept. 2h, 1906, armed with one of Zell's rifles which
he had stolen ten days previously, Shepherd forced open the rear door
to the cabin and ordered Mr, Zell to raise his hands, throwing a length
of rope to Mrs, Zell and telling her to bind her husband, Instead of
complying with his demands, the Zells ran out of the front door of the
cabin and through the barn with Mr. Zell shouting to the sleeping
Dakota to steer clear of Shepherd as he was chasing then with a gun,
Shepherd overtook thef fleeing couple just as they BHEKRRA emerged
from the other side of the barn and shot Zell, inflicting a wound which
killed him instantly as it severed one of the main arteries leading to
the heart. He then forced Mrs, Zell into the house where he raped her.
"Dakota" had already fled to a nearby ditch camp where he notified the
h f Phe der and fg the rape, Shepherd assisted Mrs,
C mur de
enh ein carmeing her husband's body into the house. She asked £SXKEX
AXXERAAXKEX RE Sheoherd to go for help buthe refused, saying that he
SHEPHERD, Fred A.
Shepherd, a 23-year-old white man, was a native of Linn County, Ore,,
who was employed as HX a laborer on the ranch of Ben F. Zell located
about 20 miles from Prineville in Crook County, He and another labor-
er, Jein ("Dakota") Bjorndal, slept in the loft of the barn which was
adjacent to the cabin which Mr, Zell shared with his wife, Early on
the morning of Sept. 2, 1906, armed with one of Zell's rifles which
he had stolen ten days previously, Shepherd forced open the rear door
to the cabin and ordered Mr, Zell to raise his hands, throwing a length
of rope to Mrs, Zell and telling her to bind her husband. Instead of
complying with his demands, the Zells ran out of the front door of the
cabin and through the barn with Mr, Zell shouting to the sleeping
Dakota to steer clear of Shepherd as he was chasing then with a gun,
Shepherd overtook the fleeing couple just as they EXEKEHA emerged
from the other side of the barn and shot Zell, inflicting a wound which
ed one of the main arteries leading to
killed him instantly as it sever
the heart. He then forced Mrs. Zell into the house where he raped her.
"Dakota" had already fled to a Pap ttl pated ee ae Pha retir
r' the murder and after e rape epherd ass fs
yorkens paper her husband's body into the house, She asked Z8XBBX
AXXSRAAXKAXRA Shepherd to go for help buthe refused, saying that he
SHEPHERD, Fred A.
Shepherd, a 23-year-old white man, was a native of Linn County, Ore,,
who was employed as AX a laborer on the ranch of Ben F, Zell. located
about 20 miles from Prineville in Crook County. He and another labor-
er, Jein ("Dakota") Bjorndal, slept in the loft of the barn which was
adjacent to the cabin which Mr, Zell shared with his wife, Farly on
the morning of Sept. 2h, 1906, armed with one of Zell's rifles which
he had stolen ten days previously, Shepherd forced open the rear door
to the cabin and ordered Mr, Zell to raise his hands, throwing a length|
of rope to Mrs, Zell and telling her to bind her husband, Instead of
complying with his demands, the Zells ran out of the front door of the
cabin and through the barn with Mr, Zell shouting to the sleeping
the heart. ‘i oe
"Dakota" had already fled to a nearby ditch camp where he notified the
orkers there of the merder-and after the rape, Shepherd assisted Mrs,
votkES ESneing her Husband's body into the heuse, She asked
XOweaAKKAXYA Shepherd to go for help buthe refused, saying that he
a te mny wi 4 ative of Ltn Coy, Sree,
So aphedte ti imeer tthe mache et Late
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