"SIMON GUN-A-NOOT WITHDRAWS MONEY FROM SAWMILL INVESTMENT AND AFTER THINKING DECIDES NOT TO SURRENDER," Victoria Daily Times. December 30, 1912. Page 1. ---- Vancouver, Dec. 30. - That Simon Gun-a-Noot, an Indian outlaw, who for years has successfully defied the police in northern British Columbia, recently considered the question of giving himself up at Hazelton is the information brought by a recent arrival from the north country. Curiously enough the question of voluntarily handing himself over to the authorities was put up to Simon Gun-a-Noot not more than a fortnight ago.
Rev. William Lee, a Methodist missionary at Kispiox, which is only twelve miles from Hazelton, assists the Indians under his charge in handling the business affairs of their sawmill, which is a co-operative concern with many native shareholders. Two weeks ago a strange Indian of fine physique and able to speak perfect English, called on him asking for the return of certain money he had invested in the enterprise years ago,
"But who are you? I never saw you in before," said Mr. Lee to his caller. After a moment's hesitation, the comer said that he was Simon Gun-a-Noot, and the missionary found his name amongst the list of shareholders. The business matter having been attended to, Mr. Lee advised the Indian to give himself up.
"But the white men would not take into consideration that I killed those in his home, two men, because they had abused my wife," argued the native,
Mr. Lee, however, suggested that if Simon voluntarily handed himself over to the police, the facts which led up to the tragedy would undoubtedly have weight with a jury, and he might be sentenced only to a few years in the penitentiary.
"But I don't want to go to New Westminster. I hear it rains a great deal there," replied Simon, who, however, agreed to think over what the missionary had told him.
Later in the day Simon again called on Mr. Lee, and told him that after thinking it over and talking with his friends he had decided not to give himself up. He said his friends believed that a white man's jury would not pay enough attention to what led to the murder - because he declared white men did not care what was done to the Indian women.
Mr. Lee told a friend later that Simon was armed with three revolvers one on each hip and one in a holster the centre of his belt. Simon is new-known as probably the surest shot and the best hunter in the north. He was always looked on as a model Indian until the day after having previously warned two white men to leave his wife alone, he returned from the hunt to find his wife debauched and the two whites holding a drunken celebration
