The Chase and Capture of the Wild Goose

After I left Wolf Creek at Pine Ridge, I helped Gary Wickersham on construction. I was not on the pay roll, but I had worked there before and was waiting for a position to open. He was working putting a foundation for Joan Powell way out west of Gettysburg and almost directly north and on the other side of the water from Swift Bird.

As we were working there a few days, I found myself looking at the Swift Bird community and thinking about what was probably going on there. I knew if Darwin LeBeau was still in the community he was intimidating everybody there. I thought of Daniel Black Bird and how he would have to survive there. I liked Daniel. I felt guilty because I had essentially abandoned him when I had promised to stick up for him against Darwin and the BIA administration. Darwin was much bigger and I knew Daniel was pretty timid. I thought about Shannon and Sonya, a couple little girls I had been close-friends with and what might be happening to them. Guilt got the best of me.

I knew I would have to play outside the rules. I had had a few years of getting my butt kicked playing by them. I understood about rules and tradition. They are written by those in power to make sure they can do what they want- not that all rules are bad. I knew if there were to be any change, things would have to be put into a very different mode. I understood the principles I thought life was worth living could and probably would put me in a very risky situation. However, I decided to put my faith in the five greatest words ever written, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, and the greatest document ever penned, the Constitution of the United States of America. In the end, that proved to be a stupid decision. I believed in a myth.

We all know how Janklow claims to be so concerned about the kids and how he said he would protect them even if he has to break the law. Well, I had this psychological evaluation of Darwin LeBeau that Lee Pfeiffer had worked up for the FBI in which she clearly implied I was a child molester (click on Lee Pfeiffer's banner) and I should not be around children, apparently even my own. She didn't bother to find out I had a son who was about 5 years old, nor did she consider what effect this accusation was going to on him. She didn't care because she was getting $450 a pop to give the cops whatever answer they wanted.

I gave this evaluation to Janklow's receptionist, Amy, at the desk. I also wrote a note that I was going to the state fair and if there was a problem they needed to resolve it. I never said anything about threatening kids. (See Dr. Bean's evaluation) however, Pfeiffer clearly thought I was a threat.

It was interesting to see how unsubstantiated claims take on a life of their own. I think paranoia is lurking everywhere waiting for a fool to for a medium. It is also clear that there is no shortage of fools in humanity; officials in power being the most dangerous.

Janklow, wanting to be the hero, went into his attack mode. He sent the SDHP to follow me. Actually, I thought that might be appropriate until the truth had a chance to surface.

I was working at the Lebanon grain site shoveling and packing gravel in the heat all day long. About 4 pm a SDHP officer approached me and told me they were going to put me under surveillance. I told him that would be fine with me, and that to keep it a low profile situation he would be able to come into my home and I would make them a place on the couch and I would be easy to follow. The cop got arrogant and said they were not going to do that and they could keep track of me no matter what I did.

Always unable to resist a challenge, I thought I would put it to the test. After work, I got into my car and prepared to go to my parents' graves to do some maintenance that I had planned to do. The cops followed me right into the cemetery, instead of just waiting at the gate.

After I went home and ate, I thought I would test the competency of the SDHP one more level. I got into my car and headed out of town with a convoy of troupers on my tail. I simply drove to my farm about five miles north of town and drove in the gate. They followed me right in. I got out of my car and told them I was on my private property and they had to leave. They were not happy that they did not have as much power as they thought. Well, they couldn't keep me under surveillance unless I allowed it.

After they left, I drove my car into a draw where they could not see it and climbed on a rock pile to watch the parade of fools. They were driving around like a bunch of lost bunnies. They didn't know where to go or what to do. I waited until dark to set in and then proceeded on foot to my fence on the section line, crossed it and went on my way to Gettysburg to see what would happen. There was a good cover of corn and sunflowers and I just started walking the five miles to town. As I came close to town I came to a stubble field where I took a rest and watched the parade of fools again. They were driving up and down the road. I wondered if they were stupid enough to think they would find me walking down the road. The next leg of the trip ended at the end of the quarter of stubble. I again rested and watched my state employees at work. They were running up and down the highway with lights flashing and sirens blowing.

After getting tired of watching them instead of them watching me, I walked to the nearest street. I decided to let them find me. Since they knew exactly what I looked like, I didn't think that should be much of a problem; well, it was.

I proceeded to the busiest street in town. Right in front of the Second Hand Rose store in the center of the business district. I stood at the corner and watched the SDHP drive around aimlessly until one stopped at the stop sign. Clearly, he did not see me. I then waved both arms and shouted to him to stop and approached the cop car. I told him who I was. I couldn't resist having a little fun with him. His name was Price. Actually, it turned out he was a pretty decent kind of a guy for a SDHP.

He rolled his window down and I told him I had lost my car and didn't know where it was. He told me that it was out at the farm and he would give me a ride out there. I told him I was not going to get into a patrol car so I would have to walk back the five miles and get it. He said he would follow me. So, I walked down the street to the county road with a couple of patrol cars following me. Outside of town I crossed a fence and proceeded to go the short way through the fields, which was the same way I came. They didn't know just what to do about this. I told them if they were going to come with me, they would have go through these fields. I held the fence for them and they followed me through the sunflower and cornfields.

I could have easily ditched these two, but I wanted them to get in their exercise. After all, I had worked all day shoveling sand and had walked the first five miles alone. It seemed to me a five-mile hike wouldn't hurt them either. Besides, I was up in my 50's and these guys were younger than I was.

As we traveled through the fields, it happened that Price turned his ankle and could hardly walk. I wondered if I continued at the brisk pace I had set for them whether the other officer would abandon Price out in the black of the night, in the middle of a corn field or follow me. Being a very curious person, it tempted me go on to see what would happen, but Price was a decent guy and I was not going play a cruel joke on him.

There were two other patrol cars on the other side of the section driving up and down the road not knowing what to do, so the young patrolman sent a distress signal to them with the flashlight.

There must have big confusion with the other patrol car. We waited but no help came. Since Price may have been fairly seriously injured, I helped him across the field, helped him through the fence and got him to the patrol cars.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity to give these idiots a good tongue lashing, I gave them hell for abandoning a fellow officer and for being stupid in general. They were not happy with me, but everything I said was true. Officer Price got into the patrol car, and I got my car and went home. It was pretty late by this time.

The next day or so, I read the account in the newspaper. The article reported that I had escaped at my farm through a cornfield on my own property. That was interesting because I had no corn on my property. It was reported that they had "apprehended" me on the streets of Gettysburg. That was only the beginning of a string of inaccurate newspaper people. I wrote the Aberdeen American News telling what really happened, but they had printed what they wanted and there was no way they were going to admit it was wrong. I think it was then I began to realize that what is printed in the newspaper is highly tabloid.

Sometime during this ordeal, Janklow decided to make himself into a hero and went to Gettysburg to talk with officials and, apparently, the local people as well as the newspapers. He invited everyone except me. I had no idea what was going on or I would have attended myself, but Janklow was not going to risk that. It isn't that he didn't know where I was; his goons were following within feet. Actually, I was in Onida sticking close to Gary Wickersham, a prominent Onida businessman who was protecting me.

It got to be amusing. Gary would not let the SDHP onto his property. He held Abdallah at bay at the road and would not allow him access to me. I would drive to Onida in the morning and the big doors to the shop would open and I would drive in and the doors would close. The cops got even though. They stopped him and searched his truck. They thought I might be hidden inside.

Anyway, while they were searching Gary, I decided to take the heat off him and drove out of the shop and let them follow me instead. Abdollah and another patrol car followed me to Gettysburg. Apparently, it never dawned on Abdollah that there was something wrong with this picture. Why would Gary protect me and allow my to be with his ten year old kid while holding cops at bay?

The answer, of course, is that Abdollah was not interested in figuring this puzzle out. Janklow and Abdollah's pride had been hurt by exposing their incompetence, and they were after revenge.

If I recall correctly, the next night I thought I would entertain the troops by going to visit some grassland I owned near Lake Ohae. I allowed one trooper to follow me and we went on an adventure. It was about three-mile walk to where I wanted to go and there was only one road there and I wasn't going to tell them about it. We are talking rough country - river breaks. When we got to my property I entertained the idea of refusing to let this cop on my property, but it was pitch black and this was rattlesnake country. He didn't have a clue as to where he was. I led him back to the rest of the patrolmen.  There were several cars out there patrolling gophers and rattlesnakes in the middle of the night. I couldn't believe how stupid this was. They were there, ordered by Janklow himself, (admitted on video tape) supposedly making sure SD was safe, but they were actually letting the dangerous one, Darwin LeBeau, untouched. I think this is called a wild goose chase or maybe a witch-hunt.

The next morning I left for Pierre because Gary was going to be there. It was Marion Gardens in Ft. Pierre where Gary was laying some concrete. I arrived with several SDHP following me. Gary finished with the pour while Jenna, Gary's 10 year old, and I played in the water.

When Gary was done, we were laughing at the SDHP and how stupid this had to look. Soon the owner came out to see what the commotion was, and we explained. He did not have anything kind to say about Janklow and gave us a thumbnail sketch of what he thought of the governor. He wished me well and left.

Gary and I were joking about this whole thing and now dumb the "experts" could get. I jokingly said I wondered if Janklow was governor in North Dakota too. Gary laughed and thought lit would be a good to find out. I drove home and picked up a few things and headed north towards Mobridge on highway 83. The goons were right behind me as I approached the ND border.

I thought there may be some NDHP waiting at the line. None were in sight. The SDHP followed me into North Dakota. I always wanted to know what Strausburg, home of Mr. Welk, looked like so I drove in with the SDHP in tow. I went into the bar there to catch a pop and rest up. It happened that the mayor owned the bar. There was a food tray and he provided me with a plate for a free lunch.

Meanwhile, a SDHP was parked outside and next to the police office. In perfect arrogant fashion, the SD patrol car was illegally parked. I told the mayor that I wanted to see the policeman on duty. Shortly, the officer drove up and I pointed out that the SDHP was illegally parked and that I thought a ticket should be issued. He agreed and got into the SDHP car and gave the driver a ticket, while I recorded this all on video.

I left Strausburg later to find a place to sleep until the next day. I drove out on a country road, pulled over and tried to sleep. It was pretty difficult because the SDHP kept headlights on my vehicle. I don't know how many SDHP were there, but there were at least four. I suspected that there were more SDHP in North Dakota than is South Dakota.

The next morning I drove to White Horse to visit with a very good friend, Fern Laplant. She was upset at how stupid these people could be and why they couldn't figure this out as simple as it was. After a long visit, she wished me well and I left for Gettysburg.

Janklow and gang had created themselves a big problem. They couldn't do anything with me because I had no criminal nor mental record or a record of any kind. He was on the hook with no way off. He had to create a different strategy. He got his pet goon, Jeffie Talbot, to get in touch with Lee Pfeiffer to work up a deal. Talbot, no doubt, cooked up a scheme with Pfeiffer. When he went to visit her, she started to invent all kinds of stories about threats I had supposedly made, which never happened. But since Jeffie would keep identity secret, she had nothing to fear. So she and Jeffie stated in a sworn document (I have a copy) that this child psychologist had examined me in a previous child molestation case, which, of course, was a total fabrication but one they could get away with.

Janklow reasoned that if he could ever get me into the system, he could control it by virtue of the influence of his office.  That was very nearly the case. He had to do something because the fair was about to open.

The next thing I knew I was in chains headed for Pierre for a "psychological evaluation." By this time I had passed the stage of just being angry. I was about to be raped by the system.

They took me to Dr. Frank Dame of Psychological Associates and Dennis Pfrimmer of Capitol Area Counseling, both of Pierre. After having to be interviewed, these two idiots gave absolutely contradictory diagnoses. It made no difference, Janklow and company had me in the system and there would be no end to people who were eager to kiss his butt for the simple glory of it. The only thing they were in agreement on was that I needed "hospitalization" in the nut home in Yankton. They presented their findings to the Potter County Board of Mental Health, which, to my astonishment, was neither a board nor in Potter County. It turned out to be Mr. Lee, a LAWYER (of course), in Fort Pierre. After my return from the nut home, I visited with Mr. Lee. I asked why he didn't notice the discrepancy in the psychological diagnosis. Dame and diagnosed me as being manic-depressive, while Pfrimmer, said to rule that out. His answer was prefect lawyer nonsense. He tried to convince me that "rule out" didn't mean that at all. I think a more sensible explanation is that he didn't even read it. He just stamped it and collected the fee. After all, what lawyer, especially in Pierre, was going to buck Janklow? Everybody knows about Jankolow's reputation for getting even. Clearly, he was eager to get even with me, and he was perfectly positioned to do it.

The psychological exam was just a formality. Janklow could be sure these two SD licensed incompetents could be manipulated. The goons were on the radio getting the plane to fly me to the nut house before I even entered the "evaluation."

Now, get ready for what I found in torture treatment.