, 1870-07-08
An INDIAN ON THE GALLOWs,
A Singular story OF Crime on the
Arkansas Border

Arkansas Esordtr.
Fan Duren, drk:, !Jun: y Csrresponae"ee Of sSe
Very considerable excitement has been cre-
atc1 teIe lately by the hanging Of Amos Nc
Curtin, on Friday last, for double murder
committed In the Indian Nation. In Septem-
ber last, James McClain. . half-breed Choc-
taw, and James B1ake1y, negro, were driving
wagon loaded with domestic goods from
seallTyille to Doggy Depot, in the Indian Ma
tin and William FRI, full-blood Choctaws, who
drove their OWE wagon on, "Tent into CAMP"
and about dusk we're joined by McClaln and
Elale1y, who camped at the same place. AZ
ter iaIk, Mccurtin proposed to Fry that they
should murder the new arrivals, and thus
ohtain possession Of. their goods, about
S1o1 in salue- Fry obiecting to this, both
lay down, and about daylight the former was
aroused by McCurtin, who said that he had
just murdered McClain and B1akely, and de-
Inauded his assistance in removing their
bodies. The threats used By McCurtin caused
Fry to comply, and the two together took the
body of the negro, tied it to tho tail Of a pony,
and started the animal into the woods. The
goods were then removed to McCurtin's
wagon. in which vas placed the body Of afe
Clain.
After driving some distance, a1cClain's
corpse was thrown out IN tho brush, where it
was left, after McCuttin had taken from it the
pants, tena1king that " they were too good to
be lost" That night Fry was arrested, when
he made the above statement. Two days
house, when he denied all knowledge of the
affair. The suspicion Of the citizens Of Doggy
Depot, the Cboctaw capital, through which
McCuttin had passed, had been created By the
fact that McCurtin had on pants recognized
nj 1icC1ain's, while the revolver and gun which
he carried were known to be the property Of
the ennle person.
The marks of blood on the wagon caused the
1Ldiurs to follow tie track, aud by the roadside
were found the bodies OF tle victims, half de-
youred by The Logs.
The prisoners were brought here and exam
incd by Colonel J. O. Churchill, the United
States Commissioner, who committed them
10th NcC:riin WIS tried at the November
term, before Judge Caldwell, Fry having bean
released to testify and after short trial Nc
Curtin Was found guilty and sentenced to be
hanged at Van Buren,, on Tuesday, June q.
and Lis emotion vas 80 oTerpowe1ing TINT the
guards we're compelled to car1y him back to
the jail. Since then the Indian gave another
evidence Of his degeueEacy from tho loasted
l1nness Of his race, By attempting self-de-
st1uction By eating glaBs.
This little meal was interrupted by the Wig
lance Of the prison attendants, and, although
death did not ensuo, enough Lad Geen swal-
lowed to cause breast pains, which remained
until bis death. On Tucsday last your cor
respondent, accompanied BY an interpreter,
visited the jail, whero he found McCurtn,
with three others, engaged i. the mysteries OF
"old sledge." Two Of the Indians compan-
ions are aEaiting trial for murder, while the
third il Detained to answer tho charge OF hav-
ing run on $50 head Of muies. The game
over, which resulted in McCurtin's defeat,
much to that .onhy'e disgust, he expressed
his Willingness to favor me with "heap talk" :"
McCurtln's conversation WAS marked by 3
jelfbernte mauner. He denied that be had
murdered both men, but declared thst he lad
proposed the donble murder to FIT, who
had assented, be- killing McClai1,,
xha,s sddsa he s nF kda thought 1ne 20 mora a" q
killing Niger than he did Of shooting bqz-
zard,H In response to the inquiry ~ to bis
belief in rewards and punish1nents in future
| state, McCurtin sa,d tlat he held 70 such
doctrine: declaring further that be had first
}oMsa ,he Methodist and afteIward the ~; 1fes t
now Which denomination had his preferences,
ana aoaed, u don't make any difference, for
" nothing hut big talk anyhow The ques-
non was then put to him il he would commit
NE CRIME over asain provided he could escape
M11n ~ the goods and without punishment 2
Well ssid this exemplary follower of Wes-
ley and Calvin, VI don't know about that :.
"a have to think heap before could maze
mp my mind"
The night before the execution WAS n,esoa
by the prisoner in hearty sleep. and in the
morning he deyoured substantial breakfast
II having been widely published that the exc.
cutou was to take place, citizens from this and
adjoining counties came into town III large
numbers: The United States Narsha1. Captain
Y. A Bntton, had very properly decided thai
the hanging shonld be conducted privately II
tho jail yard, and az consequence be and hi,
deputy were literally beaiegod by appIcantl
Tor admission to the sceue. Tho general re-
fusal Of these requests caused general disguB
at Bhat the disappointed ones were pleased t.
egard AZ selfish monopoly Of : popular On.
foImant but Learning tat ths sosdead would