The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-06-28
From the csntralia mo. } eGuard.l
An Extraordinary Execution.

An Extraordinary Execution.
We are indebted to Mr.. James
A. Ferguson, of Jonesburg, who
lately arrived home from Texas
for the particulars Of the following
extraordinary occurrence, which
took plac. a short time siuce in the.
Indian nations:
A certain Indian of the Choc-
taws was some years ago suspected
of having killed another Indian of
his tribe, but for lack of sufficient
proof was not arrested. Afterwards
he committed a willful murder.
and was promptly arrested, tried
and sentenced to be shot to death.
lie asked for twenty days in which
to prepare, and visit his relatives
and friends, and gave his word of
honor as a brave to return at the.
appointed time. Whereupon he
was released, and allowed to 90.
forth without a guard or bail. At
the expiration of the twenty days.
according to appointment, the.
hour for the execution arrived, and,
the Indian, true to his word, at the
very hour and minute galloped up
to the place where the sentence
was to be carried out, in company
with three uf the sisters and three
brothers, all appearing as cheerful
as though they had come to a
dance or frolic. The coffin was
then brought on the ground, but
some one remarked that it was too
small, upon waich one of the doom
ed Indians brothers told hin, to.
lay down in it and measure, which
he cheerfully did, and laughinglv
said: 1t fits all right" The crowd
meanwhile appeared to be in the
most cheerful spirits, and cracked
jokes and laughed. At last, when
all was ready, the doomed man
was ordered to sit on the ground.
A handkerchief was then placed
over his eyes, by his sister, whilst
the sheriff held one hand, ono Of
the condemned Indians brothers.
held the other, on each side of him.
The deputy sheriff then stood in an
old house, about ten steps in front
OF the condemned, with a rifle
From some cause the rifle went off
accidentally y, the bullet passing up
through the roof of the house,
The Indian, believing he was shot,
drew himself up and shuddered,
bnt did not speak or move from
the spot. A black mark was then
made over the Indians heart, with
spittle and powder, by his broth
CIR, while the deputy sheriff re.
loaded his rife, and at a signal he
took steady aim, fired and pierced
the centre of the mark. The In
dian, with a few struggles, fell
back, dead, with his brother and
the sheriff still holding his hands.
No one seemed to be in the least
affected, except the doomed Indi.
ans mother, who shed tears, but
was told to "shut up" by her son,
that all was over. Tins ended
this extraordinary execution.
MIR. James A. Ferguson, our in
tormant, n well.known and worthy
citizen of Jonesburg, was in She
Indian nation when this took place,
and stood within FIVE steps of tho
Indian when shot, and was an eve.
witness to the whole scene as de-
scribed: We forgot, at the time,
to inquire of the exact locality in
the Indian nation where the occur.
renee took place, but we give tho
account as related TO rs.
Such is the confidence that tho
much abused red man has in each
other, and their faithfulncss to
keep their word, even unto death.
Would to God that the white man
were half as faithful to keep their
pledges, and to their own people,
as the poor Indian is to his tribe.
A DESPATCH from Washington
to the New York papers is as fol-