The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-09-09
Notes From the Hanging ut Fort
Hmith--SOme Account Of the
N1urderefS and Their Victims. a

lowing dispatch IRON the scene oil tile
hanging at Fort Smith to-day was re,
ceiyed here this evening: y
FortSmith, Arkansas; to-day was The
scene Of another execution in the court
yard Of the u. District Court at this
place, by which four Indians-Osee San.
ders and Sinker Wilson, Cherokees; Sam
Peters, a Choctaw, and Jack Valley, a
Peoria Indian-paid the penalty Of their
crimes, which were committed in the In
dian Territory. The number preSent at
the execution was very large. Wagon
loads Of people commenced pouring into
town on the evening. Of the previous day,
and the streets were literally iammed; but
every thing passed of in an orderly
and very quiet manner. At eleven
o'clock the prisoners were taken from
the Jail under d strong guard Of the Dep
uty Marshals. On arriving at the gal
lows they took the stand assigned thent
and made preparations for the plunge in.
to eternity. They were seemingly un.
conscious OF their situation. After the
death warrants were read and interpreted
religious exercises were held. The pris.
oners then bid farewell to the crowd, the
ropes were adjusted, the black caps drawn
over their faces, and, an 1l:50 o'clock,
the drop fell and four souls were launched
from earth into eternity.
The Independent Of this place says this
execution closes the lie Of fifteen who
have been executed within year by the
sentence Of the same court, on the same
spot, and on the same gallowS. Six on
the Sd day Of September, 1875; five on the
2lst day OF April, 1870, and four to-day,
nine having suffered the extreme penalty
OF the law in less than five months.
The following is description of the
prisoners and their crimes: Sinker Will
son, a Cherokee, was medium sized man
weighing about 1870 pounds, twenty.four
years old, five feet five inches high; he
was convicted in the U. s. Court, then
held at Van Buren, Crawford county,
Arkansas, on the ID day OF December,
1867, of the murder, Of Status Cowen, a
white boy; sentenced to be hung on the 7th
of February, 1868. About the 18th day,
OF January prior to the day set for his
execution he escaped, and remained at
large nearly nine years till April,
1876, when he was recaptured.
AT the last term OF the U. s. Court
for the Western district OF Arkansas,
he was re.sentenced TO be hung on the
Sth day OF September, 1876. From his
age at present, Wilson must have been,
n mere boy, not, more than II or l3 years
old, when hc killed Cowan, the murder
having been cammitted some nine years
ago. Tbe matter hal almost passed from
the minds OF every one, and but that the
prisoner had been suspected OF setting fire
TO store in the nation where he lived,
lie might still be at large. In his dying
statement he said that he was innocent
Of the murder, and charged It's commits
sion upon his brother. ...-
Sam Peters, n ChoCtaw, 2S years OF
age, 8 feet s inches high, weight 150 lbs.
On the 18th day of October, 1875, Jas.
Hanson, who was engaged in tending
stock for Geo. Downing, left home in the
morning, leaving his wife and child,
about 4 months old, At his home in Haw-
yian prairie, Choctaw Nation, and went
10 Stringtown by railroad and stayed
there till one o'clock in the day. From
there heNwent to Downings andpaid the
money he. had received for the cattle he
had sold. He arrived at Downing's late
in, the afternoon and intended staying
there. During the night he was awakened
and informed that his wife had been MUIR
dered. Hewent home and the first thing
he saw on entering was the body Of his
vile, whom he. had left that morning in
good health, laid ont in death-a victim
Of the knife OF n brutal assassin. The
first person who entered the house after
the murder, about two o'clock in theday,
found the body OF Mrs. Hanson lying in
the middle Of the room in a pool OF
blood, with her head towards the door,
and with her baby, four months old, in
her arms. She was lying on her right
side, her rightarm extended on the floor,
the baby on her arm, and her left arm
around the child, which was crying.
Mrs. Hanson was dead. On IN examina-
lion Of the house and its surroundings
everything indicated that the woman had
made desperate struggle to save her
life. Blood was found spattered around
the rooms, and on the porch large pool
OF blood where she had lain on the
floor. There was blood on the table and
on the side. OF the cradle, blood on. the bed
posts, and one solid sheet OF blood between
the bed and table. On the porch spots OF
blood were found as though il had been
thrown from knife. On laying out the
body the wounds were found to be large
cut Just between the hips and ribs on her
left side, small cuts on her back, q large
one on her shoulder, two cuts on the
throat just through the skin, and cut
across the arm. The only reason that can
be given as to the cause Of the murder is
that the prisoner offered to shake hands
with Hanson (the husband), which was
refused. A few days previous to the
execution the prisoner made the follow
ing statement. "Hanson had accused me
Of stealing II yearling and OF breaking
into his corn,crib and stealing corn and
meal out Of ii. / did not do the stealing,
and l was not going 10 lie under the
blame OF it. I went to see Hanson, but
he was not at home. His wife was, how
ever, and l asked her about il. She
could not understand me fully. but
got scared at what was saying. l had
the door closed and my back against it.
She came toward the door. l showed her
back. She came up again. then hit
her in the breast with a knife. She
turned, and | struck her again, in the
back somewhere" He was asked, "Did
you kill her% The prisoner nodded his
head aflirmativelN He was asked again,
"Did you kill her, Sam?n Hc answered,
IT killed herr fiU 20 ll2S3Hi
J 0see Sanders, another Of the unfortu-
mates, is Cherokee Indian, good looking
complexion, well made, 90 years old and
8 feet II inches high. Sanders was tried
at the March term of'the U. S. court, con-
victed and sentenced to be hung on the 2lst
day OF April last. Two days prior to his
execution the President reprieved him
and the ID Of June last fixed us theday for
his execution. Again, prior to the fatal
day, he was rcprieved, and the Sth day OF
September, 1876, set as the day upon
which he was to suffer the penalty Of his
crimes. lie was convicted Of tho murder
Of Thomas Carlyle, and the principal wit
ness was his wife, who was present at the
killing. The main points in the testi-
mony arc as follows: Carlyle, a white
man, who had intermarried with
n Cherokee woman. lived in the In.