The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-22
WHOLRsALR HANGING.
A sketch OF the Dcsperadoes and
their Crimes.

LITTLE Rock, April 2l.-Mashall Fa.
gan yesterday received word from quite a
number Of prominent Indians, notifying
him that the friends Of O'sea Sanders
would attack the Fort and fight the Mar.
shal before they would permit him to be
executed. Sanders belonged to 4 secret
society OF the Cherokees; every member
OF which swears to live or die for his
brother. Several times the friends
Of Sanders attempted to interfere but
we're promptly met by the Marshal's
forces. A few days since O'Seas brother
was killed by an Indian sheriG's posse.
Sanders made written statement assert.
ing his innocence. William Leach, the
white man, made a written statement
about his early life, but declined to say
anything in regard to the ctime for
which he was hung to-day. Isham Zally
left a written statement that he was
guilty. He said he called at Finney's
house about midnight one night, and
found the old man in bed. He knocked
at the door, and Finney admitted him,
when he took an axe and hit HIM on the
head. He did not die at once and he Gu
his throat with knife. He then stuck
. knife in his back and left it there.
Gibson Ishtaumbee, who was convicted
OF the crime with Isham Zally, said that
he killed colored woman, the cook Of
Finney. 10
Orpheus McGhee left statement in
which he admitted that he was guilty OF
the crime charged. He was g years old
and had Joined the Presbyterian church.
AspeciaI from Fort Smith by courier
TO Ozark, thirty-ivc miles distant,
received late tonight, says Of the hang
ing to-day: All six Of the doomed men
rose early this morning and ate hearty
breakfast. Soon after this q reprieve
from the President for O'Sea Saunders
was received which left but five Of the
doomed men to suffer on the scaf-
fold. 1t was near Q o'clock when the
shackles were removed from the doomed
men. The usual black gown, at the re-
quest OF the men, was dispensed with.
The morning hours were passed in the
company OF their spiritual advisers. At
l0:45 the guards formed and the prisoners
we're marched out, heavily ironed, arm
in arm with the guards, through dense
crowd to the gallows. Leach, Ishtaum-
bee, McGhee and Wilson made dying
confessions. All was quiet upto the last
moment. The negro was smoking and
asked the executioner not to draw the
rope too tight Al t;s;ss As e.. il..I"J & ,Ss
air. Wilson died in eight minutes, Zally
and Ishtaumbee in nine, Leach in ten and
McGhcc instantly. Zally groaned several
times. Wilson's limbs twitched and he
broke the crucifx from the ribbon at
tached to his neck, holding it in
death grip. The bodies were
then cut down, and those who had friends
were taken charge OF by them. Leach's
remains we're given to his wife, and Viii
sons TO the Catholics. The crowd was
orderly and quiet. There were 1000
spectators present. There was one acci-
dental shot.
Wilson urged all his friends tojoin the
Catholic church and meet him in Heaven.
The remarks Of the Indians were inter.
preted by m Indian. Leach forgave the
court and his enemies. Many Of O'Sea
Sanders Indian friends were present, and
were:jubiIant over his respite.
LITTLE Rock, April 2l.-Of the six
men hung at Fort Smith to-day, one was
a full blood negro, three full blooded
Choctaws, one full blood Cherokee and
one white man. They were all sentenced
at the la:e term OF the United States
Court for the Western District Of Arkan-
sas. On the Sd OF September last six
others were hung, and these six were
hung on the same scafEold. Aaron Will
son. The negro, was convicted Of the mur-
der Of an old man named Harris, from
Nebraska, who was travelling to Texas
with his little son in September last.
The son after witnessing the murder Of
his father, plead for mercy, but the negro
sent bullet whizzing through his brain
also, with his fathers pistol. This was
near the Wichita agency, in the Indian
territory. The murderer then went to
the reservation Of the Wichita Indians
and told the savages what he had done,
and offered them some Of the spoils, his
victims having been possessed Of good
wagon and team, lot Of goods, provis.
ions, arms, &C., bnt his atroCious deed
appalled, even the Indians, and instead OF
aecep pting his offer they reported the facts
at Fl. Sill and caused the arrest OF the
murderer. He, was taken to the scene
of his foul deeds, he having previously
told the Indians where he had killed
the old man and his son, and by this
means their bodies were discovered.
Wilson was OF medium height, native
OF Virginia, and was a man OF COusidera-
BILE intelligence. He served five years in
the United States army.
Isham Zally, aged about twenty-five,
and Gibson Ishtanubbee, both Choctaws,
were. convicted Of the same crime, hav.
ing murdered an old Choctaw named
Finney, an Indian doctor, and his cook,
a coIored woman, This was near Stone
wall. in the Chickasaw nation, about four
years ago. The mnrderers called at their
victims house one evening to stay all
night. During the night Gibson split
the old mans head open with an axe,
while Zally beat the woman 10 death
with an old gun.barrcl used to keep the
door Of the cabin shut. Beyond few
worthless articles of clothing as booty
there was no object in committing the
awful work OF blood. The woman was
killed for nothing, for she had nothing,
but il was for her murder the prisoners
were tried in tho U. s. Court, for had
both victims been Indians-the MUIR
derers being Indians toO-the case would
not have been amenable in the. L. S.
Court and the murderers would most
likely have gone free.
'Chiwahai, a nephew Of the old Indian
doctor, discovered the murdered bodies
the next day as they were left by the
murdcrers. He and Baptiste Williams,
a grandson OF the old doctor, were the
chief witnesses. As usual in such cases
the murderers could not keep the matter
quiet. Gibson told a woman, Kittie
Kobb, OF the affair and il soon leaked
out, and led to the arrest trial and con-
viction.
Orpheus McGhec, Choctaw, and his
brothers Dave and Charles, owned a
place near the mouth Of the Boggy on
Red River in the Choctaw country, and
with their brother.in.law, Moses Homer,
wete known throughout the country as q
wild, reckless set Of men. In their vicin-
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