Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-10-07
choctaw Iud m Justice How Red
SKIN Kept His Word.

victed OF murder at the last term of the
Circuit Court OF the Choctaw Nation
took place Eridsy a. noon in the presence
of hut small number Of people. Ches-
Ter Dixon, the murder, was young full.
blood Choctaw, about seventeen years of
age. Re was sroje CT to fits, during which
he often lost control OF himself He was,
aside from this mal.dy, considered rather
a bright boy.
Dixon lived with his mother and step
father about five miles from Atoka. Their
nearest neighbors were 80 Indian known
o. Washington. and Martha, his wife
One AFTERNOON, about year ago, Wash
ington returned from Atoks and found
that horrible murder had been commit
ted The body of his wife lay on the floor
of his cabin in ghastly fragments. The
head was severed from the BODY, and sew
eral terrible gashes had been inflicted
with an axe. The bloody instrument OF
butchery lay beside the bleeding vicdm.
The alarm was given and it was discov.
cred that Dixon was seen issuing from the
fated house, covered with blood. he was
arrested but stoully denied the killing,
He was tried according TO the Choctaw
law, by competent jury. lie was found
guilty sna $, ntenCed to be shot on Sept.
10th, at noon. lie was allowed TO 60
home from the court room unrestrained,
except by
HIS PAROLE OF HONOR
to be at the Court House at Atoka at the
hour appointed for mis- execution.
Choctaw laws provide tor no appeal.
else his case would have been reconsider.
ed, for after his conviction he WAS at
tackled with a fit which proved conclu-
sively that he was subject o temporary
alterations, during which 1t Is presumed
he was IRE spousible for his actions. His
attorney during the trial had not made any
such plea, and the sentence OF death hav-
ing been pronounced it was unalterable.
On Thursday Dixon came to Atoka
with his step father for the purpose OF
ordering his coffin. He had his measure
taken and gave the orders for the DISPOSE
ton of his body without the least ap.
pearance of concern. On Friday morn
ing about one hundred persons, most OF
whom were whites, gathered about the
Court House to witness the execution. Up
to within half an hour OF The appointed
time Dixon had not appeared. Our re.
porter asked his companion whether
there was not some likelihood OF the
prisoner breaking his Larole.
IF he is alive he will be here within
ten minutes, JUST as
aURE AS THE SUN SHINES"
Hardly had the words been spoken
when "a murmur of "Here he comes"
was he ard on all sides, and there rode up
young fellow, slight of build, tall and
straight b1t awkward in his movements.
AlightiDg from his pony the boy APP
preached little knot of Indian women
who were gathered about blazing log
Without giving any attention to those
about him, he sat down by 8 stump, and
hanging down his head he seemed lost in
meditation.
Presently q venerable old Indian sp
proscned the boy and spoke TO him in the
ChOCtaw tongue, bidding him, MS the IN.
erpreter said, TO meet his fate as became
a Choctaw br, We; to remember that
nothing but his life would alone for the
life he had taken, and not To make the
expiration grudgingly but to NEE. his death
feeling that his people had done justice
in CONCERNING him. Whlle the Old man
WAS talking Dixon held his head down,
but at the conclusion OF the speech he
looked up, held out his hand. and in the
hearty grasp ne gave the old mans haud,
seemed to imply that
HE WOULD NOT FALTER,
and he never did, throughout it all.
Several men aud women cane up and
SHOOK hands with HIM. He looked up at
each one with glance OF recognition, but
never spoke word. AT about fifteen
before 10, the Sheriff, William Nelson,
brought the doomed boy an entire change
of clothing, which he put on. While
Dixon was dressing for the grave, eager
eyes watched his every motion TO discover
if possible the least evidence of emotion,
but he adjusted every button without a
sign of tremcr. He then sat down on a
blanket while his mother combed his
hair.
The Sheriff then announced that the
time haC come. Dixon arose and walked
to the spot pointed out by the officer, AMI
stood facing his coffin. His step-iather
held his right hand, his cousin supporting
him on the lett.
The same old man who had spoken to
Dixon before, new
MADE MARK WITH CHARCOAL
on the boys breast, just over the heart,
and spoke y few words OF encoui agement
The Shert Il then bound q handkerchief
over Dixon's eyes, commanded him to
kneel ana Immediately thereafter beckoned
to man who had until then kept out of
sight. This was AbHer Woods, a cousin
of the condemned. Dixon had chosen
him to do the shooting.
Abner advanced, and tsking his posi-
ton about five PAGES from the boy, he lev
elled his Winchester rifle, took steady aim
and fred.
The ball went to the mark. Almost
simultaneously with the report of the rife
Dixon fell forward, utter grosn and died