Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-01-06
STATEMENT OF THE INDIAN SPO.
PEE.

STATEMENT OF THE INDIAN SPO-
PEE.
He Admits his Guilt, but Thinks he
Ought not to be Hanged.
! At the request of many persons we publish
in full to-day the statement of the Indian
Spo-pee, which was read to Judge Conger
yesterday:
To Judge Conger:
| You ask me if | have anything to say why
I should not die. Ten years ago the Great
| Fathers soldiers came to my peoples homes
and killed a great many young men and
women, old men and little children. I my
self was shot The soldier chief did not ask
us if we wanted to die. But you are great
chief; you ask me to say why l should not
die. did kill the white man, for thought
that if did not kill him he would kill me:
he told me he would do so. When first
saw him he would not take ME by the hand
killed him in the morning told Good
Rider to go to the creek and bring some
water; he went. 7 shen went to where the
white man was sitting; I told him / was
poor; that had no gun with which to kill
anything to eat, and asked him to give me
something to eat; he told me he would not,
and for me to 60 away from him, to GO away
quick; he then got his gun and loaded it. I
went up to him and took hold Of the gun; l
told him not to kill me, that was poor but
when we got to the Agency l would give
him some money He then laid the gun
away and told me to go away and go quick
There was little water in pail near the
wagon; Invent to geta drink, when he knocked
the water in my face and told me to 60 away
or he would kill me; then went and sat
down'hy my saddle and pulled the cap of my
blanket coat over my head; l heard him
swearing at me but did not see him, when
he came and struck me with shovel; when
l could see again, Good Rider, who had come
back with the water after the white man
struck me, was washing the blood from my
face and neck; I told him that the white
mans heart was bad and that he would kill
ME; told Good Rider to get our ponies and
we would leave the white man; rs he went
away I walked up to the white man, who
was sitting on the tongue Of the wagon, and
asked him why he had tried to kill me? He
began swearing at me and told me he would
kill me; ran to where the gun lay and took
it; when the white man saw me with the
gun he picked up an Ak and ran towards me;
| ran away, but he ran after me: as / ran /
nearly turned around; the white man was
quite near me, with the Ak raised over his
head; the gun lay on my left shoulder; l
quickly cooked the gun and fired it: the ball
hit him in the breast and he fell on the
ground. When Good Rider came with the
ponies, and against his wish put the body
in the wagon, intending to take it to the
Agency, but when we got near to Cut Bank
Creek l took his advice and laid the body in
the brush. We killed the two ponies be-
cause they were nearly worn out by hard
driving. The killing OF the man took place
near little creek just beyond the Milk river
ridge, and q mile or two north of the bound
ary line. When got to the Agency l first
went to the house Of Good Riders father:
was covered with blood; he asked me what
was the matter; told him I had killed
white man and where; he told me to go at
once to Judge and tell him about it then
went to the house of a white man named
Tom, who lived at the Agency, and told him
what | had done; also told White Calf, the
head chief of my tribe; they both told me to
60 at once and tell a Judge all about it, and
that nothing could be done with me. Tom
told me he knew the man l had killed, that
he was bad man and had a bad heart. Why
were not these men here when talked be-
fore you? They knew the straight story of
the killing. l do not know what / told
Healey; he gave me all the whisky l could
drink, both going to Fort Benton and coming
here. l told a straight story to the Commits
sioner, but after 1 came back to jail white
man came in and gave me can of mOlasses;
had known him at Macleod; he spoke good
Plegan when | came here from Benton
was taken to a shoe store in this town and
given pair of shoes; this white man was
working in the store; talked with him at
the time; his Plegan name is Stum-mich-
sena; he had reddish hair; he was present
when | talked to the Commissioner; when
he came to the Jail he told me that the squaw
interpreter had lied about my talk, that she
had not told what l said this is the reason
would not talk before the squaw why was
not this man before you when talked? He
knew what l told the Commissioners and
would have told you. Good Rider tells me
hat Healy told him that if he would say
hat l killed the white man this side of the
inc, that he Good RIDER could 90 home;
'ut Good Rider said no." that he would not
ell that lie. 1t is good that Good Rider has
zone home; he did not kill the white man
lor see him killed, but he knew where he
vas killed. l know where the boundary line
s; saw the white men and soldiers when
hey were making it. know one white man
Kanouse) who killed white man at Ben
on and ran away to Macleod Healy could
lot come there and take him. If the bound
ry line is nothing, why don't you send Healy
fter this man and hang him? If it is good
0 hang me, why don't you let Macleod do it?
killed the man in his country. Why don't
ou send some one to see where l killed the
7hite man? Why do you let Healy get me
runk, and then tell you what l say? And
Thy do yOn let him tell Good Rider that if
e will tell lie he can 60 home? When l
aw the Sioux l killed them; I stole their
orses; my heart is brave You are a great
hief and can hang me- but you have no right
do SO. have spoken straight, and am done.
his
O-mnch-sic Six x-a-nach- -uaon