Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-28
INDIAN WARRIORS HANGED.
The Jrse-Lake and Bauieford Murdrrtrs
Executed The Doomed Nen Talk.
lRY felegrnnh 10 the Dlspatch.l


BATTLEFoRD, n. W. T., November
27.-The execution Of eight Indians,
found guilty OF murder at Frog Lake
and Battleford, occurred at % o'clock
this morning. The gallows worked
without friction.
The Government authorities had per-
mitted the savsges from the reserves,
distant ten TO fifteen miles from this
post. to be present at the execution,
and all night clusters of braves hung
about the stores and camped out on the
open ground in the vicinity OF the bar
racks Of the mounted police. but the
presence Of sentries prevented them
from approaching near the cells
occupied by the condemned. Camp
fires lit up the prairie and the comrades
of the warriors TO DO executed could be
heard chanting the death-songs of their
tribes. The gallows stood out in bold
relief. having been placed near the mil
itary post in open view to enable the
late warning sayages to witness the
death penalties passed upon their lead
ers. Fathers Bigonesse and Cochin re-
NAMED with the eight warriors all night
and received their last wishes. They
nearly all remained wakeful during the
entire night, but one or two lay down
in their blankets and slept from midnight
until the early hour Of the morning.
None Of them displayed any unusual
signs Of excitement, but remained
stoical Up to the hour Of their appear
ance on the scafiold. A very strong
guard was thrown around the gallows
by : o'clock. At :! o'clock each
man, pinioned and guarded on either
side, was marched to the scailold
taking his place on the trap.
When they were asked if they
had anything to say. Wandering
Spirit " began to speak in his
native tongue, acknowledging that he
deserved death. lie warned his people
not to make war on the whites. as they
we've their friends. lie told Of the
Fiog-Lake massacre, and took the bur
den Of the crime upon himself. lie was
followed by Miserable Man." who
spoke in the same strain. When he
bad concluded the savages, who had
remained quiet throughout the
Speeches. except to cxclaim " How :"
al various periods during - Wander
irg Spirits address when they CO.
ircided in his views, began to chant
their dcath-song to show that they did
rot fear death. All the while the
priests could be heard reciting prayers.
The chanting Of the sayages continued
even after the white caps had been adj
iustcd and in the midst Of their
song the bolt was drawn and
all fell together every one ap-
parently dying instantly. DR.. Ralph
in a short time examined the bodies
end pronounced life extinct. After
hanging fifteen minutes the bodies were
cut down and placed in collins and
handed over to the coroner and jury.
All the arrangements had been calcu-
lated with precision, and as a result
the execution took place without any
mishap. The Indians. who stood at
a distance and witnessed the az
fair, were very quiet in domeanor.
and the silence was only broken by the
wailing of the wives Of the condemned
braves. The savages generally set out
for their reserves after the execution.
and those who remain show no special
| signs of excitement.