The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-11-28
EXECUTION
of Eight Indians for Murder
at Frog Lake.
THE BULGARIA-SERYIAN WAR.
influence in Servia-Win
Attend the Funeral = The
CarIists.
More Hangings.


BATTLEFoRD, n. w. T., November 81,
$50 am, mountain time.-The execu-
ton of eight Indians, found guilty OF
murder at Frog Lake and Battleford,
occurred at S.27 this morning. The
mechanism of the gallows was without
friction.
OF the Indians hanged this morning,
seven were active participants in the
horrible massacre at Frog Lake, ON the
81 of April last. The bloody work was
commenced by Wandering Spirit, and
was afterwards carried on under his
directions, until the white people of
Frog Lake settlement were almost ex-
terminated. On the morning OF the
fatal day, according to the most trust
worthy accounts, number of Indians
of Big Bears band determined 10 stop
the white mans reign, and assert their
own sovereignty over the land. Early
O the morning of April Sd, Indian
| Agent Thomas w. Quinn, who was
Sioux half-breed from Minnesota, was
ordered by Wandering Spirit and his
companions to increase their supplies
Immediately. Quinn seems to have
ION piled with this order, supplying me
| Indians with beef, and issuing orders
on the Hudson Bay Company's store
other supplies. 1t was Good Friday.
81 n after service in the little church,
9 III while the congregation was dlspe s.
lag. the ringleader proceeded TO the
agent house. In front of this he met
Quinn, and Charles Gouin, another
american half-breed. lie ordered
Quinn to go to the Indian camp, and on
Lne latter's asking for the reason, said:
Never mind why, but 60" Quinn re-
| fused, and the next moment was shot
ilfeIess by a bullet from Wandering
Spirits rife. The fall OF Quinn acted
on the already excited lndIans as the
sight of blood TO a tiger, and young
Gouin was the second victim, and John
Delaney, who was also representative
OF government IN the capacity OF farm
instructor, was soon shot down IN cold
blood, beside his wife. Convent Ark,
the miller, was brutally murdered III
his wife's presence, and the two women
were afterwards hurried to the Indian
camp, where they fortunately found
refuge in the tent OF half
breed. Pritchard Dill, Willis Craft
and Gilchrist were killed as they sought
to escape. The priests who earnestly
endeavored to stay the work OF the
OcIC buCluoCANCO c44Ob AOWh
Father Marchand, dying by the hand
of Wandering Spirit, and Father Fafard
before the rifle of one of his subOrdl-
na:eS. The whole affair occupied only
brief period, lasting. to use the words
of one of the Indian witnesses at the
trial, "only about as long as 1t would
take a person to smoke a p pc. The only
males who escaped were Quinn, nephew
of the murdered agent, and the en-
ployees of the Hudson Bay Company.
The former made his way TO Fort Pitt,
carving the news of the massacre; the
latter owed their safety to the respect
which the name of their company
always carries with it among the
Indians. They, with the women cap
tives, were obliged to accompany Big
Bears band in all their subsequent
Wanderings until finallyreleased through
the instrumentality of friendly Wood
Crees, and half-breeds, and brought
into General Middleton's camp. Wan
dering Spirit, the direct cause of all the
bloodshed at Frog Lake, and the
misery entailed upon the surviving
whites, is descended from blood as well
as Cree ancestors. He accompanied
Big Bear in his migration from Cypress
Hills Country to North Saskatchewan.
He was a tall, spare and powerful
Indian, with the usual black eyes and
strongly marked features Of the Cree
tribe. At the time of the massacre he
was an influential member OF Big
Bears band, though he did not rank as
a chief. He was about fifty years of
age, and had a grown-up family. OF
the remainder of the men executed
this morning, Bad Arrow and Miser-
able Man were jointly indicted for
the murder of Charles Gouin.
Iron Body and Little Bear were
tried for the murder of George Dill, one
of the last victims of the massacre.
Round-the-Sky, another of Big Bears
followers, was convicted of the murder
of Marchand. n-without-Blood be-
longed to Moosomin's band. The crime
for which he was sentenced, was the
killing of Bernard fremont, a rancher,
living near BattlefOrd. Ikta, a Stony
Indian, was sentenced to death for the
murder of James Payne farm instructor
on Stony reservation, near Battleford,
on the Both of March. .r
The morning was dark and cloudy. 4
All the preparations were complete by
O'Clock. Fathers Bigonesse and Cochin
received the last wishes of the con-
demned. All were willing TO die. They
had no anxiety except for their
families. Large numbers of Indians of
the neighboring reserves were present.
There was a strong g1lard OF mounted
police around the scaffold. The process
sion was formed at T30.. Each man
was pinioned and a black cap drawn
over his head They were guarded on
either side and marched vath steady
step to the scafold. taking their places
on the trapa Wandering Spirit and
Miserable Man addressed the Indians,
acknowledged the Justice of the sentence
and warned them to keep clear of dis
turbance in the future. Thewhole then
joined in the death chant, to show they
did not fear death. The executioner
then drew the caps over their faces; the
priests addressed parting words and
offered prayer, in the midst of which
the bolt was drawn and the drop fell, all
dying instantly. Doctor Ralph ex-
amined the bodies and pronounced life
extinct. After hanging fifteen minutes
they we're cut down, placed IN collins