The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-28

former made his way to Fl. Pitt. bringing news
of the massacre. The latter owed their safety
to the respect which the name of their
company always carries with ii among the In
dians. They with the women captives, were
obliged to accompany Big Bears band in all
their subsequent wanderings, until finally re-
leased through the instrumentality of the friend
ly Wood Crees and half-breeds, and brought into
General Middleton's camp. Wandering Spirit
(Pusko Bayoo) was the direct cause of all the
bloc dshed at Frog lake. He accompanied Big
Bear In his migration from the Cypress hills
country to the North Saskatchewan. He was
tail, 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 grown-up
family. His ferocious character was plainly
shown by his actions at Frog lake, though he af-
forwards maintained that he was but carrying
out Big Bears orders in putting the white people
to death. Another noticeable event in his ca
reer was his attempt to commit suicide. He
plunged knife into his left breast; it missed
his heart. but passed through his lung, and
came out clothed with blood and portions of the
lung. The wound appeared severe enough to
cause an ordinary mans death, but the savage
survived He pleaded guilty at the trial.
Of the remainder of the condemned men there
is not much to be said. There were five others
besides Wandering Spirit placed on trial at Bat
tleford for murders committed at Frog lake.
Bad Arrow (Manackoos) and Miserable Man
(hltta Makeyon) were jointly indicted for the
murder of Charles Qouin. Their victim was in
company with Quinn when the latter was killed,
and sought to save himself by flight. AS he was
running away Bad Arrow fired both barrels Of a
shotgun at him, bringing him to the ground AS
he lay writhing there Miserable Man
placed rife to his head and ended his agony
The evidence against these two was
chiefly furnished by other Indians, Wood Crees
who mad taken no part in the massacre: Both
tnese prisoners We're followers Of Big Bear They
have the ordinary Indian features, with little to
distinguish them from Others Iron Body ma
palse) and Little Bear (Apischakoos were tried
for the murder of George Dill, one of the last
victims oil the massacre. He was endeavoring
TO escape, i'll company with Gilchrist and Willis
craft HIS companions were shot down beside him.
and seeing that he had no chance of escaping
from his savage pursuers, he stopped running
Iron Body and Little Bear were both seen to fire
on him, and the latter shot him second time as
he lay wounded on the ground. Round the-Sky.
another of Big Bears followers, convicted
of the murder of Rev. Father Marchand. 1t
was shown that he fred at and killed the priest
as the latter was lying on the ground, wounded
by rifle shot from Wandering Spirits rifle
This, Judge Rouleau, before whom the savages
were tried, held to be sufficient to convict the
prisoners of murder, and the death sentence
accordingly followed
Man-without- blood belonged to Moosonings
band. The crime for which he was sentenced
on Oct was the killing of Bernard fremont
rancher living near Battlefor6. The murder
occurred about the end of March Man without
blood, in confessing his crime, said he met Ire
mont near his own house, and shot him dead
The murder entirely unprovoked Ikta, a
Stony Indian, was sentenced to death for the
murder Of James Payne, farm instructor, on the
Stony reservation, near Batteford. on the 30th
of March This prisoner also pleaded guilty,
giving his own description of the murder He
demanded more flour from the instructor, who
refused it, and quarrel ensued. Ikta got his
rifle, and the second interview ended with
Payne's death.