Wichita eagle., 1886-09-23
u. S. DISTRICT COURT.
william Bryscn Sent to the Peniten
tiary For One Year.
The Two Seminoles, Simons ana Wash
ingtOn, Receive the Death
Penalty.

/
Bartelll, resident Of the Pottawatomie
country.
The following gentlemen were sworn IN as
jurors to complete the pannel: Thos. Voss,
H. E. Armstrong, T. r. McQuoin, j. A
Miller, j. D. Caldwell, Jas. Daley, o. d.
Draper and H. A. Griffin.
Mrs Bortell was the first witness called.
She is young married woman about -
years of age. She is now thin and has
haggard careworn look upon her face; she
was, however, said to be a good looking
woman before she was the victim of the ter
monsters She has been lying upon
the sick bed since the day she was ravished:
and arriving in the city Tuesday night. was
scarcely able to appear in court the next
morning.
She said she was sitting in her room on
Sunday, May 9th, reading, and hearing some
persons talking outside, went to the door and
was addressed by Simmons in the Seminole
tongue she did not understand him: and
started to run from the room. Washington
came in, pushed Simmons out, and after a
fearful struggle, she was overpowered by the
two men; tainted, dragged upon the bed and
ravished: one holding her while the other
committed the terrible deed. They then ran
away northward. She remained in her room
for about quarter Of an hour, fearing they
would return and kill her. She then started
out for Mr. Beatie's, and losing her way, was
picked up by Mr.. Burt, the mail carrier, and
taken to her destination, where she told her
story She lives about one mile from the
Seminole reservation, and her nearest neigh
Dor was Mr. Davis. Her husband was gath
ering cattle at the time. The child which
she carried in her arms was born on the 18th
of July, two months after the hellish crime.
John Burt was then called, he was a mail
carrier and on this I'd day of May, he saw
Mrs. Bartell standing by the roadside crying,
looking wild, FRIGHTENED, her cloths torn
and her body bruised. He carried her to Mr..
Beaties the way to which she seemed too
badly frightened to find alone. She told
him that two Indian boys came in and
abused her. On croSs-examination he said
he knew it was the 2d of May because he
paid his board on the second of every month.
He knew Mrs. Bartell well; she gave him a
letter to mail in the morning of this day.
Mrs. Sam Davis, Seminole woman and
second cousin of Simons said upon the witness
stand that she lives about one hundred yards
from Mrs BortelIs. She met these two boys
on the day and they told her they had been
knocking around through the woods
Tom Factor chief of the Indian police was
next put upon the stand and testified that he
arrested the defendants and Simmons upon
warrant issued by the commissioners, and
that Simmons made a free and voluntary
confession of the offense, telling practically
the same story as was related by Mrs. Bortell
in her testimony.
T. n. Blunner was then called and asked
the confession.
John Washington was next called as
witness by the defense He was small
heavy set man who appeared to be about
twenty-five years of age, although he said he
was but nineteen. He has low forehead,
small eyes, large mouth and heavy lips. He
has served one year for larceny in the De-
troit penitentiary, having been sent there by
the United States court at Fort Smith. He
testified that he went to call upon Mrs Davis
but not finding her at home, went over to
ask Mrs. Bartell where she was. Simmons
could not make her understand, and he went
into her room and by motions and signs Oh
tanned her consent to do as he did. Going
outside he sent Simons in and he did like
wise.
The testimony all being in, the court ad-
journed until the afternoon.
In the afternoon William Brysen withdrew
his plea of not guilty and entered plea OF
guilty. He was sent to the Kansas state pen
itentiary for one year and fined 50.
Mr.. Hagan then commenced the argument
in the case of the United States VS.. John
Washington. The judge charged the jury
and they retired.
The case against Simons, the confederate
Of Washington, was called and jury empan-
neled consistin, of the following gentlemen:
J. T. Hurst, NJ H. Bruce. J. E. Hernsworth,
A. L. Rowe, D. w. Tilford, J, ]. Fegthy, c.
D. Gardner. Harrison West, J. W. Ransome,
W. r. Smith, " c. English. Henry Grosh.
After statement of the case By the at5or
ney. Mrs. Bartell, the first witness. was
called and carve the same testimony as she
had given III the morning against John
Washington. Her story was in no way
changed by rigid crosS-examination-
While she was giving in her testimony the
Jury returned at about O'Clock with YER
dict in the case tried by them in the fore
noon and found John Washington guilty a
charged in the indictment
Burt. Factor and Washington We're all
called and delivered substantially the same
testimony a in the former case.
The defendant, Simmons, was then put up
on the stand. He like Washington is lo9
and rather heavy set. but Simmons is decid
edlv the neaner| looking of the two. His
forehead is very low and receding: his eyes
small and sleepy; his lips unusually large
He said his age. was - but he Is no doubt
much older. He gave his testimony througt
an interpretor ana said he was living in the
Seminole reservation with mis- married sister
and gave about the same VERSION ol ths a.
fair as Washington.
,lMr. Hagan opened. the argument in the cas-
for the state: was followed by NJ. McMeechar
who hal been assigned to the defense, ant
Mr.. Perry closed
The jury retired and soon brought in q
( verdict of guilty as charged in the insiict
nlent.
The judge then ordered Washington {.
come up before his desk, the crowd in tn
court room. consisting mostly Of jurors, wit
- ar,i L. r,-s.r-s l.1.f1xie,i as c,c.s.lv as 10.