The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-06
TIE COWBOYS VERDICT
From the Youths Companion.


celebrated war-ohief of the K-o-was. AT the
period of which 1 write, 1871, he was the
scourge OF the western Texas border.
Not content with having committed the
| bloody massacre at Salt Creek prairie, he had
after scalping and mutlating his victims and
| filling their bodies with arrows, dashed one
! poor teamster to wagon wheel and burned
him while yet alive. A few days later he
rode into Fort Sill at the head of his war
| party, and loudly boosted of his atrocous
| deed. He was arrested by order of General
| sherman, then at the post, doube-roned, and
! turned over as q prisoner to General Mckenzie
! Tor trial i'll Texas for murder
During tho march OF one hundred and
twcnty-tlree miles from the Fort Sill reserva-
ton, Satanic was closely guarded. At night
! pickets were thrown out to prevent surprise,
! as it was supposed that tho ki-o-was, upon
learning that their chief had been taken to
| Texas, would follow and attempt a rescue.
Hcrd-guards and strong sleeping parties
| Were posted and every precauton was taken
| to prevent stampede. The willy chief was
spread ont upon the ground, peg driven Mt
| each hand and foot, and he was then bound
| securely with raw hide
In the Wichita swamps, where the smosqui-
! toes swarm i'll countless thousands and to the
size of New Jersey 'greenhead," the posi-
| ton of the prisoner can be at once pictured
even to the dullest imagination. His grunts,
| Ug-g-g -h-h-ho! and long drawn EXPLANATIONS,
We're heard at all times during the night, not
withstanding prisoner and guard slept in the
| dense smoke from the green log fires, intended
! to be protection from these bloodthirsty tor
mentors.
| 1t was bright, warm day in June, when
| the DronZed and weather stained troopers of
| the Fourth cavalry rode into Fort R. with
| the prisoner closely guarded by our faithful
| Ton-ka-way trailers. The rest of the garrison,
with the band, turned out to greet the com
mand.
AS the column halted, every eye was upon
S1-taO-ta. IiiH rpnIltatiDn wpll-tt,nyV to
every man, woman, and child not only here,
but upon the Kansas border. He was over six
feet in his mocassns, and, mounted upon u
small pony, he seemed to be even taller than
he really was.
He was stark naked, from the crown of his
head to the soes OF his feet, except that he
Wore breech clout and pair of embroidered
mocassins. Owing to the intense heat, he had
allowed his blanket to slip down to his saddle
and about his lons.
His coarse, iet-bacl1 hair, now thickly pow
dered with dust hung tangled about his neck
except single braided scalp lock, with hi
| one long eagle feather to adorn it,
His immense shoulders, broad back, power-
| ful hips and thighs, contrasted sngularly with
| the sight forms OF the ToD-kaways grouped
| abotiE him. The muscles e9&6a ont ON lis OIL
| gantie frame like knots, and his form, prou-
and erect in tho saddle, his perfectly inniova-
BILE face and motionless body, gave him the ap
pearance of polished mahogany or perhaps q
bronze, equestrian statue spriniled with dust
eyes and slight motion of the lids betokened
any life in that carved figure. Every feature
OF his face spoke the disdan with which he
regarded the curious crowd now gathered
about headquarters to gaze at the famous saw
age chief.
His feet were dashed with a raw-hide lariat
under his pony's belly, his hands wore tied to-
gcther and disarmed and helpless, he was in
deed a picture of fallen, savage greatness
In accordance with General Shermans in
structions, the day for Sa-tan-ta's trial for
murder arrived. This trial was one of the
most impressive, yet most ludicrous, acts of
legal jurisdiction ever witnessed by the hardy
settlers and cowboys of Jack county, and is
the first instance, / believe, when an Indian
chief was regularly indicted and tried for muir
der, by legally drawn jury under a civil pro-
cess.
The town was swarming with men. all intent
upon seeing justice done Texans, the state and
the red man.
Under a strong guard and accompanied by
the Fort Sill interpreter and tho counsel who
had been assigned, the blanketed chief, with
clanlSng chain, walked to the little log court
house in the square of Jacksboro'. jury
had been impanelled, the district attorney
hustled and Hourished around. The whole
county, every man armed TO the teeth, tried
to crowd in
1t was impossible; so they surrounded the
court house, and listened breathlessy through
the open windows.
Two long, dingy wooden benches we'll
whitfield and worn, held the Jurors, who ner-
vously hitched about in their seats, and un-
easily regarded the extreme novelty Of their
situation.
Inside the railing sat the stolid chief, closely
wrapped The counsel fer the defense opened,
and in a spread-eagle speech referred TO the
numerous wrongs that the noble red man, "my
brother" had suffered, wherein he had been
cheated and despoilcd OF his lands driven
westward, westward, until it seemed AS though
there was no limit to the greed OF his white
brother
II he had been guilty Of acts of violence to-
ward the aggressive race which was driving
him out, that was but the excusable retaliation
which merely human instinct-nay, even the
instinct Of the worm that turns-required Of
him.
Warming up to his task, he now threw off
his coat, as it was intensely hot day, and
discoursed about the times of the Aztecs, Cor
ten, and the MontezulDas, and pictured Guata-
mozin lying calmly upon bed Of Goals, AS
upon n bed of roses. Here he displayed con
siderable historical lore. But when lie spoke
OF the majestic bird, that emblem Of our
national freedom, and urged that the great
chief be allowed 70 "hy away as free and nm
hampered," / turned quickly to watch the
jury.
Every cowboy had been industriously whit
Ting the old bench, and squirting tobacco
juice at a crack. But the words Of the counsel
having been interpreted to the chief, whose
frequent glunts Of approval and deiight at
what he supposed meant immediate release
now sounded loudly over the courtroom, 1
noted an immediate change.
The jury were all In their shirt-sleeves. Each
had his old "shootin' iron" strapped TO his hip.
They all hitched their "we-e-epons" TO the
front, Immediately ceased reducing with their
sheath-kniyes the proportions Of the jury
bench and now intently watched for further
developments and more oratory.
The district attorney was really quite an able |
little fellow, and lac grew eloquent over the !
enormity Of the chiefs crime, as lac rapidly |
painted the cold-blooded massacre, and the |
cruel murder Of the poor, white Transfers upon
Salt Creek prairie.
As he pictured the scene, the bloody chiefs |
victims lying cold and stark the charred re- |
mains Of one who had been slowly roasted |
alive chained 10 the wheel, every brow grew
black every iurynan settled himself in his
seat, gave an extra hitch 10 the 'gun" on his |
belt, and we saw the verdict plainly written
upon their faces, from the foreman 10 the very
last man,
The after piece Of tho other counsel for de-
fenso had no effect. lie took off his coat, vest,
collar, aud necktie rolled up his shrt-sleeycs,
and advancing m 10 the foreman. au old, gray