Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-07-26
SWUNG INTO ETERITY.
El-Chees-ChOos, Murderer of Freighter Herbert. Hung at SoIomonvile OH
 Friday Last.
Solomonville Bulletin.

The execution of the Apache Indian, FL -Chees- Choos, convicted of the murder of a freighter named Herbert. six miles north of Fort Thomas on the second day of last March, was a gratifying success and reflects credit on Sheriff Whelan, who had every arrangement perfect. The con- ! demned Indian was kept under the sur veilance of death watch for 48 hours be- fore the time set for hanging, and during all that time did not show the least sign of emotion or evidence any uneassiness as to his fate in the land of the hereafter
 He belonged to the Tonto tribe and is said to have been one of the worst on the reservation. Jimmy Stevens and Mara iildo Grijalva acted as interpreters for those who cared to talk with the con- demned. Rev. Father Geldorf visited him | several times and urged the necessity of spiritual preparation for the next world. But all was refused by El-Chees- -Choos, who said that no doubt the Fathers religion was good for this world, and if he was to remain in it he would be willing l to become a Christian, but as bis time was nearly up here below, he could not see l that any benefit could come to him now He told Father Geldorf that he (the h. diam would see God himself and tell Him the whole story and if He thought i he ought to go to hell 1t would be all right.
 He protested his innocence to the last, | claiming that the two Indians who were | killed by the troops were the assassins of 1 Herbert and that he was forced to ac- company them on their flight at the point of rifle Whisky was offered him on Friday | morning but was refused with the re- mark: You people are trying to make 1 fun of me 1 know that I have to die to- day. I don't want any whisky and don't want to be made fun of" Later in the | day he called for watermelon which was procured and eaten heartily. He play ed cards with the prisoners in the jail most of the forenoon,
 At about o'clock Sheriff Whelan, with l his deputies. Messrs. Robertson. Solomon and McCarty entered the jail and the death warrant was read, after which the party marched into the jail yard where the scaffold had been prepared. When ! they arrived there El-Chees- Choos asked permission to smoke cigarette, which was granted. He sat on the Court House steps while smoking and told the crowd through an interpreter that if they wished to keep Indians from killing white men they had better hang all the Indians. When he had finished his cigarette he arose and walked alone to the rope which hung between the beams and began to hum a song which he kept up until the rope was adjusted and the black cap drawn over his head. Deputy J P. Robert son cut the rope and El-Chees-C -Choos was ierked into the air and into. eternity. He hardly made a struggle, and was pro- nounced dead by Dr. A. H. Hoeffer, the attending physician, in II minutes.
 This was the second hanging ever wit : messed in this county, the first being the execution of three Chinamen in 1883 for for the murder of one of their country men at Clifton.
 There were not over twenty five per sons present, and everything passed of quiet and orderly. Under Sheriff Newell during the execution stood guard on the outside of the walls and kept the small boys who seemed determined to get a view of the hanging, off the hospital and court house from where they could have obtained view.