Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-05-28
HIS own ExecuroNER.
Ths story OF Chief Who Himself Tn-
filcted the Death Penalties.

inc story OF "a Chief Who Himself Kns /
filoted Che Death Penalties.
II you go down TO French Guiana |
ana ascend the big Maroni river u |
little distance you will find great
many negroes who talk very bad
French. declares writer in the New
York Sun. Some OF them. however.
have visited France and have a little
education. The more intelligent OF
these negroes will tell you that the
greatest man who ever lived, except
the first Napoleon. was Boni. One of
these negro tribes is called the Boni
from the name OF the man who re-
leased the people from slavery.
Boni was the intelligent and auda-
cious negro who in l772 revolted
against his master on the coast OF
Dutch Guiana destroyed his property.
escaped with hundreds of other slaves.
and founded a new home for the peo-
pie. whom he piloted 10 the borders
OF French Guiana For many decades
all slaves who escaped from their mas
ters were able 10 find their freedom
among the Bonis. A curious story is
told about Bonn by the explorer Henri
Condreau who has done so much to
make the interior OF French Guiana
known.
A long distance up the Maroni river
is the island OF Adlafo which means
cutting of the head This is the is
land where for long time. Boni car
ried out the execution OF criminals
whom he had condemned 10 death.
The curious feature OF his system OF
capital punishmentw was that he re.
quired no assistance whatever In car
rying his judgments into effect He
alone escorted the condemned prison
ers 70 the island OF Adlafo and un-
aided he cut OF their heads. The
Spartncus OF the Negro OF the
Woods" seemed 10 be particularly
fond Of this sort OF exercise Physic.
ally he was the most powerful man in
his country. No one wished 10 cope
with him In combat
When he had prisoner whom he
had condemned he would place his
iiintlock and his sabre in the canoe.
seat the condemned man In the bow
Of the boat and then paddle up stream
several miles 10 the island. He wouls
not have even boatman with him Oh
these little excursions
Now" Boni was won't 10 say 10 tn
unhappy wretch before him as h
padded along. do not attempt TO es
cape for II you do | shall surely sto
you by a bullet In the legs l shat
J not shoot TO kill you for shall wis
70 torture you after get you"
No. chief the trembling victir
| would often reply. Il shall not try {
D escape And such was the terror Bon
inspired that the unfortunate prisone
would reach the place OF punishmer
probably without entertaining Ia
slightest thought OF escaping.
When they reached the island Bor
would tell his prisoner 20 get out (
the canoe and would then march hil
10 the place of execution. This wa
q large flat rock. washed by the W;
tiers OF the rapid river and shaded b
tamarind tree The rock Is sti
shown to every one who visits the spo
When they reached the place, Bon
fierce and memorable. would stern
commands
Now you die To your knee
Your hands behind your back. Ho
down your head. !"
The unfortunate wretch. more def
than alive would mechanically oh,
the order Boni would raise
sabre and with one sure stroke wou
sever the head from the body. ~
. head would roll upon the fiat sto
and the blood would be washed aw
by the rush OF water from the rapid
; which now and then overspread {
l rock. Boni would then re-embar
] and upon his return his people wou
regard him more than ever as a teri
10 evildoers