The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1893-12-21
BRAVE INDIAN SHOT
Placed on Parole and Married After
His Sentence.
REMEMBERED HIS OATH
Voluntarily Returned, Danced With the
Sauaws and Died with Smile on
His Handsome Face

Captain Frank Williams Of che Texas
Rangers gives an excellent account OF
the remarkable execution of Hank
Good, a thoroughbred Choctaw Indian,
which occurred in the Choctaw reserva-
ton.
81 never dreamed / was going to see
one of the bravest acts / ever Witnessed
in my life when went to see Hank
Good shot, Captain Williams said. 81
was in the reservation when Hank
committed the murder for which he
gave up his life, and I had great
curiosity to see how he would act when
the time came for him to pay The pen
atty.
1.-THE murder Hank committed oc-
Cured Feb. 9, 1898. Two whisky
peddlers, named Iassac Greenbaum and
Solomon Heppenstcin, were the victims
They had been 10 the habit of stealing
into the reservation about once month
and selling whisky to the Indians. On
this particular night they entered the
territory with two small kegs of whisky.
Hank saw them when they came in, and
he then and there determined to get
his fill of Are water that night or know
the reason why. He watched them and
followed them to lonely place, where
they secured their whisky, wrapped
their blankets around them and went to
oil, he vi "A u
soundly, he stole upon them, and 1t
could not have taken him long to re-
lieve them of their scalps He found
the whisky, drank to his hearts content
and enjoyed the warmth of the fire the
peddlers had built. Hank made no at
tempt to escape or conceal his crime,
but remained there and drank until he
was stupid. About 10 O'Clock the next
morning as l was passing along the
road with a squad of the White Horse
No came upon the horrible sight. Hank
was lying across tho dead bodies of his
victims, and one of the whisky casks
was clasped In his arms. We tried to
arouse him, but could not and had to
carry him to the headquarters of the
reservation. They locked Hank up,
and it was three days before he was
sober enough to be arraigned before
the Indian judge and jury.
ION the third day after the murder
Hank was brought up for trial. Hank
made no defense. He did not seem to
feel sorry, either, for having committed
the crime. 1t was the hrst time in his
life that he had had enough whisky.
The jury soon found that Hank was
guilty and should be shot. 1t took into
consideration the fact that Hank was
the most popular and best looking young
buck In the nation and recommended
him to the mercy of the Judge. The
Judge finally sentenced him to be shot
to death at noon, Sept. 25. Hank took
an oath to appear at that hour under Z
big oak tree and pay the penalty. They
then allowed him to depart"
''Were they afraid he would never
rctnrn9"
mot In the least full bloodet
Choctaw was never known to break hi.
oath"
"Well,n Captain Williams continued
Hank did not leave the nation, Blu
three days afterward he got Marie,
and commenced to work as hard to ge
land and horses as a man who expecte,
TO live so years. In a few months h,
was one .of>the- .aost prosperous younI
men In the tribe and lived APPARENT,
happy
THE months slowly passed, and a
the time drew near for Hank 10 be sho
the Indians commenced to get excited
They were all anxious to see how h,
would act. Hank never referred to tn.
matter and kept on working up to tn,
day before the one which was to be hi,
last on earth.
"The fatal morning at last arrived
1t was holiday on the reservation, ant
long before noon all the members of the
nation were in the Vicinity of the biz
oak tree, dressed in all the fnery the,
could command. Hank was on the
scene early, arrayed In his best, and an
hour before his execution he danced
with all the squaws. He never glanced
at the pine CONN on which be was tc
kneel and be killed.
Exactly at noon he left his family.
and with head erect and a smile upon
his face he walked to the CONN and
knelt upon the lid. The sheriff had moi
yet arrived, but Hank was there and
waiting. The sheriff finally came, and
walking over to Hank he started 10
bind white cloth around Hanks eyes.
Hank tore 1t of and motioned the sherin
back. You should have seen the Indians
look at him. Every one admired his
nerve.
The sheriff stepped back several
feet, drew bis revolver and took delhi.
crate aim. Hank smiled and glanced
down the glistening barrel withou,
moving muscle. In another second
the sheriff fred, aud ball crashed into
Hanks brain, directly between the
eyes. he quivered a second and fell
over dead into the CONN.,
What became of Hanks wifeln
''Oh, she married good looking
young buck the next day."
Iowa Town fxfds far Saloona