Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-10-03

Is ON DOLn lne y. .. anu lne IHeIO-
kee nation grand jury.
Lee Smith, who was unfortunate
enough to have good barn burned
Sunday week is, with us.
THE citizen that wasn't a Juror
or a prisoner at the bar here Tues
day was an exception to Inc rule.
Maj. C. J. Winston, clerk, is
taking as much pleasure out of the
session of court as any man pres
ent.
U. S. Marshal Rutherford was
early "on deck" and had his hands
full for some time providing quar-
ters for all.
To HEAR Jim Pettigrew call
down the blessing of the Almighty
on the Hon. Court, one would think
that he was in arms length of the
throne.
Judge Springer charged the
grand jury yesterday in a specia!
charge, to find no indictments
against persons for introducing
liquors, not proven to be in
toxicating.
Among the faces familiar in
court circles and which are now
with us are j. c. Pettigrew, D.
A. Adams, Thos. A. Samson, jr..
Geo. E. Nelson, J. NJ. Givens and
E. q. English.
A singular coincidence in con-
nection with the present term of
United States court now in session
here is that the grand jury, in the
absence Of regular jury room
such as would be provided in
court house, occupy one of the
rooms over the Emerson saloon,
built for gambling hall, and are
using ''stud-poker" table for
clerks desk.
Two incidents have occurred
which tend to strengthen the good
opinion the people of the Northern
Judicial District have formed of
their new judge, Hon. VIM. NJ.
Springer, and which will commend
him as possessed of the qualifica-
tions so essential in a judge-a
large measure of humanity and
regard for the weak.
At Muskogee a boy was brought
before him and plead guilty to
grand larceny-stealing $50 from
a lady who stayed where he was
working. Judge Springer. in the
course of his questionings asked
the boy how old he was. He re-
pied he did not know but that his
step father had told him he was
sixteen last April. His general ap-
pearance made his statement seem
incredible and the judgment of
those about the court room was
that he must be somewhere be-
tween thirteen and fifteen. If
over sixteen he must be sent to
the penltentiary; if under that to q
reform school. Feeling that a
penitentiary sentence would be his
ruin-would make him a criminal
the Judge suspended sentence
and wrote the attorney general of
the case particularly as to the
matter of age) asking him to des-
ignate a reform school to which he
may be sent. If he must be sem
fenced to prison Judge Springer
will ask the president to grant
pardon. In the mean time the
Marshal was directed to communi-
cate with the boys folks in Okla
homa, informing them of his
trouble and where is to be sent.
The other incident, and which
was the first matter to engage
Judge Springer's attention at this
place was habeas corpus case.
Bridget Burns, of Coffeyville, the
mother of Joe Burns, deceased,
(and also of S. j. Burns) was, up
on the death of her son Joe, ap-
pointed guardian by a Kansas
court, of his son, Birnie, now aged
probably sixteen The boy chose,
after living with mis- grandmother
for some years and being sent by
her to Catholic school at Atchi-
son, to make his home with his
uncle in this town and attend the
Academy. As he refused to 90
back to Coffeyville, his grand
mother sought a writ of habeas
corpus and the matter was heard
Monday. Alter hearing both sides
and also the boy being put upon
the stand, Judge Springer, observ-
ing that he was greatly embar-
r;.ssed, said that with the consent
of the parties he would take him
off by himself and endeavor to ac-
quaint himself fully of the boys
wishes. In private the boy stated
that while his grandmother had
been universally kind, he felt
more at home in the nation and
preferred to stay here. The Judge
assured him that the only desire
in the investigation was to deter
mine what were his wishes and
what would be for his interest, and
further told him that in the future
when he wished any advice he
might come to him freely and he
would do his best to aid him in
this direction. The writ was de-
MED and Birnie will remain in the
nation where he has several farm
and some other property.