The sun., 1896-01-19
TUO INDIAN EXEC UTIONS.
Boti or the Condemned Men BraveIy Kept
Their Word 10 Come and Die.
Prom NE Chicuyo Record.

From NE Gicuyn Record.
Several wears ago attended an execution in
the th"ctR" Nation. thirty miles from Fort
smith. ARK. a Gescrip ion will give an idea OF
how the work ,s r,linnrily done. 1t was a cold.
dTeasy December day when we left for Fort
sini H. Our way va, along the muddy roads
thr"nsh P1'eau Bottom, through dense forests
Of pecan. walnut. and oak. AT Scullyville We
were Joined by the Indian Sheriff, who is ex-
ofiico lord high executioner."
II was about 10 O'Clock in the morning OF our
second day out when wa visited the Indian
Court House and Jail. rude log structure built
o. the 'tyle o; most OF the stUrehOuses and
be'ti class of Indian Territory dwellings.
Lew James. the unfortunate man whose death
W" N,rr soon /" witness. was seated on a bench
III III" ding. with his weeping wife and two
II" children by his side. He MAS n full
bl"odei Choctaw, about - years OF age. with
iair education. He belonged to ore Of the best
Families oi the tribe. lie had killed another In
dian while drunk. and without cause or provoca-
tl"n liisvictim belonged to All influential Choc-
taw family, who had prosecuted the case against
james very zealously. Efforts were made for a
co'hinutation OF sentence, but without success.
fam'ly influence might have secured executive
c!emeHty. hut under Indian laws no pardoninx
power is vested In the Chief or governor of a
Tribe the courts alone having the power u i'm
pose u penalty or grant n pardon.
After sentence OF death had been passed upon
MIN, the Indian convict WAS released upon his
own recoCnizance until few days before the
time set for his death. when he was placed in
}a'l 10 prepare himself to meet the Great Spirit.
ne had made no EFFORT during his liberty 70 tee
the country or " go ON the scout" as dOdging
dhe officers OF the law 10 called In the Indian
territory.
An Indian missionary prayed n while in the
2ali with tho condemned man. and then went
MS way James, who was cripple, was AS
slsted INTO the opeI, woods behind the jail. u
LOOK his seat upoE 1t. His wife stood near. her
phoS IN her arms. and ~ four-yrar- oil, boy by
ner side. The cArcuiioner selected by the Sheriff
Was an aged lnd an who had acted in that ca
ptcny Tor forty years and had grown gray in
H. CORY WORK. When lie stepped out in front nf
the man L" DO shot ana drew his pistol
ever weep; hneelng beside her condrm sl
husband, she was soon ciHspcd In his arms
lpr ih1 last time in life. The two little
s,hbed and cried most bitterly because their
mother WAS weeping, and the husband and
iathel, whose impending fate hnd not moved
tnon. was forced toG'ye way TO his feelings No
longer able Ia control himself, his tears mingled
with those OF his loved one. 10 tho few specta-
rnrs OF thut hnd scene the situation was one
The sheriff WAS finally forced to tear tho
Weeping wife from the arms OF her husband
t@i.e, @ WITH one last. lingering look; she clasped
per BAH closer To her bosom. took her little boy
oy 'Ir hand and hurried away through tho
~9,hs TO be out Of hearing Of the fatal shot.
a, ne Sheri1 unbottonod the coat and vest of
shrenhdsmnod man, barring his left breaSt: then
feeling Tor the beating Of the heart, he pressed
hls hnger Tor an instant on the spot to give tho
Sxecutiohrr q mark at which TO shoot This
deputy sheriff held the oiher. TIL. old execu-
tnhor ', on y sturp twenty feet away. and a,
SOON a. the 0diesIs stretched out James, arm,