The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-31
INDIAN EXECUTION TO DATE.
Unless He Was Too Sick to Die, John
WOtba Vas Shot to Death,
HIS WIFE DUG HIS CRAVE.
He KneeIed in Front OF IT, and His Rela-
lives shot Him Till He Fell in.
Women Folks Covered
Him Up.

Unless he was taken seriously IN at the
last moment. John Wotha, a Creek In
dian. was shot yesterday according to
Indian custom on the Creek reservation
in Oklahoma. The crime for which Wotha
paid his life was that Of killing John
Deer. another Creek Indian, near Brush
Hin. a few weeks ago. The only COM
mutation Of sentence would be in case
Of illness-too sick 10 die
In spite OF the civlizlng influence OF
the last fifty years the American Indian
is stil as much Of a savage In his laws
and customs as he was in the days when
Christopher Columbus and his party dis
covered him. I'm our own towns and upon
government lands the Indian is compelled
TO conform 10 the customs of civilization
but upon his own reserve he is stiil the
savage. simple. fierce animal as ever.
The most pointed law among the In
dams is that OF payment for personal
injury. They regard all hurts inflicted as
a debt which must be paid back In cx-
actly the same coin. Not long ago Creek
Indian under the influence OF IRE water
gougcd out the eye OF companion IN
dian. The next day the Indian was tried
before the court Of braves ana tounu
guilty lie was put upon parole, and ten
a.
with the same kind of instrument. his
own eve was eouged out In tho same
manner.
According TO custom he was allowed TO
select the man who was 10 punish him.
An eve for an eve. n tooth for tooth,
q life for a life. is the Indian law Bar
barous in our eyes. just I'm theirs.
on June Il Chokat Ebin. fuli-blooded
Creek. was killed for the murder Of
another man. lie took the life OF his COM
panion IN cold blood with n gun. and three
weeks later he was compelled to kneei
before an open grave. while his father
and brother shot him TO death. As soon
as the body tumbled into the grave the
braves rode away chanting. and the
squaws. among whom were his weeping
wife and mother, alone remained 20 =
up the grave with earth, watered by
their tears.
Wotha. who was TO die yesterday had
a wife and large family. Immediately
upon killing Deer his trial was held and
he was found guilty. He was then told
that he might 20 and attend TO his DO
nestle duties but that any effort 10 es-
care would result IN his capture. Upon
being taken he would be burned at the
stake. with all the added fortunes tEat
are on the Indian menu for stake sur
ferers. True. Wotha might have meue
a desperate leap for life and liberty IN his
effort to gain United States IND, Whele
he would be safe. but the chances OF MS
escape were so slight that he knew how
useless it would be 10 attempt II. Ills
fellows knew too how closely they were
wax bling him.
The ceremony Of execution - unspeak-
ably thrilling The grave is dug during
the dav by the wife and children OF the
condemned man. and the loose earth Is
heaped on one side Of IL ready 10 be
shovelled back in when the deadly work
is done.
This grave was dug for. Wotha last
Wednesday. and on Thursday ana Fri
day his wife and mother kept IL decorated
with autumn leaves. Wotha in the mean
time went about his domestic duties.
smoking. sitting in the sun, and lazi'y
putting HIS pine. He did no work. but
seemed like a man enjoying his last holi-
day. The only sign he gave OF Teaiizine