Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-16
ONE VICTIM INNOCENT
Startling Development in the
Most Recent Case Of Muir.
der by the Mob,
BLOOD STAIN on HoRTH DAKOTA

Which the Chief Justice Of the State Says
Should he Wiped Out, but which Never
VIII Be-Coudot, One Of the Hanged.
Declared Innocent, with Abundant Testi-
mony to Sustain the statement-Stats
Now in o Dilemma.
st. PAIL, Nov. 16.-A Grand Forks. N.
D.. special to The Pioneer Press says:
An innocent man was hung by lynchers
at Williamsport." was the startling
statement made yesterday by Chief Jus
tee Corliss. Of the state supreme court.
Il have ample documentary evidence to
the statement" continued the Judge.
The supreme court ordered a new trial
in Coudot's case because it appeared
that he was convicted on the uncorrobo-
rated evidence Of Holytrack and Ireland.
both OF when confessed to taking part
In the murder Of the Spicer family, and
whose statements were refuted by the
strong alibi testimony given by DR..
Ross, the resident agency physician at
Standing Rock. DIR. Ross veracity is un-
Questioned, and his testimony is sup
ported by notes from his memorandum
book. Another fact Is that Holytrack
anc ireland made two other previous
confessions. in neither Of which they i'm
|plicated Coudot. Holytrack and ireland
were sure 10 have expiated their crime
on the gallows. as there was no question
OF their guilt. but the mob made no dis
tinction and hung the innocent with the
guilty. The lyDching of Coudot is foul
crime and a blot on the fair name Of the
state. and his murderers should not 20
UNPUBLISHED"
Killed All the State Witnesses.
st. Paul, Nov. ia Bismarck. N.
d., special 10 The Dispatch, says: An
interesting legal question is presented
by the lynching of three of the Spicer
murderers Two Of the men-Holytrack
and 1reland-were the states witnesses,
and without their testimony the state
has no case against the two surviving
murderers. There is, therefore, now no
possibilityof convicting them before any
tribunal for the reason that the states
witnesses-seif-confes aceomplices in
the murder-are dead. At the coming
term OF court when the two men are
arraigned for trial they must be dis
missed. The feeling against Blackhawk
has been intensified by the report that
Coudot confessed before his hanging that
Blackhawk and Defender were con.
cerned in the crime.
Prediction Is Probably Correct
1t has been the opinion of large mum.
Der Of people in Emmons county that
Blaekhawk was the instigator Of the
crime. II he is discharged 1t is predicted
that unless he has an escort out of the
country he will share the fate of his
comrades in crime. Defender, the other
survivor. has consumption, and 1t is
predicted cannot live over a year. A
coroner's inquest will probably make
formal inquiry into the cause of the
deaths. IL is claimed that a majority
Of the lyne 'lers was from winona, where
the crime was committed, but nothing
certain is known, as none of the men
have been identified.
State Onicen Arc Also lmpotent,
Governor Briggs has been commune
Gated with as to the lynching, but moth.
ing has been heard from him at this
writing. Inquiry at the executive Office
elected the fact that nothing had been
done in regard to the lynching, as 1t
was not known what action could be
taken that would have any effect. Fur
tier particulars OF the affair may dis
close some action that can be taken.
The authorities at Fort Yates and the
Indian authorities at Standing Rock
were not a-are of the lynching until
Sunday night. Two Of the men lynched
were wards Of the government, and the
lynching may bring about some action
by the government to discover by whom
they were lynched.
Ont Of Reach Of Mob Law Now.
As precaution against the possibility
that mob law would mete cut to Black
hawk and Defer - ne death accorded
their three companions Sheriff Taylor
has removed the two from the Jail TO the
state penitentiaiy, one mile east of Bis
marck. where they will remain until
their cases are disposed - wv the court.
Blaekhawk ard De-. 90. visibly
frightened by the E. e'r three
comrades. and their chanse @ quarters
is a source OF relief to them. Reports
from Standing Rock reservation. where
friends and relatives OF the men reside
are TO the effect that there is no great
excitement.