The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-01-10
Resting in Chains Against the BIackaned
Trunk Of a Tree.
They Murdered Mrs. Simmons and
the Enraged Settlers Caught
Stake, and Are Looking for
Four Others Who Are Impli-
cated-The Murder Part of a
Deliberate Plan to Get Rid of
Certain Settlers.

l.
red and burned beyond all semblance
of human beings. the remains of Mar
Gus McGeisey and Palmer Simpson, two
Seminole Indians who, few days ago,
murdered Mrs. James Simmons, are
still resting in chains against the black
ened trunk of an oak tree in the Semi
mole station, where on Friday night
they met their death in the most awful
manner conceivable at the hands of an
Oklahoma mob. The flesh is burned
from the bones, and lies in greasy and
ill-smelling particles in the ashes on
the ground. The fingers and hands are
burned from the frames and the ghast-
ly skeletons, bereft of feet and ankles,
stand on blackened bones in the ashes
on the ground. Every vestige of hair
and flesh are burned from the heads
and the clinched teeth of the dead men
show their great determination to en-
dure the awful punishment in silence
with which the red men died. The
scene is a fascinating one for the GU
rious, and has been visited by many
people since yesterday morning.
Additional details of the horrible work
Of the mob near Maud Postoffice in the
Seminole Nation last Friday night were
received here to-day According to this
information, the mob's work is not yet
finished, and viii only be completed
when four more Indians have been dealt
with in the same manner as McGeisey
and Simpson. The citizens posse was
securing the country for the four men
when the messenger left Maud, and it
is probable that at least part of the
quartet have by this time paid the pen
atty decreed by the maddened popu-
lace.
The crime which led to the burning
of the two men was committed on last
Thursday. Marcus McGeisey was the
owner Of some property. On his land
lived a white family named Simmons.
During the absence of husband on
Thursday McGeisey went to- the SIM
mons cabin and asked for a drink of
water Mrs. Simmons was at home
with her four small children. The In
dian was given the water, and he then
asked for saddle. On being refused
the saddle, McGeisey grabbed the wo-
man, who had her baby in her arms
and dragged her out of the house. When
the woman attempted to run away the
Indian seized a Winchester and dealt
her a deadly blow on the head, crush
ing the skull. The woman died instant
ly The murdered woman's husband
did not return Thursday evening, and
the children were unable to remove the
body into the house, from which it had
fallen into the yard.
The little ones stayed up and watched
their dead mothers body until the bit
ter cold compelled them to relax their
vigilance and seek shelter from the
weather in the cabin. During the night
the body was almost devoured by hogs.
The news spread rapidly Friday morn
ing, and the whole populace for twenty
miles around was aroused. About
twenty Indians We're arrested The old
est child told the crowd that McGeisey
was the guilty man, and a posse of
twenty determined men went to arrest
him. Simpson was at McGeisey's home
when the posse arrived, and both were
taken into custody. A rope was pro-
cured and the prisoners were strung
up by the neck. On being let down and
given an opportunity to talk, both con-
fessed to the crime, and named four
others whom they declared were equal
~ guilty 1t developed that the In
dams decided to get rid of certain white
settlers, and that McGeisey had been
hired to do the murder
Posses We're at once sent in search
of the other four Indians, and it was
decided to have a wholesale lynching
as soon as they could be captured AS
night came on. however, and the other
four were not captured. the citizens
changed their plan and determined to
dispose Of McGeisey and Simpson with
out further delay. The feeling was
SO bitter sgainst them that the crowd
would not be satisfied with the ordi-
nary method of lynching, and it was
voted to burn them at the stake
The victims were accordingly chain
ed to a post oak tree. Fence rails and
dry wood was then piled high about
them, and I'm a few minutes the In
dams were wrapped in roaring flames,
while the timbers cracked beneath
their feet Never a word did the In
dams utter while being roasted alive.
They apparently saw that they were
powerless to resist, and endured their
lots like stoics. The crowd was COM
posed of about thirty men. and the
work was done in quiet but thorough
manner. Posses continued the search
for the other Indians, and it is very
probable that If captured they viii be
dealt with in a like manner. The gen.
tleman bringing this information states
that there are grave fears or an OUT
break among the Indians. and he be-
lieves bloodshed is certain to follow.
rNnTAN TTDprCTMc