The Globe-republican., 1898-01-13


of Markus McGeisey and Palmer
Simpson. the two Seminole Indians
who few days ago murdered Mrs
James Simmons, are still reclining in
chains against the blackened trunk
of an oak tree in the Seminole nation
where on Friday night they met their
death in the most awful manner con-
ceivable at the hands of an Oklahoma
mob The flesh is burned from the
bones and lies in greasy, ill-smelling
particles in the ashes on the ground.
The fingers and hands are burned
from the frames. and the CHASTITY
skeletons, bereft Of feet and ankles,
stand ON blackened bones in the ashes
on the ground Every vestige of hair
and flesh is burned from the heads.
and tho clinched teeth of the dead
men show the great determination to
endure their awful punishment in
silence with which the Red men died.
Additional details of the horrible
work of the mob near Maud postoffice
in the Seminole nation last Friday
night were received here to-day. AC-
cording to this information the mob's
work is not yet finished and will only
be completed when four more Indians
have been dealt with in the same man.
ner as McGeisey and Simpson. The
citizens posse was securing the coun-
try for the four men when the mes
senger left Maud and it is probable
that at least part of the quartette
have by this time paid the penalty
decreed by the maddened populace.
The crime which led to the burning
of the two men was committed on last
Thursday. Markus McGeisey was the
owner of some property. On his land
lived q white family named Summons
During the absence of the husband on
Thursday McGeisey went to the Sim
mons cabin and asked for drink OF
water. Mrs Simmons was at home
with her four small children.
The Indian was given the water
and then asked for a saddle On be-
ing refused the saddle McGeisey
grabbed the woman. who had her
baby in her arms, and dragged her
oIt of the house. When the woman
attempted to run away the Indian
seized a Winchester and dealt her a
deadly blow on the head, crushing the
skull The woman died instantly. The
murdered woman's husband did not
return home Thursday evening and
the children were unable to remove
the body into the house from where
it had fallen in the yard. The little
ones stood up and watched their
mothers corpse until the bitter cold
compelled them to relax their vigil
and seek shelter from the weather in
the cabin. During the night the body
was almost devoured by hogs
The news of the murder spread rap
idly Friday morning, and the whole
populace for twenty miles around was
aroused. About twenty Indians were
arrested. The oldest child told the
crowd that McGeisey was the guilty
man, and 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 procured and the prison
ers were strung up by the neck On
being let down and given an oppor-
tunity to talk. both confessed to the
crime, and named four others whom
they declared were equally guilty. It
developed that the Indians desired to
get rid of certain white settlers. and
that McGeisey had been hired to do
the murder.
Posses were 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 cit
liens changed their plan and deter
mined to dispose of McGeisey aad
Simpson without further delay.
The feeling was so very bitter
against them that the crowd would
not be satisfied with the ordinary
method of lynching and it was voted
to burn them at the stake. The vic
Tins were accordingly chained to
post oak tree. Fence rails and dry
wood was then piled high about them
and in q few minutes the Indians
were wrapped in roaring flames,
while the timbers cracked be-
meath their fee. Never a word did
the Indians utter while being roasted
alive. They apparently saw that they
were power.ess to resist and endured
Their lots like stoic& The crowd was
of not over thirty men, and
the work was done in a quiet but
aud determined manner.
Posses continued the search for the
other four Indians and it is
very probable that if captured they
will BIZ dealt with in q like manner.
Late last night DR.. c. p. Linn. chief
physician of the Seminole nation, tel
egrhphed to both Indian Agent Wis
dom and Marshall Bennett for assist
nncc in quelling the state of war that
prevails in the nation. He confirmed
the news of the stake burning.