Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-21
WHITE EAGLE FINDS SLEEP
Winnebago Indian Dies from Effects Of
Inhaling Illuminating GG.
COMPLAINED THAT he COULD NOT REST
witness Fees spent for Christmas
Presents for wife and Babies o.
the Reservation and Then
the Gas IL Blown Out.

White Eagle, a Winnebago Indian, who
has been in the city a number of days at
tending United States court as a witness,
has gone to the happy hunting grounds. He
departed for that bourne from which no
traveller returns some time between 3 and
10 o'clock yesterday morning. He chose the
gas route. He was brought down from the
agency. to testify against Henry Phlllie. a
white man, indicted on the charge Of selling
and giving liquor to Winnebago Indians:
White Eagle, was the complaining witness.
as he was the Indian to whom the liquor
was sold and given.
The dead body of White Eagle was found
fully dressed and in a bed at the Richelieu
hotel at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. This is
the hotel where the Indian witnesses who
are in attendance upon United States court
are boarding. Monday afternoon Phillie
entered a plea Of guilty, and the witnesses
against him, including White Eagle,
were paid of and discharged.
During the evening White Eagle visited a
number of the stores in the city and made
purchases Of Christmas presents for his wife
and three children, intending to start for
home yesterday. He retired to his room
a short time before midnight and after re-
naming there a few moments returned to
the hotel office, saying hat he could not
sleep. He sat by the stove In the office until
3 O'Clock, when he again went up to his
room. That was the last ever seen Of the
mar alive.
About 10 o'clock yesterday morning one OF
the chambermaids at the Richslieu was pass
ing along the corridors on the third floor Of
the hotel and detected the odor Of escaping
gas. She Immediately notified the clerk.
who traced the gas to the room occupied by
White Eagle. The door was forced and
there the man was found dead, fully dressed,
as though he had thrown himself upon the
bed and had gone to sleep. The gas was
turned OH and was escaping from a six-foot
per hour Jet. A physician was summoned
and the usual restoratives applied, but II
was too late, as it was apparent that the
man had been dead several hours. The body
was turned over to the coroner and after the
inquest 1t will be sent to the Winnebago
agency for burial, that being the desire of
the other Indians who are in the city.
The gas jet In the room where the body Of
White Eagle was found was some seven feet
above the floor and 1t Is probable that the
man either stood upon the bed and extin-
guished the flame by blowing against 1t, or
else he turned the gas of and then unknow-
ingly turned 1t on again, thus allowing 1t to
escape.
1t is more than likely that the demise of
White Eagle will result In Phillie escaping
from Imprisonment. AS there is no testi-
mony against him, 1t is thought that he will
change his plea Of guilty to one of not guilty
and demand a trial. In the event that he
does this the United States will be unable
to convict, as there will be no witness to
testify to the selling or giving of liquor.
Coroner Swanson a Jury yes
terday afternoon to inquire into the death
Of White Eagle. The evidence showed that
he entered the room and locked It, as It was
found fastened when the discovery Of es-
Gaping gas was made The iury's verdict,
wastthat he came ito his death from his own
carelessness or ignorance Of the manner In
which gas lights should be handled.