New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29
NEW TRIALS FOX 1"O iNDi
ONE MORE CHAPTER IN AN lNTEhh' Inv
FRONTIER HISTORY.


FRONTIER HISTORY.
~ c,,Dro,,e Court Of the United States has just
handed down a decision which forms the CLOSING
nhon,or nj an unusually interesting story OF noh-
,,or ufe The rough and ready justice OF the oo'
dor line the good and bad traits OF the lnua"'
and the long smoudering antipathy oet"ee" me
red man and the white catue r"i'"o' "
brought out with vivid strength
Tho tale began almost years ago when
r.b,ta sheen herder named Hoover was muruereu
bv Stanley an Indian Of the Northern OheS enne
tribe Stanley admitted the crime nut 'hious" '"'
advice Of various people sought TO nave ms sen
fence roitgated by duplicating in the murder TWO
Indian boys Spotted Hawk and Little Whil WIN
I,h 90 tho bovs were convicted. and Spotted
Hawk was sentenced TO be hanged, Whlie l"''ie
NhIrlwind received life sentence IN the penn
,entiarv Then George Bird Grinneii OF TINS CITY
who is the Editor Of Forest and stream anu has
all his life been intimate with the indians ana
,ho,r hahts took up the cause OF Spotted Hawk
and his brother.
Mr. Grinne has spent many months aihonS 'No
Pawnees Blackfeet. Cheyennes and other uloeS'
and he is treated by their saGes and young men
as a brother. He knew well the father OF spotted
Hawk and another brother of his. White Shield'
and he became convinced that the two boys were
entirely innocent. He secured evidence OF this'
and then told Indian Rights Association or the
case They took il up and enlisted the sympathy
Of the Secretary Of the Interior, who became so
tho expense OF new trial II the indian Rights
Association would bear the other half. and II the
amount necessary was not more than $500
AS a result the was brought 10 the Su-
preme Court. Ex-senator w. f. Sanders who was
one of the pioneers of Montana, was counsel for
tho two Indians Yesterday Mr. Grinnell received
a letter from Washington which announced the
decision OF the Supreme Court ordering new
trial This is considered practically an acquittal.
for the Judge OF the lower court has said that a
enln
the Supreme Court decided one. the two Indian
BOYS would be considered innocent and set free.
The story Of the murder and the entanglemen,
In it OF the two Indian boys reveals strikingly the
intensity Of hatred which exists between the cat
,lemen of Montana and the Cheyennes 1t was
this hatred that filed the cattlemen when they
learned that on April IS. 1897. the white herder.
Hoover. had been murdered by Stanley. Cheyenne.
There was manifest impartali'y In the trial ana
Little Whirlwind is said TO have sprung directly
from WINE ,b snntence IL Is alleged We're held
out to Stanley II he would secure the conviction OF
the other two Indians.
The cause Of the murder that Stanley was
feeling melancholy and weary OF NE IN the spr b,
Indian nature longed for a sensational death. So
he decided to kin white man Then the cavalry
dress himself up in feathers and warpaint, and,
mounted on one Of his best ponies, he would fight
1Her shoud Blu, Captain sioucheT The
SeS h s'Ss man AT% c took e 6oy
Blade. out on the plain with him. and he walked
up to the Selder wn2
Blade frightened and ran away, but Stanley
stole a blanket and clothes from the dead
man. and TO his Acknowledgment he sold the
bianket Then he went 10 dance on Tongue
River and boosted Of his deed. II will go 70 the
dance" ne said. Il will be brave: killed this
man on purpose ! not woman: am a man.
Stanley was arrested like ordinary disturber
OF the peace by Captain stouch' and ANONYMOUSLY
thrust into fail.
The trials and conflicting evidence make a lone
story. Desperate attempts were made 10 cohvlcl
the two boys and they would undoubtedly have
been doomed to an unjust fate IL their friends had
NJ come 10 their rescue. The final evidence OF
Shoulder Blade. OF Lame Woman, who is Stanley
wife and OF Red Bead a Cheyenne who overheard
the plottings OF Stanleys family did much 10 helI
The TWO Indians. Spotted Hawk and Little Whir
wind are now free. while Stanley Is in jail.