Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-11-10
HEROISM OF INDIANS.
CEoctaws Who Voluntarily Sur.
rendered Their Lives.
In Pursuance of an Old Custom Of
the Tribe He Was Liberated
without hail Until the
Day of Execution.

/
story of William Going, the Choctaw In
dian, who voluntarily surrendered
himself and was executed at Alikchi, IL
the Choctaw nation, last July. Mr.
| Draper says:
He was publicly and legally exc
cuted for murder he had committed
| two years ago. Prior to the execution
Going was not in Jail, but in Cuba, thou
sands of miles away. But several days
before the date of the execution he ar
rived in Choctaw nation, having come
alone and without orders to his own ex
ecution. When he was led out to be
shot there was displayed the usual stoi
cism Of his race. He knelt and prayed
then turned to the sheriff and said:
Let the shot be true!'
1T was not true, however. Sheriff
Watson painted white spot on the
Indians barred skin, over the heart
stepped back four PAGES, and fired. The
Indian fell over and moaned piteously
for an hour, then died. So much for
an Indians idea of honor. Going de.
serted wife and riches in Cuba to
come back and die, that no disgrace
would fall upon his parents and rela.
tives in the Choctaw nation.
Probably there is no other class OF
people in the world in this respect like
the Choctaws. They believe in each
other as child believes in it's moth
er. When one Choctaw Indian tells an
other that certain thing will be done,
1T can be depended upon that it will be
done. This custom of turning a prison
er loose without bail common. ed among
the Choctaws half century ago. An
Indian murdered his sister. There was
no Jail, and the Choctaws had no money
to hire guard. After the Indian
judge had sentenced him to be shot the
former said: Now you can go free until
your execution day. Then 1 want you
to come without being told. If you fail
to obey it will disgrace your family
The Indian gave his promise and ap-
peared at the appointed time. Ever
since then ii has been the custom to
allow the condemned Indians to run
loose. Never but once has prisoner
failed to come freely and alone to his
execution. The number of Indians thus
shot within the last half century is over
100.
MANY pathetic romances are con-
nected with these executions. Indians
would leave their sweethearts or brides
to go away to death. Probably the sad
dest romance of all was that of Walla
Tonka, the Indian baseball player.
About three years ago, at an Indian
dance near Eufaula, he shot another In
dian who sought to fiirt with Tonka's
sweetheart. He was tried and SEN
fenced to be shot six months later. I'm
mediately after passing sentence the
old judge died and Walla Tonka was
legally free. The Indian girl was true
to her love and married him. Tonka,
being an expert baseball player, start
ed out that season with an Indian team
in tour through the west. Because of
the fact that he was under sentence of
death. and had no guard with him, he
was quite feature, and made several
thousand dollars. As the time for his
execution drew near, Walla Tonka went
home to his wife. Having arranged his
matters, the stoical Indian babe his
wife good-by, set out alone for the ex-
ecution grounds, and was shot to death.
Owing to the fact that William Going
was sentenced also to be shot at that
time and was reprieved, there has been
a confusion of names, and the man ex-
eeuted July ID is commonly known as
Going or Walla Tonka, which is an
error.
about ten years ago an Indian of
the Choctaw tribe killed his brother.
lie gave his promise to return, but never
did so, having left the United States. 1t
is said that so disgraced were his par
ents that they committed suicide. Gov.
Green M. Curtain, of the Choctaw ma
ton, feels proud as does every tribes
man, of the heroic conduct of the late
Going. While motion for
new hearing was on, Going left his fate
In the care of friends and went to Cuba,
enlisted under Gen. Garcia and helped
light for Cuban independence. After
the war he married senorita and
started coffee plantation. He claims
to have prospered, but when informa-
ton came that his death was decreed on |
July l3, the condemned man came
way from all that had been dear TO |
INN, and was shot at the appointed
time.
several years ago daring brave
named Coulter was sentenced to death |
or stealing. He came to the courthouse
IN the appointed day to learn that
'eprieve had been granted. He was
lngry and demanded that he be shot
Immediately. Accordingly the original
was carried out."-Leslie's
Weekly.