The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-05
TO DEATH
ON DRUMHEAD.
Some Noted Trials and Exeeu.
tons in the Army
and Navy.
~ EN-. OTIS from the far-oY Philip
~ pines has expressed his wish I a.

~ EN-. OTIS from the far-o1 Phi lip
r.. pines has expressed his wish I al
~ President Mckinley allow the ex-
ecution OF the sentence OF death passed by
a coGrt-Enartial upon two soldiers found
guilty OF assault upon TWO Filipino native
women. From the nature OF the otTense
and In view Of the commanding generals
recommendation the belief seems to be that
the president Will not interfere with the
shooting OF the two condemned enlisted
men.
The articles @. war in tho regulations
governing the army and navy provide that
10 death sentence shall be carried )ut
without the approval Of the chief execu-
tive Times have been in the twin services,
however. wnen the exigencies Of discipline
have seemed 10 demand that soldiers and
sailors should he shot or strung up with
out waiting for word either Of approval or
disapproval from headquarters at WASH
ington. A few OF these summary execu-
tons mark the last chapters OF some OF
the most thrilling tales Of campaign life
on sea and land
One OF the earliest OF these death ex-
ampies'' set by commanding officers In the
field who constituted themselves the last
reviewing authority was that Of quarter
breed Seminole Indian who enis,ing in
the United States army, endeavored %
betray the brave little band OF Maj Dade
to the hostile reds in the everglades OF
Florida. The story OF this execution and
OF the circumstances leading TO II Ia but
little more today than army tradition.
the whole thing being involved In much
mystery. Not long after the shooting OF
the quarter breed Dade's entire command
was annihilated by the Seminoles. Amos,
the only thing which today recalls that
tragedy Of the swaInps Is a plain white
marble shaft which rises at West Point
not far from Kosciuskos garden TO COM
memorate the death OF Dade and Of his
300 intrepid followers.
Osceoia, tho chief Of the Seninoies saw
q number Of his subordinate leaders sign
a treaty with the whites by which the
Indians land was to be given up. Osceola
asked to sign the paper. stepped forward,
drew his hunting knife and struck its
blade through the document and deep into
the desk upon which II was laid. There
Is my signature" he said and strobe from
the room. From that instant war was
on. One OF the witnesses OF this fearless
act was the soldier whose blood was one
quarter Indian. It stirred In him an ad-
niration for Osceola that made him swear
to himself later to aid the Indian chiefs
cause familiarity with the country on
the part OF the quarter breed led Dade to
select him as guide. The soldier led the
command straight TO an ambush. which
was discovered by a fortunate circum-
stance Just in time to save the command
from the aunihi!ation which. however,
came later. There WAS drunlhead court
martial. The guide was sentenced 10 be
shot AZ sunrise His last requests were
granted. He removed from his person all
signs OF the uniform OK the United States.
He put on legeings and hunting shirt OF
deerskin. THen this man, three-quarters
white and only one-quarter red. sang the
death song Of the Seminole Indians. and
died with five bullets in his breast.
II q man will picture 10 himself the
sensation that there would have been In
the United States IL Admiral Dewey had
strung up TO the yardarm until he was
dead the sun OF Secretary Of War Alger
on the charge OF mutiny and had done
this without communicating with the au-
thorities at Washington he may get some
adequate idea Of the excitement OF the
American people in the year 1913, when