The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-13
REMARKABLE EXECUTION.
choctaw Indian Condemned to Death,
Is ParolIed and Returns to Be Shot.

The last execution of it's kind occur
red last Thursday at Alikchi, in the
Choctaw Indian nation, when William
Going, a full-blooded Choctaw, was
publicly shot to death for a murder
committed two years ago. At that
time he became involved in a quarrel
with his uncle, a sheriff, and shot him
dead.
Going was Immediately tried and SEN
| fenced to be shot in September. 1897,
when Walla Tonka, the Indian base
ball player, met his fate. But Going s
case was reheard, and he was reprieved
for two years. Going remained in the
Choctaw Nation until the Maine was
blown up in Havana harbor, when he
| notified mis- friends to keep him posted
and set sail for Cuba.
1t has been a custom in the ChoctaW
nation for 80 years to sentence a mar
to be shot for murder or theft, then turn
him loose without bond or restraint
for SIX months, if he gives his word
to the court to return promptly on his
| execution day. This custom was
| brought about by necessity. When the
| tribe first came west, about so years
ago, an Indian murdered his sister for
some trivial disobedience. The judge
sentenced him to be shot six month.
later. 1t was discovered then thai
there was no jail and no money in the
| treasury to employ guards. The judge
said to his prisoner: Il will release
you until execution day, when you mus
return or be forever disgraced, as wei
as your relatives. Do you promise t.
come back?" The redskin gave his wore
and ever since then Choctaw Indians
| have been turned loose with only theil
| promise to return; and while over one
hundred have been executed, only one
| Indian failed to keep his word. Sc
great disgrace did his parents fee
that they committed suicide The
| Indian had killed his brother. This in
cident is recorded as occurring only ter
years ago. The Indians name was
Coulter
Excluding this disgrace upon the
Choctaw tribal custom, every condemn
ed man has proven himself hero. He
has kept his promise under peculiar
circumstances. which no other man
would probably do There are many
romances that are heartrending in de-
tail connected with this peculiar Chloe
taw custom. Many a brave redskin
has left his wife and babies to go out
to fulfill promise when he could Just
as well have not appeared. To detail
the numerous executions would fill
pages. Probably one of the saddest
chapters of the story Ia the history of
Walla Tonka, whose name has been err
roneously confused with William Go
ings.
Tonka and Going are two different
persons entirely. Both were sentenced
to be shot Sept. l, 1897. Tonka was
shot, but Going was reprieved.
Walla Tonka was one Of the hand
soonest Indians of the tribe. He loved
a pretty white girl. as did another
Choctaw. The rivals met at a green
corn dance near Eufaula. The two
grasped their pistols and Tonka's rival
fell dead. The Indian was sentenced
to die on Sept. 1. The judge who
passed the sentence soon died, and wild
flowers nodded on his grave Tonka
married his pale face maiden and went
away to join a base ball team; yet nc
one doubted he would keep his
promise. Tonka was a feature" and
made hundreds Of dollars that season.
A week before the execution he re-
turned to his white wife, gave her his
earnings, and prepared to die On the
day OF his execution Tonka came alone,
bright and early. His death was he
roic. He made speech, stating he
was glad that he killed his rival, even
though death did part him from loved
ones. And SO it went. Every year
some indian brave came and knelt on
the ground before the public execution
house at Alikchi. A sheriff barred the
prisoners breast, painted a white spot
over his heart, blindfolded him, and
tied behind him the condemned mans
hands. Then withdrawing a few PAGES,
a Winchester was poised a shot rang
out, and a brave prisoner died Who IS
there among the English race who,
without bond, would go alone to his
execution merely because he had prom
ised? AS the Choctaws are now under
jurisdiction of the United States, these
executions will be no more, Goings
having been the last.
Going was in the Cuban army under
Garcia. After the war he married a
senorita and settled down on a coffee
plantation. Not long ago the Choctaw
judge decided Going must die. He set
the date July 10. The Indian far away
in Cuba received letter. He read his
fate. Your execution day is set for
July 49," That is all it said He was
not even told to return. But Going
bade his wife farewell and came to the
Choctaw nation. On July 10 he APP
peared to Sheriff Watson, stating he
was ready. A correspondent who saw
L.
"A few minutes before Going was led
out four Choctaws appeared bearing a
coffin. 1t was deposited In front of the
court house, near where quilt was
spread. The condo 9lned man, support
ed by Sheriff Watson and a deputy and
escorted by twenty light horsemen,
marched down the line of spectators.
He babe them good by. Going then
knelt on the quilt blindfolded The
sheriff barred his bosom, painting 4
spot over his heart, stepped back four
PAGES rested a Winchester across a
bench and fired. The bullet entered the
breast, but missed the spot. Going fell
backward and moaued piteously for an
hour before expiring Water was poured
down his throat number of times to
hasten death by strangulation. While
Attorney Clay remarked to your cor
respondent We are making history +"
Federal Judge Thomas had ordered
a respite, but the Choctaw Judge re-
fused to pay any attention and ordered
that the execution proceed. Choctaw
police were present to prevent United
States deputy marshals from interior
ing.
1t might be added that Walla Tonka,
the other Choctaw whose execution is
described above, was so valued mem
Der of the base ball fraternity that the
greatest efforts were made by them to
save him But tie exhortations and pc
titions of countless clubs and associa-
lions throughout the country proved
utterly futile.-CoIller's Weekly.
RECENT INVENTIONS.