The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-27
THURSDAY, JULY ~, 1909.
TWELVE PAGES
FLORIDA JOURNAL oEr THE TRACK

1T is common enough to hear the Eastern
press attacking the degree and kind of civ
ilzatlon TO be found in the West and
Southwest and South, but 1t is very rarely
the case that we find Southern paper
denouncing the "barbarous conditions"
and want of civilized impulses and devel-
opment In the West
The ignorance of the Florida Times
Union, few days since, led it into a
ridiculous TRADE of abuse of the West
one that would be amusing If 1t were not
calculated to misleRd many good people
who would not knowingly do the great
West and Southwest an injustice. The
Times Union says.
Sheriff Thomas Watson OF the Indian Ter
ritory Is a sanguinary individual OF now IN
named Goings was sentenced to DEATH and
though. writ OF habeas corpus was issued
by Federal Judge Thomas. Watson deiiber
ately dehed the order, and proceeded to exc
cute the criminal. He painted "a spot over
the INDIAN heart stepped back four PAGES
rel. r!na a. ross a beneI. and orei; lie
s0o' Goi11s fell backward and inolaed Tor an
hour lefore expiring. Meanwhile water was
poured down his throa- number OF times to
hasten death by STANDARDIZATION.
This Is indeed pretty picture of Western
civilization. The law is bdden defiance and
n miserable human being brutaily tortured to
death TO satisfy dirty white scounfrelB
thirst Tor blood. II Watson feels any shame
whatever for his revolving act it IL probably
because he was such a poor marksman that
distihc' Of ~ Give feet with bis rias In ftsl.
1t may be n kind OF missionary work TO
inform the Times Union that the Ave civ
ilized' Indian tribes in the Indian Terri
hn,, hat
ernments; that they have their own courts
and sheriffs and try all cases between
Indians, even trying. sentencing and exc
cutting their own murderers. This at
least was the condition at the time Goings,
n Choctaw. who had killed another Chloe
taw, was sentenced to death. Goings got
stay of execution TO go to the war, but
true to the Indian custom came bnck for
the execution of his sentence. The dts.
trict attorney of the Choctaws and a Judge
OF the Choctaws advised the sheriff that
the Federal court had no Jurisdiction at
all and the murderer was executed after
the Choctaw custom.
1t was purely an Indian affair. No
whites were involved. The West" had
HotHluS 10 40 Win II, 1t was no measure
whatever of Western civilization" The
laws and customs and manner under which
the trial, sentence and execution took
place were under treaties made by the
Choctaws with the United States govern
ment. All the fiery breath of the Times
Union was blown against the wrong quar-
Ter. Whatever cruelty there was, was by
an Indian upon an Indian according TO
indian laws The Times Unon remarks
further after blistering the West:
II has remained for the West to present
such an example OF bold defiance and shock
ing outrage OF law and order. and We are
naturally curious TO see what those Eastern
hna western newspapers that have raised
such hue and cry against Southern lynch
iect- 80
They haven't had word to say
SO far. that The Post has been able to see
they are generally too Intelligent to rem |
der themselves ridiculous by attempting
to use Choctaw execution, even win
some cruel features. as a measure of the
civilization. culture and humanity of the
Graat Wautt