The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-16
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WItbIta mans Effort
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1t twas a Wichita man who attempted to
save the life Of Walla Tonaka, vino was
shot through the heart by the execution
ers in the Indian Territory last Thurs
day.
This was Major Brown. now assistant
United States district attorney in the
southern Jurisdiction Of the Indian Terri
tory.
He came up TO Wichita yesterday and
he brings back many strange stories Of
his experience in the service of the gov
eminent among the Indians.
Less than a week ago from his Office
window at Antlers in the Choctaw ma
ton, Mr.. Brown saw wagon loads of peo-
pie. Indians and whites, all going in one
direction. Whole families seemed to be
in transit, and in a little while Mr..
Brown learned that they were bound for
Alikchi to witness the shooting of Walla
Tonaka- Major Brown did not believe
that it was for the good of the people.
and particularly the little children, that
they should witness this brutal method
of execution, the Choctaw method of
shooting. The affair. to his mind, was
turned into too much Of a festival. And
he resolved to stop II. New Federal
courts have been established in the In
dian territory since the Indian courts
tried and sentenced Walla Tonaka to
death. Major Brown says that when the
Federal courts were created that moment
the Jurisdiction Of Indian courts ceased.
and that II the ak had been uplifted by
the executioner, the moment the Federal
courts were created the executioner did
not have the right TO bring the ak down.
He set this fact out in a petition for a
writ of habeas corpus. and wired 1t to
Judge Thomas at Vinita- Judge Thomas
was not there at the time, but at Musko-
gee, and returning soon from Tusla re-
ceived the petition, granted the writ OF
habeas corpus and issued an order sus-
pending the execution, an indication that
Major Browns grounds were well taken.
All this had consumed time. The day of
execution was approaching rapidly, and II
was not until Wednesday evening that
Major Brown at Antlers received the Or
der suspending execution and command
ing Choctaw authorities to have Tonaka
brought before him at Muskogee July
%. Major Brown called on Marshal Clay
at Antlers, a very able and nervy man,
and told him to go TO Aiikchi and stop the
execution. Clay's party was small. Had
It been larger. Mr.. Brown said yesterday,
1.-The execution would have been stopped
or there would have been a pitched bat
tie then and there"
Thursday morning when Marshal Clay
reached the place Of the execution. after
an all nights ride, and stated his order
TO Watson. the Indian officer, the Indian
officer said: 81 refuse to obey the order. |"
81 demand that you obey the order of
that writ in the name of the president of
the United States. am a United States
officer" said Clay.
This sent the Indian officer to thinking
and he sent a messenger to Judge
James. the Indian judge who tried and
sentenced walla Tonaka, and he, 1t Is
said. sent back word to let the execution
go ahead.
Tonaka, whose English name was VII
liam Going. was taken from the sail
blind-folded. made to kneel on a blanket.
and a red paper heart was fsciIei to his
shirt front over his heart. Then I'm the
midst of an immense crowd surrounded by
n squad of twenty-four Indian police,
with two Indians holding Tonaka by
either arm. the Indian officer leveled his
rifle and fired. Tonaka was not killed.
and fingered an hour. grooming In his
agony and at one time saying something
articulate-
Tonaka killed a cousin. He vas s.n-
terced to be shot and was once kueC.ing
OF n blanket when a reprisve came.
While under sentence he -Iaveled over tho
west as a baseball player. being Under
sentcOce of Geath at the time and HAWKS
given his word of honor that he woa:d
pppear at the place of eXoc It'"n when
senc for to be shot. pledge he kept
Major Brown thinks that all the In
dians who defied the order Of the Fed
eral judge will be punished.
1t is Mr.. Brown who is conducting the
prosecution against the witch-killers In
the Choctaw nation. It is a curious story
he tells.
Hotama is r Presbyterian minister. Q
full blood Indian of education. Som
time ago there was a great deal of sick
ness in the neighborhood among the
children. and Hotama lost one Of his
pets. He consulted DR.. Samuel Tinnathb.
hee. the Indian doctor. and DR.. Tinnatub,
bee said Il was the work of witches. thai
there were nine In the neighborhood that
ne had seen them flying through the afr
emitting balls of fire. which dropped and
touching any one gave him disease
And DR.. Tinnatubbee named nine people
I'm the neiChborhood. Hotama believinI
that he was appointed to eradicate thi:
evil sect went to the house OF Mrs. Cole
man. whom Tinnatubbee had named. and
with two Indian witnesses at his side
called her out. Mrs Coleman. a full
blood. came out. Hotama pulled down hi.
rife and said: II have come" He fired
and Mrs Coleman fell dead. He went or
with his visits. killing two othe
witches" (men) and then was stopped
Hotama. his two witnesses. Frey an,
Williams. and,Dr. Tinnatubbee. were ar
rested and had their preliminary hefor,
Commissioner B. +. Hackett at Ant.ers
Mr.. Brown conducting the case. He wen
carefully into the question of witches
He SAYS that when the subject MSS men
toned (no interpreters were used Tir:
natubbee's whole demeanor chau,ss.l. HI
eyes glittered and his face took On lool
Of the most intense belief. He swITe ira
the witches existed. that he had see1 tn
people he had named flying through IN
air and emitting balls of fire He did no
incorporate the old Salem broom-sticl
idea. But they were flying about on thei
evil mission. He was positive they wer
witches for had he not seen them wit
his own eyes? Hotama, on the witnes
stand. contended that he was doing hi
duty and had nothing to apologize for o
explain. Mr.. Brown said that he one
had occasion here IN Wichita to examin
on the stand n clairvoyant and her man