Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-04

Two years ago a Choctaw Indian by the
name OF Tonaka murdered his uncle In cold
blood. He was tried under the tribal laws
and sentenced to be shot but as Tonaka
belonged to a base ball club, for which
he was making money, an appeal was made
to the chief and the Indian paroled for
the season, with the understanding that
when 1t was over he would appear for i'm
mediate execution. The season ended and
on the appointed day the noble red man
was on hand, ready to die The execution
ers were placed, Tonaka took drink OF
Arkansas mountain dew and struck an atu-
tude to receive the death avenging bullets,
but at that juncture, as always appears
in the yellow-backed penny dreadfuls, a
lone horseman might have been perceived
in the distance frantically urging his foam
covered steed forward and waving a paper
In the air. OF course, the fire was held
for any eXecutioner who knows his business
would realize that a reprieve was rapidly
approaching Tonaka breathed what APP
peared to be sigh of relief, took another
sample of the dew and went back to the
ball business for the six months more he
had to live. Then the papers took up the
wondrous story and held forth long, If not
learnedly, on the superior virtues of the
race to which il was the prisoners good
fortune to belong At the expiration oil
the reprieve a precisely similar scene was
enacted, even down to the potations of dew
and again the peerless hero returned to the
diamond This time the plaudits of the
press were more extensive than ever
Throughout the season poor Lo played as
though his untutored mind never enter
tanned visions of death on the first day OF
March, in the present year of grace, and
of course, the story of his herosm drew
crowds to witness the games, much to the
delight of the managers. Promptly last
"Wednesday Tonaka showed up for the third
time to be shot and of course the proper
stay of execution arrived in time not tc
interfere with the next ball season. II
might be uncharitabe to suggest how easy
it would be for the degenerate white man
to show up for execution If he were per-
fectly satisfied it was a part of free ad
vertising scheme and there should be nc
more deadly feature about it than the Ar.
kansas dew, but the dispassionate judge
must conclude from the heroic proceedings
in connection with this celebrated case that
unless Tonaka intends to drive some mem.
Der of one of Kansas Citys black bottom
teams to maui him over the head with a
bat he is risk any insurance company
would take, notwithstanding the impending
sentence of DEATH
The step that Chill has taken toward dis
armament, in reducing the army and adver.
tising her cruisers for sale, no longer leaves
any doubt as to the impression the czar's
advice and a bankrupt treasury have left
upon it.
From latest advices it appears that Presi-
dent Alonzo of Bolivia is retreating with
his eightythree generals in command Of
250 troops, before Slightly superior force
of the enemy" Evidently if the president
cannot create a detection and send some Of
those pursuing generals back to harvesting
corn he is in bad way
The New Jersey legislature in voting
sword to Admiral Sampson has performed
the second act of the kind in the history
of the state. Just after the Mexican wal
the state presented a handsome gold hilted
sword studded with diamonds to Captain
Samuel French for distinguished herosm al
the battle of Cherubusco. Captain French
was the idol of New Jersey for a time, but
when the civil war came on he cast his
fortunes with the south and was made 6
colonel of artillery, only to be killed in the
battle of Antetam.