Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-01-04
INDIANS POISON TRICK.
Tarantula in a Bottle of Whisky for
Murder Purposes.

An Indian method of poisoning, for
the purpose of murder and robbery.
was recently brought to light in the
United States office of Indian affairs
On or about Feb. /, 1895, the natives
| of Vinita, [. T., We're startled at the
sudden disappearance of Jim Black
bird, haifbreed Cherokee Indian,
| whose dead body was found a week
| later N an empty freight car at Spring
field, Mo. Three bullets had pene-
trated his breast, but there was 10 evil
dence of a struggle or any means to
Identify the'body.
Vinita is a village in the northeast
ern part of Indian Territory. situated
on the St. Louis & San Francisco rail
road, where Blackbird had a family
owned a section of land, was consid-
cred quiet, and never known 10 have
any enemies However, there was
mystery about him, for at times he
would frequent the gambling-nouses
with large sums of money, which was
lost recklessly, and ms associates could
never realize how it was obtained AS
the authorities of Springfield, Mo-, bur
led the Indian in potter's field, his
family, after waiting one year for his
temperance, decided that he was
dead, and proceeded to divide his prop
erty. Legal complications arose
among the heirs, however, and as the
forthcoming, the case was laid aside
from time to time until George A.
Villere, former actor, having read
newspaper item in reference to the at
fair, decided to lay bare the facts
which heidi on June Z, to Indian Com
missioner William A. Jones and Chas
F. Larrabee, chief of the land division
of the United States Indian office. vii
lere states that he has never referred
to the murder before, as his hair
and that he has aged twenty years
since.
On being asked if he saw Blackbird
killed, Where said:
was right there when it happened
You see, had just left a stranded
theatrical company, of which I was a
member, in Ell Paso, Tex. We had been
/ playing one-night stands, and our man
ager could not endure the strain of four
weeks rainy weather, so the company
collapsed. | expressed my trunk G. @.
| D. to st. Louis, Mo, and proceeded 10
! follow it by beating or stealing my
way on freight trains. When elected
! from box car in towns along the
| route visited the various saloons, and
by singing and dancing would pick up
enough change to purchase my meals.
| In few days | found myself slowly
making my way through the Indian ma
| ton. On arriving at Muscogee, I. T.,
l scrubbed the hotel Office for my
| breakfast, then proceeded to watch for
a freight train. l watched all day, but
was not successful till about p. N.
| 1t was cold night, and while proving
! about, hunting for an open car,
| finally evaded the train hands and
crawled in the end door of big lumber
| car, and Immediately stepped on the
face Of a man who was lying down.
The few oaths he muttered as he
sprang to his feet did not alarm me.
The accident was soon accounted for,
and later he asked if had bottle Of
liquor. After informing him to the
contrary conversation ensued, dur
ing which l learned my new acquaint-
iance was cowboy, who had just re-
lceived his wages after cattle round
up in northern Texas, and was on the
way to st. Louis, Mo, to spend his
money in a general good time. He
considered railroads legitimate prey
and would not pay fare, but attired like
a tramp would rather steal his way,