The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1901-08-29
Willis Nichols Acquitted.

"A bS1SEL1CaO A1NOOC
night from Helena, saying that the jury
in the United States court had brought
in a verdict Of acquittal in the Nichols
case, after ten minutes deliberation'
The verdict is no surprise 10 the PEG
pie of this section, who are familiar with
the reputation of the defendant and the
lack of such an attribute in the persons
behind the prosecution. Last fall, I'd
die Jack, a Blood Indian who had been
recognized as a member of the Piegan
tribe. while on a spree with another In
! dian known as Adam White Man, and
Jesse j. Morgan, who is three quarters
white, fell of his horse and WAS dragged
and kicked to death. Morgan and Adj
am were arrested at the Instance OF the
Indian agent, Maj. Monteath, and con
fined in the guard house at the agency
pending an investigation. 1t is reported
that the prisoners were r~eticent at first,
but when it was made clear to them
that some one must su fer for the accid-
ent, il suddenly occurred to them that
Willis Nichols had sold whiskey to Nor
gan, who for the purposes Of the ease,
was represented to be an Irdian, and i'm
mediately the Wheels of justice began to
~revolve. Nichols was arrested and held
to the United States court, where he
! stood trial at the November term, the re
suit being a hung jary, Under ordinary
circumstances, the maximum penal y be.
ing but two years imprisonment and
a fine of three hundred dollars, the pros
ecution would have consideredt the jury's
disagreement as a virtual acquittal, but
in this particular case the peerless Geo,
Bird Grinnell, White Prophet and Purse
Bearer to Mrs. Big Nose, took it upon
5 himself, 50 ii is said, to besiege the va
rious departments Of the general gov
ernment until the attorney general Of
the Quilted States ordered that the case
: be vigorously prosecuted. Grinnell was
2 unacquaintcd with the facts OF the case
! but probably saw in the conviction of
Nichols an opportunity 10 count one
more coup as the apostle CT he indians,
Z and hestitated not to put an innocent
1 man in jeopardy in order that his morbid
ambition might be salts fed. Having
F., become acquainted with the line Of pros
ecution, Nichols had no difficulty at the
: second trial, Just completed, in securing
Q the testimony of prominent and reliable
citizens to give the lie to his prosecutors.
This trial has demonstrated the neces-
sity of Furnishing the Indian himself fol-
drunkenness, for although the law de-
) clares him to be a competent witness, IN
any matter that affects him personally
8 the elasticity of his sense Of truthfulness
!, is too we'll known to need comment. II
. a drunken Indian is thrown into the
e guard house for so days by the agent
and compelled TO work out his salvation
70 on the agency wood pile, his trips to tow
in search of the ardent will be few anc
, far between, but if he is made the heroiC
3 victim OF a crime charged against an IN
ID nocens man, taken to Helena at The
o. governments expense and general!
70 petted in order that some one may b'
cincsed, he vii! continue to get all thu
yhiskey he warts, for there are hoater
IL enough willing to furnish the Indian
st. liquor without fear of arrest. In his re
ply to Inspector McConnell's charge
I'd Grinnell seems to claim the glory for tn
u last prosecution and he may now prid
himself on The fact that his strenuoslt
cost the government a considerable SUI
50 OF money besides causing an incocen
rs man to 90 broke in defending himsel
let against what looks suepiciously like
us conspiracy. The White Prophet Is
great success as a freak exhibit at annu'
tie sun dances, but he should not wave h
lly grimy breech ciout at the courts.
~ r.