The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-08
MURDER A TRIBAL CUSTOM.
4 TvI0UE DEFENCE IN 4 FAR
WESTERN INDIAN Trial.
kaus~ Doctor don't Cure To,.roS's
rather. 80 the sons Friend Poisoned
Her ~ peru Say That This Ii Justi-
nahle ami Tho jury sympsthiyed.

ner-Fy peru Say That This Is Jusu-
nable AMI tho Jury symPsthiyed.
ParlANp. Ore, Dec. THE cheerful
belief Of the Indians that the proper thing
to 90 With an unsuccessful medicine man Is
20 LIZ tim on as speedily as possible caused
tue .Uispning Of a native woman doctor
IN ,ys Cmatilla Reservation a a ago.
,ss, week the two Indians concerned
ir. she poisoning were brought to trial for
h. second time, after having been sem
fenced 70 be hanged and having the sem
,erce upset, and their defence was this
ancient custom Of the tribe.
II was argued so e~loquently that the jury
of white ia rmers. In finding the prisoners
guilty OF murder In the first degree, struck
out the word capital in citing the punish
m.nt to he inflicted, as they had the power
TO do. and the Indians escape with the
tenalty af life imprisonment.
An odder plea and a more picturesque
q nal hove never been known here. The
court room was almost wholly occupied
tv a throng Of silent Indians In the red
viiye. blue and green striped blankets,
furnished to the wards Of the nation at the
ar ncies. 30 that the tribunal had q semi
70 srvation aspect.
On one side. in contrast to the black
clad attorneys near them. sat the prin-
drals, whose lives hung ON the outcome
Of the trial. They sat mute through the
,r4al, understanding little OF nothing Of
T.. and though Columbia George, In his
testimony. did his best TO hang his fellow
defendant, Toy-Toy. both blanket-covered
figures crouched together in apparently
- - $3.50. Zach o<sannad IN Yaal that
he was in the hands Of the palefaces and
n~aleface ways were beyond comprehen sion.
The woman who was killed was ma
Edna. She had grown old dosing the
Indians, but that didn't help her. Toy
Toys father had been doctored by her and
he had died. 40 that was considered justi-
fcation for putting her out OF the way.
Toy-Toy and Columbia George were
chums. they talked IL over and q few
DAYS after the patients death Columbia
George rode up TO the doctor.s cabin,
and eft her 10 digest il. died In great
agony twenty minutes later. after accusing
lie didn't deny II. but pleaded that he
sad simply done his duty and didnt realize
that he was doing, any wrong. Toy,Toy,
on his part, said that IN woman's death
didn't matter much. but II It did, Columbia
George was responsible: He CToy-Toy)
hadn't anything 10 do with IT,. q.
This ia the Indian story Of the crime and
view Of moral responsibility for II. as given
Internationally by Columbia George on
Il am very sorry. Inever thought about
killing her any way. 1t was Toy-Toy's
fanl, He asked me 70 kill her l met
Tov-Toy In a Pendleton saloon
.Toy-Toy asked for a bottle Of whiskey,
and We took a few drinks, He said: Let's
XIII that old woman She 10 an Indian
Lo,,or She killed nv father
+ said: She came near killing me too.
We kept on drinking and got pretty drunk
Then I consented.
sWe went TO the drug store to get the
poison. | don't know II was Toy
roy said: Get medicine TO kill coyotes
'He STAYED outside and watched while
went in after II. He gave me q quarter
to huy the stun with. I then got q bottle
uf alcohol for 50 cents.
Toy said. Let's 60 and mix II and have
I, all ready We went to the bridge, .
mile and a half from Pendleton.. Toy-Toy
half filed the flask with water and put In al
cohol and poison. He shook 1t q long time.
Then he said; Lets 30 h.ck 70 town
town. but could not And her. Then Toy
Tov told me to 60 up TO her house and give
II TO her.
L went to her house and offered II to
her She took a drink. Then ! went rack
to town and met-Toy Toy We went home
.NtAl W. $3.50
again. and We saw a crowd about Anna
F1na's house. / said: She must he dead
Toy-Toy said, Let's run away. l said
! would not nun away DO we were
arrested
vas the Indians belief In ~witchcraft and
their impression that tbs woman, doctor
was 9 witch II was played for all II was
worth. Columbia Georges wife swore
that Anna Edna had caused deaths by witch
craft and. therefore, II was night that she
same thing The chief o. the tribe said 80.
Cro-sefamined he admitted he knew
that there was q law OF the white men
against the Indians killing anybody. but
said he didn't -ee that hat mai,ered much,
and The privilege 81 Killing them was al
Old one among the Indians.
4 misn-llaneou- lot 81 ndlan eIperts
was called 20 bolster zap this remArkabis
defence But ths bottom was knockei
out ~ their testimony Nv one OF the az
Dr VILLAIN 7 Williamson u Salem,
Mas asked Ia give an opinion a. "a ia.
rules ~ Law and ~ medical sthic- in regard
~ Tho mental capacity and moral f,c-I"n-
-Ihllty q Anerfcan Indians who i-IlsNe
~ wttchoraft. said that N indiaIis had
frerrnt o,,I.. III law and religion ftom
hit.. that might tend 10 h~--n tlsif
entail responsibility The prosecuting
attorney promptly asked N tbs sAnne code
- rthio- would not apply To D 'hlnr-e
90 n" y hate psrrons bruught up h orinlhai
d'.'ess and Dr. Williamson admitted
af = would
nlrue Aitomeys for the def-noe poured
'rl s'rams q sl,sIu.nu. o. destroy
GOO iupr~iun left by thu admisslnn
lias dtsi the bslisf in sitchorah anhuiis
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o. fuli n tho xitdl isvulnSs W. Nee
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