The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11
INDIAN JUSTICE.
A Csart Conducted by ENl! Dleeds. Nhs
Convict Seven Times Out Of Ten.

Convict Seven Times out OF Ten.
WHITE EAGLE. Okla. Oct. 3.-One OF the
few full blood Indian courts remaining
may be found grinding away here ON the
reservation every Saturday, hearing miA-
demeanor cases and Furnishing members
Of the Ponca and Otoe tribes unlucky enough
to be convicted. The court convicts in
about seven out OF every ten cases.
The members Of the court are full bloods
and never speak English on the bench.
They have high idea OF their Importance,
and their rule with convicted prisoners
is to sock it to EN-" They receive
salary Of $40 month each.
The three justices are Chief Little Soldier,
Rough Face and Big Goose. The prose-
cutting attorney is the Indian agent, Major
Noble.
Court was called to order last Saturday
by Major Noble al prosecutor Little
Soldier, Rough Face and Big Goose sat
on the bench, never asking question and
gazing with sternness upon the luckless
offenders.
The court was not without human at
tributes. though. Little Soldier seemed
especially proud Of big Mexican hat gilt
tering with tinsel, which he hung occa-
sionally on his knee. Big Goose, under
the strain imposed by the Importance OF
his Office, chafed. He wanted TO smoke.
but lacked courage at first to defy the
proprietes. ..
Finally he sifted some tobacco from his
sack, rolled cigarette and compromised
by placing it unlighted between his lips.
Temptation led him on. and after the Sos
sion was well under way he struck a match
and the smoke came in clouds from h ,s
lips. "Vashti Four Eyes, come forward.
called Major Noble.
Three hundred pounds avoirdupois, in
buckskin moccasns and red wrapper,
came to the dock. She nervously seated
herself upon a chair five sizes too small
and was sworn to tell the truth.
Vashti was charged with being drunk.
Vashti began fencing, She charged FIRE
Shaker with buying whiskey.
did you drink part OF it,
Yes, that's the reason got drunk
Guilty" said the agent.
The court of three nodded approval as
one.
Then came Mrs. Fire Shaker. She pleaded
guilty Fire Shaker was called next. He
came forward with a troubled countenance.
He offered no defence.
The Chief Justice, Little Soldier, was
equal to the occasion. He began harangue
in Ponca that increased in vehemence as ne
talked. He said things to Vashti and MIR.
and Mrs Fire Shaker that should have
made them weep. He declared that their
conduct was disgrace to the nation
just as he was warming up to his best,
he put one hand on the end OF Big Goose
cigarette and suddenly felt the singing
burn. He jerked his hand away, glared at
Big Goose and then sat down, TWAS almost
an hour, and not before Major Male had
convicted half a dozen culprits, that the
members OF the court regained their full
dignity.
Elch OF the two women was fined SIS and
forbidden to leave the reservation Tor SIX
months. Fire Shaker was fined $40 and
sentenced to ten days labor on the roads:
This last was blow that made Fire
Shaker Rroggy. The Indians dislike for
manual labor may be judged by the case OF
one Indian who was fined $40 and sentenced
to work ak days on the road. he asked
that his fine be made 500 without labor
One of the last cases OF the day was ti,at
Of Hope Irontrap. woman arralgneo lot
drunkenness. She pleaded guilty, put
charged Thick Tail with having given her
Thick Tai had been a spectator up to
this point, but now he prinked up his ears.
The crowd laughed, for 1t knew what vas .Ss
court at once. He had no chance to escape.
He collapsed when Chief Justice Little
| Soldier said
sGreyba [tenl numba twol klda and
sofa [fivel bashana Ito pay kida land
umba Idayl greyba [tenl walita lworrkl 4.
which meant in plain English fine OF $2s
! and ten days at hard labor.
Chief Little Soldier was formerly. a reser-
walton policeman. A horse thief was
lodged in the reservation jail one day and
Major Jansen, the agent, wanting to learn
how far Little Soldier would carry out
Instructions, said:
Little Soldier, there is bad, dangerous Y.
man in the jail, and feel that we ought to
get rid of him. Take your rife and 90 down
to the jail and fix him.
Little Soldier looked steadily at the agent
and seeing no change In his countenance
picked up his rife apd started for the Jail.
Major Jansen thought that Little Soldier
would weaken but he gave no sign OF it,
and Little Soldier was almost at the, jail
door when Major Jansen called to him
Little Soldier seemed reluctant to return;
'What were you going to do'' asked
Major Jansen.
xiii him, said Little Soldier.
And there is no doubt that he meant It,