The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-02-19
NO. 81.
INDIAN JUSTICE.

away a. W ute EdSieg OhAd-, On lne Aes-
eryation every Saturday, hearing mis-
demeanor cases and Furnishing members
Of the Ponca and Otoe tribes unlucky
enough to be convicted. The court con-
sicts 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 con-
yicted prisoners is to sock It to en-
They receive a salary Of ten dollars a
month each.
The three justices are ChiefLit Sol
der. Rough Face and Big Goose. The
prosecuting attorney is the Indian agent,
Maj. Noble.
Court was called to order one Satur-
day recently by Maj. Noble as prose-
cutor. Little Soldier, Rough Face and
Big Goose sat on the bench, never ask
ing a question and gazing with stern
ness upon the luckless offenders.
The court was not without human at
tributes, though. Little Soldier seemed
especially proud Of a big Mexican hat
gllttering with tinsel, which he hung
occasionally on bis knee. Big Goose,
under the strain imposed by the impor-
tance OF his Office, chafed. He wanted
to smoke, but lacked courage at first
to defy the proprieues.
Finally he sifted some tobacco from
his sack, rolled a cigarette and COM
promised by placing II unlighted be-
tween his lips. Temptation led him on,
and after the session was well under
way he struck a match and the smoke
came in clouds from his lips. "Vashti
Four Eyes, come forward" called Maj.
Noble.
Vashti was charged with being drunk.
vashti began fencing. She charged
Fire Shaker with buying whisky.
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 trou-
bled countenance. He offered no de-
fense.
The chief justice, Little Soldier was
equal TO the occasion. He began a ha-
rangue in Ponca that increased In We
hemence as he talked. He said things
10 Vashti and Mr.. and Mrs. Fire Shaker
that should have made them weep. He
declared that their conduct was dis
grace to the nation.
Just as he was warming up TO his
best, he put one hand on the end OF
Big Goose's cigarette and suddenly felt
the singing burn. He jerked bis hand
away, glared at Big Goose and then sat
down. Il was almost an hour, and not
before Maj. Noble had convicted half
dozen culprlts, that the members OF
the court regained their full dignity.
Each OF the two women were fined SIS
and forbidden TO leave the reservation
for six months. Fire Shaker was fined
$40 and sentenced to ten days labor
on the roads.
This last was a blow that made Fire
Shaker groggy. The Indians dislike for
manual labor may be judged by the
case Of one Indian who was fined $40
and sentenced to work six days on the
road. He asked that his fne be made
800 without labor
One OF the last cases Of the day was
that Of Hope Irontrap. woman ar
raigned for drunkenness. She pleaded
guilty, but charged Thick Tail with
having given her the whisky.
Thick Tail had been a spectator up
to this point. but now he pricked up
his ears. The crowd laughed, for II
knew what was coming. Thick Tall
was called before the court at once.
He had TO chance to escape. He COL
lapsed when Chief Justice Little Sol
der said:
"Greyba (ten) numba (two) kida
(and) sofa (iye) bashana ito psy) kida
(and) umba day greyba (ten) walita
(work)." which meant in plain Eng
lish a fine Of sos and ten days at hard
labor.
Chief Little Soldier was formerly
reservation policeman. A horse thief
was lodged In the reservation jail one
day, and Maj. Jansen, the agent, want
ing TO learn how far Little Soldier would
carry out instructions, said:
Little Soldier, there IS bad. dan
gerous man in the Jail. and feel that
we ought 10 get rid Of him. Take your
rife and 90 down TO the Jail and nx
him"
Little Soldier looked steadily at the
agent and, seeing no change in his
countenance, picked up his rife and
started for the Jail. Maj. Jansen
thought that Little Soldier would
weaken, but he gave no sign OF II, and
Little Soldier was almost at the jail
door when Maj. Jansen called TO him.
Little Soldier seemed reluctant TO re-
turn.
What were you going to do?" asked
Maj. Jansen.
xii him." said Little Soldier.
And there Is no doubt that he meantit
Nailed IN Church noor.