Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-13
CREEK INDIAN
Sentenced to Death Selected q Friend
as His Exeoutioner.

ae Ills ENcCutioHoTs
Within the stone fence inclosing the
old Creek Council House Of okmul-
gee, I. T., stand several trees under
which a number Of Indians have been
whipped or put to death under sem
tence of the Indian courts. The last
execution in the Creek nation occurred
In the council house yard nine years
ago. and the tree, tall sycamore,
standing within a few feet Of the wall,
is pointed out to visitors as the one to
which the prisoner was tied while q
captain Of the Light Horse Guard put
him to death with a rife ball.
The prisoner was Timothy Jack and
he was sentenced by the Creek court
at Okmulgee for stabbing another In
dian to death at dance. He was SEN
fenced to be executed and, according
to the old Creek custom, was allowed
to name the person who should fire the
fatal bullet into his body.
Duke Berryhill, for many years q
captain of the Light Horse Guard Of
the Creek nation, was selected by Jack
as his executioner. 1t was a. common
practice among Indian criminals about
to be put to death to choose one OF
their best friends to do the work.
Jack had at one time been an officer
in the Light Horse Guard under Ber-
ryhill and entertained a high regard
for the captain. Berryhill performed
his task well, although 1t was a pain
full one for him.
Captain Berryhill, who Is now clerk
ing In store within view Of the scene
Of the execution, pointed out the tree
to visitor the other day.
"If you go over there and examine
that sycamore in the corner Of the
yard" he said, you can still see the
hole in the trunk where the bullet en-
tered, although it Is almost closed by
the new fiber Of the tree.
I'VE strapped the prisoner to the
tree In a standing position with his
breast exposed. Then we pinned a
round piece Of paper over his heart to
serve as target, and ! fired at that.
IT regretted the necessity Of execut-
ing Jack, but 1t was his wish and he
would scarcely have forgiven me II
had allowed any other person to fre
the shot.
Shooting was the legal form Of ex-
ecution among the Creeks. Hanging
was considered disgraceful, but to be
shot was more like the death Of SOL
dier, hence more honorable. It was
the usual custom to allow the prisoner
to select two men to execute him.
The executioners preferred this as
there was always doubt as to who
was responsible for the fatal shot
There Is an old Indian burying
ground within the limits Of Okmulgee
which has been the scene Of several
Indian executions. When such place
was chosen the prisoner was tied to
a tree near the open grave which had
been prepared TO receive his body,
The Indian seldom II ever showed
signs of fear on the, eve of his execu-
ton, as even in the last moments Of
his life he did not wish to seem a cow
ard to his fellows.
There are several trees in the coun-
ell house yard which were used for
whipping posts. Almost all crimes ex-
cept murder were punished with whip
ping, from fifty to one hundred LASH
es being laid upon the bare back OF
the offender.
"A rope was tied about his wrists
and the loose end swung over limb
of a tree. His hands were drawn
above his head, and the lashes We're
administered without regard to the
prisoners feelings.
1.-The Creeks discouraged profession
al criminals by executing a prisoner
after 1t had been found necessary to
whip him three times. This had
wholesome effect, and 1t is said there
was less crime in the Creek nation
when the old Indian laws were In ef-
feet than at the present under the re-
gime of the United States courts
Muskogee Cor. New York Sun.