The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-06-15

|
asked him to defend the rights of the
Indian.
There IL no money in II, but there
is fame, honor and glory" said Tib.
bles.
Webster took the case and asked
Judge A. j Poppleton, then general
counsel for the Union Pacific, to as.
sist him In making the argument.
| Poppleton agreed and then a writ of
habea5 corpus was applied for in the
| United States court at Omaha, over
which presided Judge Dundy.
The Famous Trial.
II was the most notable trial ever
| brought In the west and in fact, the
scope was as wide as any ever tried
in the United States, for by its deci.
sion 100000 people were made citi-
2ens.
Thomas II. Tibbes attended every
session OF the court. Hear in his own
words, what he has to say of it:
The courtroom was crowded with
fashionably dressed women and the
clergy, which had been greatly stirred
by the incident, were there in force.
Lawyers, every one in Nebraska
ka and many from the big eastern
cities business men; General Crook
and his staff in their dress uniforms
(this was one of the few times in his
life that Crook wore full dress in
public; and the Indians themselves,
in their gaudy colors. The courtroom
was a galaxy of brilliancy.
"On one side stood the army officers,
the brilliantly dressed women and the
white people; on the other was Stand
ing Bear, in his official robes as chief
of the Poncas, and with him were his
leading men. Far back in the audi.
ence, shrinking from observation, was
an Indian girl who afterwards became
famous as lecturer in England and
America. She was later known on
both continents by a translation Of her
Indian name, In-st-the-am-ba, Bright
Eyes.
Attorney Poppleton's argument was
carefully prepared and consumed six
teen hours in the delivering occupying
the attention of the court for two days
On the third day Mr. Webster spoke
for six hours. And during all the pro.
ceedings the courtroom was packed
with the beauty and culture of the
city.
Towards the close Of the trial the
situation became tense. AS the
wrongs inflicted on the Indians were
described by the attorneys, indigna.
ton was often at white heat and the
Judge made no attempt at suppressing
the applause which broke out from
time to time. For the department, Mr.
Lambertson made a short address, but
was listened to in silence.
"It was late in the afternoon when
the trial drew to a close. The excite
ment had been increasing. but IT
reached a height not before felt when
Judge Dundy announced that Chief
Standing Bear would be allowed to
make a speech in his own behalf. Not
one in that audience beside the army
officers and Mr.. Tibbles had ever heard
, an Grafton by an Indian. All of them
, had read of the eloquence of Red Jack
, ct and Logan and they sat there won
. dering If the mild looking old man,
with the lines Of suffering and sorrow
on his brow and cheek, dressed IN the
full robes of an Indian chief, could
make a speech at all. 1t happened
that there was good interpreter pres
{ ent-one who was used to Chief Talk.
An Ino,an's Great Speech.
, standing Bear arose. Half facing
the audience, he held out his right
hand and stood motionless so long
: that the stiffness of death which had
[ settled down on the audience became
, at the judge, he said:
! THAT hand is not the color of
. yours, but if | prick it, the blood will
y flow and l shall feel pain. The blood
Z is of the same color as yours. God
q made me and | am man. | never
. committed any crime. II | had,
, would not stand here to make de.
q fense. | would suffer the punishment
: and make no complaint
e "Still standing, half facing the au
s dience, he looked past the Judge out
e of window as il gazing upon some
a thing far in the distance, and contin
|
ued:
d "I seem to be standing on the high
: banks of great river with my wife
o and little girl at my side. l cannot
o cross the river and impossible cliffs
f arise behind me. | hear the noise Of
o great waters; l look and see floot
a coming. The waters rise to our fee
and then to our knees. My little gir
r stretches her hands towards me anc
n says: save me-"
h "I stand where no member of m!
race ever stood before. There is NJ
z, tradition to guide me. The chiefs whC
d preceded me knew nothing of the cir
v cumstances that surround me. l hea
N only my little girl say: save me-" II
d despair look towards the cliffs behinC
me and seem to see dim trail tina
rae