Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1911-08-03
RELICS Of INDIANS
Nay Be Preserved BY the State
Of Oklahoma.
Citizens OF Creek Nation Want d
Turn Over to Commonwealth
Title TO Old National Council
House as Museum.


okmulgee, Okla Citizens of the
Greek nation are hopeful that the
state OF Oklahoma will accept title TO
the old Greek national council house
at this place, that 1t may be preserved
as a historic building and used as =
museum for the keeping of relics typ
ical Of the Creek Indians.
Ii sold for commercial purposes the
Creeks would receive perhaps less
than so cents each from the proceeds
Of the sale. sum which they would
gladly forego IL given assurance that
the building would be kept perma-
nently by the state. This was the
capitol OF the Creek nation, as Ok
mulgee was its capital, before the
tribal government was dissolved.
The building was erected In 1878, OF
native sandstone, when the nearest
railroad station was Muskogee, 40
miles distant, from which much OF the
building material was hauled by wag-
on. Its cost was about $4,000.
In this building assembled the Creek
legislature, or council, as 1t was called,
composed OF two houses, the upper
house, or house of kings" and the
lower house. or house OF warriors,
the former having 81 and the latter
ia members. In It we're also housed
the supreme court. consisting OF q
chief justice and three associate Jus
tees, the governor or principal chief,
and the subordinate national officers.
The Creek nation enacted and exc
cuted It's laws in the same manner as
the neighboring states, including cap
ital punishment. The latter was by
shooting
A large tree that still stands at the
left of the main entrance to the build.
ing was where criminals were execut-
ed. 1t was there that Jimmie Jack
was shot for the murder OF James
Brown. Jack was executed by Duke
Berryhill, in the presence OF a large
crowd of spectators. The Greek pun
ishment for stealing was 80 lashes
on the bare back for the first offense.
100 lashes for the second offense and
death by shooting for the third offense.
Prisoners were frequently whipped
under this tree, but the death penalty
for stealing. q more niggardly crime
than murder. was inflicted at another
spot In the council house yard.
The dome OF the building is sur
mounted by large gilt eagle. In one
OF the wings is hole. Wesley Bar
nett, one OF the romantic killers and
desperadoss OF the Creek country,
lifted his Winchester In the streets OF
Okmulgee one day and said he be
lieved he would wing the eagle, just
for luck. and he did. hitting the left
wing.
The old building and its shady
grounds have been the favorite meet
ing place Of the Creeks upon national
occasions, from payment days to coun-
ell gatherings. The oId-time Creek
still loves to come to OkmuIgee and
sit with old friends on the grassy
lawns and tell stories of other days
8. l. Johnson, though not a Creek
citizen, 10 seeking to induce some So
ciety or organization OF patriotic per-
sons to acquire the building, III the
state should not. and preserve it for
- 49, b /
its historical associations. There are
thousands Of relics OF Creek life scat.
tered among Greek families that
would be placed In the building IL
properly safeguarded. and many per-
sons having manuscript accounts OF
Creek history. legends and tribal lore
would gladly place them In the ar
chiveS OF such an institution.
The preservation Of this old coun.
oil house." said Mr.. johnson. "offers
the best and almost the only means
OF preserving record OF the Gus
toms and the identity OF the Creek
people. and It would be an act Of van
dalism to permit the building to be
swept away Tor the few dollars ii
would bring"