Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-06-17
Some Chcrnl,cc Hlstory.

some
To The World: / read with much,
pleasure the various articles which
appear in your paper from time TO
time pertaining 10 old-time Cherokee
affairs and traditions. as contributed
by some writer at Tahleguah. okla.
In the March g. 1917. issue I see
the article "Ousted outlaw With
Charge of Dynamite" by the same
writer The description by the writer
"a 10 the facts Of the killing Of
Deputy Marshal Dan Naples and the
outlarry OF Ned Christie are err
rOneouE. but are iu accord with the
opinion Of the general public at the
time OF the occurrence. while the
tragic death Of Ned Christie is given
rs IL actually occurred
was IL resident Of TahleQuah at
this time, and was the third man to
reach the wounded officer as he lay
upon the ground whNe he fell when
shot also rendered all the assist
ance l could TO discover who II was
that killed United States Deputy
Marshal Dan Naples shall give the
facts as they would have developed
thru witnesses had Ned Christie been
permitted TO surrender and stand
trial at Fort Smith, Ark, as was his
intention.
This is of historic value to the
Cherokee nation being the covert
act" that aroused the antagouism of
the representatives. from Arkansas,
thru whose persistent action and in
fluence in Washington has brought
about the great change in the affairs
Of the Cherokee people, viz: The an
nulment Of their laws and the allot-
ment OF their lands This statement
can be relied upon as authentic:
In the spring Of 1889 Dan Naples,
United states deputy marshal, late
one afternoon drove into the town Of
Tahloquah, l. T. and camped on the
flat above what is known as the Sem
mary spring. about two hundred
yards north Of the spring Naples.
leaving his man 10 arrange the camp,
walked up into town, entered the
store of j. W. Staler II Sons, where
there was a telephone connecting
with Fort Gibson. He told Mr.
Stapler that he would like to call up
Fort Smith, and asked when would
be the best time to talk without be
ing overheard. and being told that
after the store was closed would be
the best time, he stepped out into the
street. A man (whom we will call
Jones. making purchases at the couu-
ter overheard this conversation. Not
having time to take his goods home
and return before closing up time,
hid the goods in an old building
across the street and waited. Pres
entity he saw the clerks closing the
store, saw Dan Naples enter; then
Jones walked TO the rear end Of the
building, where the telephone was lo-
h. B., 4, d.,
side view by n high board fence
There he heard Naples call Fort
Smith, asking that warrants be is
sued and sent up by the first mail for
"Old Lady" Schell and Mandy
Springston. Jones then crossed the
street took his goods he had hid, and
went north thru the alley leading
past the Two churches to the resi-
dence of Bill Triplet in the north part
OF town. Stepping in at Triplets,
where there was fddling and dancing
going on at the time, Jones called
Bud Trainor out told him of Dan
Naples message. Trainor stepped
back inside, told Taylor Paris and
they, with their six shooters, hur-
ried to the two main crossings OF the
creek. Paris stopped and stood
guard at the footlog just below the
deep hole. Trainor crossed the
creek. procseded to the other footlog
leading to me seminary spring.. As
he passed the spring he saw Ned
Christie lying on the ground in a
drunken sleep with his coat beside
him. Trainor, noticing the glare of
his white shirt, picked up Christie's
coat and put it on, then hastened to
the foouog. BY the side of this foot
log stood sapling about six or eight
inches in diameter leaning slightly
over the water Leaning against this
sapling and partly protected by 1t,
IIainor awaited the coming of Dan
Naples on another footlog little
further down the creek leading from
Big Jinneys' to Mrs. Leosiers.
Humphrey the darky blacksmith,
stood watching Trainor's actions. lie
moved on across the creek where he
could see the south approach to the
.ootlog. across from where Trainor
stood. In few minutes he saw
Naples coming to the footlog, saw the F.
shooting. saw Naples fall, saw
rrainor run back to where Ned
Christie lay, shake him, give him
back his coat, and start Christie off
lp the road east while Trainor ran
vest. Ned Christie still drunk and I.
'ictpS' spent tHt hlSnt IN thlCkct ]
IN the hill east of town in the early
morning Christie started to town. /.
Meeting some friends, he was told bv /.
hem that a United States marshal |
vas killed and that he was accused
If the killing, and they advised him .
o go on the scout. which he did.
The one shot fired by Dan Naples .
truck bottle which was in a pocket |
'f the coat worn by the person doing |
ho shooting from the othar side of .
he creek, breaking the bottle. the
1eck of which fell in the water at the .
DOT of the sapling against which he .
vas leaning. This bottle neck was
ltteryard identified by "Old Lady" /
'chell as being one that she,had sold /
o Ned Christie fun Of whisky. and
rot having a cork, she tore piece
rom her dress and made a stopper
or it.
Ned Christie employed two Chero
see lawyers, f. c. Boudinot and r
VI. Wolf who, with their friends.
worked diligently on the case Chris
le would come to town every few
lays TO see how the case was coming
bout twilight. He would spend an
Iour or two with his lawyers in their +,
'ttice and then depart as he came.
flowing himself to he seen only by
very few With his case wen in
land, he finally decided he would 20
o Fort Smith, give up and stand ,
lis trial. About this time peputv =
larshal Isabel of Vinita, with a,
osse came down on a hunt for Ned
,hrisue. They met; both raised their