The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-11
Tahlequah's Legends
Relate First Suicide
In CherOkees' Prison

rpocla' to The world
TAIiLEG tAH Tho only man
who slow himself whll, lu tY,
cherokee national prison hero
awaiting tho day for his execution
un ,hc gallows. was aided lu 1,.
complaining his purpose Toy SMALL
.hUd Th's ,hlld. a rir Vus goo
young TO rfllizc that shr should NOT
have conn lied wlth request made
hN tho cot. '",nucd man io sH,ur'
and slip to him a Knife or o p,.co
OF knife blade. During many Years
many persons have spcOulUiDd Ja TO-
bow the prisoner managcd TO- s.curr
the piece OF blade with which ho
cut hia iuplar vein aud cheated th"
gtliows, but the mystery was cleared
up whom some weeks ago fh,rr ar
rived in Tahloquah q former citizen
who as boy had expected to ac-
cure entrance to tho prlqon grounds
ana witness the haugihg at close
rlngc.
william tucker. living "out on
tourlccn Mite creek as DO i~ to-
lated imbihrd whisky iu consider
able quantity and whilc thoroughly
auuYod shot and Killed man who
was hie friend but had mo- kuowl-
edge OF having committed tho crime
until placed under arrest. n" had
not the faintoat recollection Of tho
shooting and when brought to trial
could say nothing In his own behalf.
Consequently he was convicted and
sontenccd to cNpiuto his crime ON
tho gallowa. which thcU stood grim
and sinister. In IN" yard surround
ing the prison. As the days passed
by Tucker realized hat there was
NO possibility of escape ana no hope
aT a Ia, itr. Ia
partment He had siain man
without proNocation and must pay
the penalty but he had a horror of
the gallowa and II there waa nothing
but death for him he desired tn die
In some other way than with a rope
about his neck. Therefore he hogan
srhominK Tho warden Of the pria-
on designated officially as tho high
sheriff lived In the upper portion
ot the building and had a family of
small children, The oldest was n
about the yard ana pccrcd In
through the strong iron bars Of tho
low window at tho condemned
man within Finally the man
made friends with the girl" and a
few days before the date Of cxocu-
tion asked her to hand blm = knife
or knife blade IL she Gould secure
such She readily agreed to do s,
and soon passed . portion Of blade
through the bars. Tucker managed
10 hide the fragment and soon after
whettcd 1t to razor-liko keerncas.
Finally the day preceding that sot
for his execution came and passed
Dway.
Darkness came and tho man who
was TO he hanged on the morrow
was locked in his cell. outside all
was In readiness. Tho rope had been
tcsted and the trap and trigger
mada ready, soon after sunrise "A
great crowd OF people would assem-
bile, some TO climb into the trees
outside the high board fence, 70 as
to behold the condemned man
mount the gallows steps and make
his exit from the world. AT least
such was the anticipation of many
but Tucker. in his cell, knew better
II he could hold his nerve thcre
would he no public hanging and he
may have smiled Erimly when he
thought Of tn" disappoint mcnt OF
the popula1c ana the surprise of the
warden and his guards Locked in
the deep slumber of childhood. the
little girl knew lothing Of the COM
ing tragedy.
Just at what hour tho condemned
man yielded the piece of knife
blade no ono ever knew, but when,
early in the morning AN official
went to the door to ascertain what
Tucker desired for his last break
fast there was no response To his
call and upon entering the cell II
was found that there would he no
hanging. Lying upon his bed, very