Indians had never been tried in the civil courts for their crimes on the frontier. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Army tried to keep the keep the Indians from raiding and attacking settlers. But both sides broke treaties and crossed boundaries. At that time, if Indians raided, they crossed the Red River into the safety of Indian Territory where soldiers were forbidden to go. Three Kiowa chiefs — Satank, Satanta and Big Tree — led an attack in Young County in retaliation for the earlier death of Satanta’s son. They attacked a group of teamsters carrying loads of corn and killed seven men. Since Gen. Sherman was there to see the aftermath, the Indian chiefs faced severe punishment. They were arrested and Satank committed suicide — only Satanta and Big Tree would face a jury. Neither the townspeople of Jacksboro or the army thought that the Indians would get a trial much less a real defense team....
Monday, November 10, 2008
Indian Trial Two Young County lawyers ably defended the arch villains of the frontier — Satanta and Big Tree — after the Warren Wagon Massacre. The trial was unusual and sensational in many ways.
Indians had never been tried in the civil courts for their crimes on the frontier. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Army tried to keep the keep the Indians from raiding and attacking settlers. But both sides broke treaties and crossed boundaries. At that time, if Indians raided, they crossed the Red River into the safety of Indian Territory where soldiers were forbidden to go. Three Kiowa chiefs — Satank, Satanta and Big Tree — led an attack in Young County in retaliation for the earlier death of Satanta’s son. They attacked a group of teamsters carrying loads of corn and killed seven men. Since Gen. Sherman was there to see the aftermath, the Indian chiefs faced severe punishment. They were arrested and Satank committed suicide — only Satanta and Big Tree would face a jury. Neither the townspeople of Jacksboro or the army thought that the Indians would get a trial much less a real defense team....
Indians had never been tried in the civil courts for their crimes on the frontier. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Army tried to keep the keep the Indians from raiding and attacking settlers. But both sides broke treaties and crossed boundaries. At that time, if Indians raided, they crossed the Red River into the safety of Indian Territory where soldiers were forbidden to go. Three Kiowa chiefs — Satank, Satanta and Big Tree — led an attack in Young County in retaliation for the earlier death of Satanta’s son. They attacked a group of teamsters carrying loads of corn and killed seven men. Since Gen. Sherman was there to see the aftermath, the Indian chiefs faced severe punishment. They were arrested and Satank committed suicide — only Satanta and Big Tree would face a jury. Neither the townspeople of Jacksboro or the army thought that the Indians would get a trial much less a real defense team....
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