drove
me to kill Canby, gave themselves up and then run me down. If I had only known what they were doing, you men would not have had me here today with chains on my legs and with satisfied smiles on your faces, for I would have died fighting, but my people lied to me, so I would not shoot them. The men that I speak of are here now free. They fought for their liberty with my life. They all did just as bad deeds as I did when I killed that noble man Canby. I see it is too late to repent now. It is my duty to give some explanation, so that the White Father may know something of what caused me to fall. So I will say again, hoping that at least a few of my words may become known to the white people. I see no crime in my heart although I killed Canby. But why did I do it? Do you understand? I was forced to do it. I did it to save my life for awhile. I thought I would die on the battle-field fighting you white soldiers. You white people have driven me from mountain to mountain, from valley to valley, like we do the wounded deer. At last you have got me here. I see but a few days more ahead of me. If I had of got a lawyer when my trial commenced, I do not think that I and these other men would be the only ones that would have been con- demned to die. The very men that are free today would have surely been with us right now.
"What talk I put up is no good. Why, I am a murderer ! Everybody says that. That is so. Do I deny the charge? No, I do not. I did it, but I say again I had to do it. Now for the last time, I say again, I am ashamed of my coming death, but not afraid. What our White Father says is right. I must die, so this is all. I have no more to say. I see in your faces you are tired of listening to me. Perhaps some of you think I am lying, but my friends, I tell the truth. I still feel for the welfare of my young boys and girls. I hope the white people will not ill treat them on my account, for they cannot help what wrongs I did. That is the one matter and the only mat- ter that bothers me is my young people. I hope the White Father at Washington will give them a good home and start. them in life. If the government will give them a chance, they will show or prove that the government's efforts will not be in vain.
