Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-02-15
The cruelties Of the rna.ans..

In our paper lately we gave the narrative Of a
Mrs. Wilson, who recently madeihe escape from
the Comanche Indians. Her account of her suf-
sIng and III treatment seems 70 e almos, liner.
ana IN this enlightened age, there are any tribes,
associated with the whites who could be guilty of
such barbarities. We learn however, from Ma
l1of Steen, Nof the United States Army. WHO has
been stationed in New Mexico, and as had much
intercourse with these and other Indians, that the
narrative is not at all likely to lie over@rought-
he has given us a narrative, of females whom he
has released from the Indians, that even exceeds
Mrs Wilson'S account of suffering In one in.
stance he released fpe Mexican girls. The In
dtans had attacked Mexican ranch, murdered The
parents and men. The boysIthey train to be more
savage ndbsutal than themselves, the women and
females they use for all kinds of drndgery and the
most ilcehtious purposes. The Major infofmsus
that among the fvetakens from the Indians there
was little eirl'of aboutniae or ten years-thst
she had been compelled TO drive cattle, stolen
from her tathers ronch, q distance OF more than
three hundred miles. She was bare. footed,s and
the fhorns OF the cactus were planted in-hsr feet
seemingly as thick ps the hair on a,man's head
Inc soles OF her feet had burst fiom the irritation,
ana some oil her toes were protruding from the
flesh, and the bones were exposed, Her whole
body was bruised and imangled from lwhippings,
and The piercing of spears which the old sqnaVs
carry Thelother four girls, older than this one,
were ,e in n, nearly the same condition. With mucn
diclltyihe secured possession OF them, and after
proper treatment,eand supplying themiwith neces-
sary clothing, &c.,a which had to be- done at the
private expense of the officers Of the post, (he
United States Government having no fluid Tor
charitable purposes) they were sent to their rela-
tiyes in Mexico! u " Ma I'll ~
MaloISteen succeeded, at his individual expense
and tnatof another officer, in rescuing from these
Indians Mexican woman, aged % years, w no
hau been well andtenderly raised, and is well ed.
ncated as the country, where she resided, permit
ted, aud of her son, a small child. Her narration
OF her offerings and indignities to which she was
IsubJecteds can scarcely be described. On another
OCCASION the Ma1or and another officer hired
Mexican TO steal a Mexican oman w HON the Indi-
ans hal in captivity. and When she was delivered
TO them she was IN q, most deplorabe Condition.
destitute OF clothing, and physically reduced 10
the meIestSkeletou!zg g 80 X a,sl'- Gs4'XE Ef
II The PERSONS thus rescued from captivity were
returned to their relatives in Mexico; and to this
time, the cost, labor and expenses of captA ring
Them from the Indians, of medical treatment and
supporting and sending them ONE, has been paid
gu; OF the private purses of the officers. Is this
just or right, the part of the United States Gov
ernmeni? rs5l ..ss tissT .aiI55dl = !. -
Major Steen informs us that among the band of
the Comanche Indians, from which Mrs. Wilson
ESCAPED, there are full two hundred white persons
heldin captivity, chiefly Mexicans. The indians
justify their conduct by alleging that the Mexicans
steal their children and make slayes OF them.
be this as It may, it must be admitted that il is
Tie duty OF the Government promptly and eff
GENTLY 70 furnish the means of putting an end to
this cruelty, and Furnishing the Indians. In The
early history of our country, the Indians .paid
some respect to the virtue OF the female; in the
progress OF his connection with civilization he
has lost even this attribute. He is now as beastly
as he Is savage, and the Government should pro-
vide the means to punish them W henever they vo-
late the laws Of humanity.-St. Louis Repubi-
can, 23th uH.t AK s