Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-30
An Indian Wedding in Utah Territory.

The following novel description ofan Indian we'd
ding in Utah, is from letter of correspondent
Of the Salt Lake News:
The bride, having dreaded the ceremony, had
made her escape; and until the gath, we were not
permitted to behold this novel spectacle, even for
the first timc and then by other parties than those
named above. This squaw, with her present hus-
band, had come to visit her family and friends ;
hut the Indian she now lived with had stolen her
from another year before. Her former husband
came and claimed her. The chief said that they
must fight for her. About fifty Indians arranged
themselves on the sides Of the combatants, the
contendng suitors according to their feelings, and
were about equally divided. They stripped them
selves except about the loins and tied their hair
back The husbands commenced the fight, brnis-
ing each others faces and csusing the blood to
flow, like the more civilized (?) duclliss and prize
fighters.
At length one of them fell, when one of his
friends took his place. Thus they continued until
MI had share in the melee, and most had their
faces badly bruised. Only at times did they APP
pear angry during this brutal ceremony. They oc-
casonally stopped and wiped their faces, and
rubbed and pulled their fingers Before this the
sq,iaw had eaten good meal, and sat down among
the other squaws to witness and await their feats
Of bravery. At this stage of the wedding her part
became more prominent. Some one more daring
her through the crowd until another opponent
dares to offer fight again. This is signal for an.
other fight, and thus they continued till an hour
after shutdown, having commenced shortly after
noon. At one time they tried to haul her over the
river, but she escaped from them, and, running
towards me- put out her hand, that | might help
her up the bank, and because l stretched forth my
hand to her aid | was counted in the ceremony,
and fight was offered, but escaped in consequence
Of not knowing their rules.
Eventually they dragged her through the water
to where were five or six lodges. The two claim
ants again fought there, and one of them seized
the other by the hair This, being considered foul
play, was the signal for scene such rs cannot
describe They all commenced fighting like so
many dogs, children and women shouting and hal
looing. The bride was trampled under their feet
and fire was thrown into the dense crowd by the
women.
At length, having beat one another till tired
they quit. The squaw had tainted, blood issued
from her mouth, and she seemed lifeless Two of
them hauled her back Of one of the lodges, where
they again quarrelled some time they then tore
off her buckskn shirt, fought over this till they
were tired, and one of the claimants having got
The remainder of it. bravely slept on it, This mar
rage, or the successful wooer, was not decided
that night.
The next morning counted 100 Indians, who
had collected for the fight on n convenient place
near their lodges, where were tive fires They
again took sides, and after they had leased and
talked some time, they made a general rush at
each other, beating one another till their faces
were again bruised and covered with blood After
while they again rubbed their faces and fingers,
pulling the latter, and commenced pulling the
same squaw about and fighting as they did before,
which they kept up until p. NJ. of this day.
The day following there was to be another fight
for another squaw, eight miles further down.
was asked TO 60 with them, and went. At Q A. NJ
they began as before, beating each other; at noon
began dragging the squaw at P. NJ. they dragged
her TO the lodges, and could see signs Of life
in her.
The following day they commenced again to fight
for the one SO long contendcd for at first because
she did not want TO live with the one that had
gained her. lie won her again, and she still re
fused. They tore her clothes of in dragging her
through the bush and started to drag her down the
hank Of the river. Then | ran between them and
it. telling them as well as could, how unwse l.
how unkind Twas happily disappointed at the re-
suit, for they stopped, and carried her almost
lifeless to the camp, but were mad because she
would not live with the man who had won her