The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-04


"'''' N''' '' BOSTON COURIER,
By GEORGE LUNr
Il F. GARDNER
Our Minnesota Correspondence.
SAINT PAUL, Minnesota Territory
June "a, 1867.
The STciror of the Spirit Lake Massacre.
Miss Gardiner, the last of the captives of the
Spirit Lake massacre reached Saint Paul yesterday,
in company with Major Flandau, the three friendly
Indians sent out by the agency to effect the release
of the captives, and Mr. Robinson, the interpreter
for the agency She was delivered over to the
Governor of the Territory at his room in the Fuller
House by the Indians, with much ceremony, and
three long speeches by the Indians rnd will today
proceed down the river for Fort Dodge, where her
sister resides. Miss Gardiner had been purchased
by the Yankton friendly Indians, whose intention it
was to take her to the Missouri river and deliver her
over TO some of the military officers there. She is
young lady scarcely more man fifteen years old, of
less than medium stature, slight figure, modest and
unassuming in her department, but quite intelligent
and pleasing in her address, and with the exception
of her bronzed complexion, bears no traces Of the
hardships and outraRes she has undergone. list
ened TO her story from her own lips, which, emitting
many little details, Is subst antially this
The family, consisting Of her father, mother, sis
ter, brotherinlsw, two or three small children and
herself formerly residents Of Seneca county, N. Y,
about one year ago removed TO the vicinity Of Spirit
lake Iowa. As early as the LIST Of March suspicious
were entertained Of the hostile intentions OF Indians
In the neighborhood. On the morning Of the 9Th Of
March, while the Gardiner family were preparing to
remove TO q place about forty miles distant, an
Indian presented himself and asked for breakfast,
which was given him. Shortly after another came,
until ~p,t6 IN oho tkar had
assembled to the number Of fourteen. The family
being just the point Of starting their journey,
had not enough in the house to feed all the Indians,
ts Ss % Sad his the Indians became Tery sns
threatened TO shoot Mr.. Gardiner, but left the
house, drove away most OF the cattle to q
grove near by and shot them. They then pro
ceeded 10 the house of Mr.. Maddox and murdered
in cold blood all the inmates. In the mean.
time, the Gardiner family, nov convinced Of the
hostile designs OF theIndans preparing 10 fee,
when they saw eleven Indians approaching the
house. M. Gardiner seized his double barrel gun,
determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, but
was dissuaded by hs wife from firing, when
the Indians entered the house and shot down in
sister beating the children to death with clubs, and
taking Miss Gardner captive. They then proceeded,
shrieking and yelling like hends incarnsse, TO the
other houses in the settlement and TO ne,ghboring
settlements the Sioux and Des Moins rivers, per
petrsting murders and outrages too horrible to re-
late upon men, woman and children, killing no less
than thirty white persons, and taking captive, be
sides Mics Gardiner, Mrs Thatcher, Mrs. Noble and
Mrs. Marble. Having completed their hellish work
at the settlements, they proceeded their journey
taking their captives with them, forcing them TO
carry heavy burdens and committing the most shock
ing upon their persons, continually threaten
ing to kill them outright. Miss Gardiner says, that
while crossing OF the rivers abe them push
Mrs Thatcher out into the stream. She foated down
the steam for some little distance and caught by
root, upon which abe supported herself. From this
position the Indians drove her with their clubs.
when abe again foated down the stream for some
distance, followed by the Indians until abe arrived at
bend In the river, where they despatched her with
| their guns.
Mrs. Marble was Afterwards separated from The
company with which Miss Gardiner travelled, having
been purchased by company OF the LscquiPArle
Indians, and her fate Is well known. She was
placed on a hill as a target and shot At by the
Indians, both her legs breken and every atrocity
suffer, after which she was ransomed by friendly
| Indiana But the fate of Mrs Mob es was still more
dreadful. She, with Miss Gardner, was purchased
by DE Yanktons. but was retaken by Ink pa-dutahs
band, which had from the first treated her with more
severity than any Of the other captives. Upon this
occasion ordered out Of the ten. by son Of
Ink-pa du tab 70 sleep ON the ground. She refused
10 20 and the Indian thereupon seized her. dragged
her out Of the tent and Knocked her down with club
committing the most 6endish ouiraqcs lie then left
her lying on the ground, still alive, and compelled
boy o. ten years old with club 10 finish
10 see the dead body CT Mrs. N ohc which was lying
near the tent az the boy had LETT IT, and in her pre-,
sence they carried the work Of mutilation shoot
ng II with revoveis, kicking IL, cutting of the legs
cutting of her hair but not scspng her. and carry
ing on the york Of limitation in ways too shocking
10 relate. In this dreadful cont iton her body was
found some days after by the party which rescued
Miss Gardiner, and buried
Miss Gardner was from frst 10 last trea'ed with
less brutality than the otoer captves, having been
taken In charge by the son OF ink-ps-dutsh, until
che was purchased by the Yanktons. An effort was
once made 10 retake her, bu, her Yanten purchaser
placed her en- the with his equaw and declared
that his life and that OF bis sqnsw should he sacr
feed before she should be harmed. She states that
on one occasion they were In sight OF the United
States troops, which had been ordered out In pur.
suit OF the indiars and that long attack
threatened two Indiens stood the captives with
loaded guns, with orders to shoot them rather than
70 allow them 10 he retsken.
liberal sum has been contributed by the citizens
Q, ST. Paul 10 defray Der expenses bac 10 the resi-
dence OF her sister and the effort is being made 10
RAISE funds sufficient 10 place her at school aud give
her finished education. She leaves the city today,
ia company with Governor Medary, who Is TO pro
ceed 70 Washington 10 lay the facts before the
general government, and ask that troops may be
sen, 70 zoe Ieritoiy sufficient 10 punish the Indians
ana give security TO the citizens In future. II he
does not succeed, the citizens OF the TERRITORY will
take The work OF vengeance into their own hands,
ana poiinG over a. they are now with indignation.
terrible work will they make of a. Gov Medary
says that he has sdvices which satisfy him that nm
lees an ample force " stationed here The indians on
the whole western frontier Of the Territory viii be
in state OF open hostility before winter
Hon. Henry Bennett, OF New York and Han.
William Aiken, Of South Carolina, are stoppina
bore at tbe Fuller House Col J. J.. Orr, Of South
Csrslina, il also expected today.
---