The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-04-11

| WpTiu--no uthSF Coufu nave Uottco SSol
COW OF the track--neves hollersd 80 in my
hfs--take q drink"
lcorrsspeadsuee OF the Dubuque Hsnld.l
Indian oatzAgss in Northern Iowa
Foar popoE, March "a, 1857
MEss1s. EMToBs:-Considerab excite.
men, exists in this vicinity, occasioned by
| reports Of outrs ages committed BY lawless
baud Of Sioux Indians in Dickerson county
in this State, and that your readers may be
duly apprised Of the truth, have endeavor.
ca 10 gather oil the facts and present them
in this communication. Esrly last spring !
band Of the Sioux. numbering some sixty
twenty eight 10 thirty Of whom were repre-.
septed a. warriors, end the remainder wo-
men and children, psssed from Southern
Minnesota BY way OF Spirit Lake down the
Little Sioux river, - far - the town Of
Southland, occupying their time in fishing
and hunting. No outrage we're threatened
or attempted on the settlers. On the sp.
proach OF winter they commenced return
by the came route, and the 6rst renort Of
| heir misdeeds reached Us abou, the middle
| OF January; these were TO the effect thar
they omnitted ourages upon the settlers
In CLAY county, BY violating the women,
ssizing upon the provisions. destroying the
cattle, stealing the horses and leaving them
! in oil respects entirely destitute and exposed
to the inclemencies Of the season. These
reports, at frat doubted or esteemed to be
highly exaggerated. were shortly afterward
| fully confirmed, and anxious ~ were our
citizens to afford them relief, 1t was found
| impra cticable to do 80; the season being
one of unusual severity, the whole country
between this neigh 5orhood and the suffer
ers being without settlement, any EFFORT TO
reach them would only have resulted IN the
| entire destruction Of the relief party And
the attempt was abandoned. subsequently,
| other reports reached Us, thstthe same par.
ty of savaees had arrived II the settlement
| OF Spirit Lake. thead waters OF the Little
Sioux and not only repeated the crimes
committed below, but superadd I'd the hori-
bic crime of murder. This settlement, con-
sisted OF i've or six families, mum boring from
forty TO 6fty-6ve persons, but living a, in
terysls OF IRON one fourth OF one TO thres
miles apart, afforded The ssvages favorable
opportunity for attack, with little or no
chance of resistance on the part Of the set.
tiers. On last evening Messrs. Orlando c.
Howe, Cyrus Snyder and Robert v. Whee-
lock OF Joseph county, arrived In our town
from the scene of action, having heretofore
moved in that direction with . view 10
settlement there.
Their report diseloses the most ismenta.
bic eokSition Of affairs. They found the
entire settlement broken up. Leaving their
team with provisions, several miles behind
and arriving after nightisll on the evening
o. the 10Th inst, Ct the house OF Joel Howe,
and from Indications, fearing the presence
Of the Indians in the neighDorhood, they
passed the night without lights or fire, and
upon the approach of dawn were Mortified
in beholding no less than the batehered re-
mains OF seven persons, thrown IN heap
on the middle ofthe door, Gil Of whom were
murdered IN the most barbsrous manner
They also visited other cabins in the vic
njty, and founH them desoiate with every
mark OF violence around, such as slaughte
ed cattle, broken doors, scattering OF beds,
clothing and other property. Considerable |
settlements have been made IN Pslo Alt1
county, on the west branch OF the Des
Moines river aud reports OF The outrages
having reached this settlement, occasional
visits were made to Spirit Lake, and but one
or two Of the adventurers having thus far
returned, fears have been entertained for
their safety. One Morris Markham, how
ever, succeeded in returning 10 safety, and
his statement corroborates in all particulars
the repor, of Mr.. Howe and his associates,
and among other additional items, he re-
ports having seen the dead bodies Off Mrs.
Gardner and her four grown up daughters,
a. ell a the feinsins of Mrs Harvey Lace
and her t~o children, ill Of whom were ly.
ing outside their cabins, naked, horribly mu.
tlIated and partially eaten by the wolves
He also reports having wished several other
cabins and found them dssolate with an oc-
essional dead body therein; the Indians
were then in the neighborhood. and be mar
fowly escaped with his life. From positive
informs ton thus far received, Il Is apparent
this settlement has been broken up, it,
members either killed or held in bondage.
Numerous conjectures. are formed a. to
the intentions of the savages, OF their nun.
bers and combinations; many support the
theory that they are lawless band, cut of
from the parent tribe, limited in number and
committing outrages at their own instiga.
ton. Other incline 10 the opinion they are
the mere fcrerunners Of large confedera-
ton Of Indiana in Southern Minnesota, who
are intent on q general work Of destruc-
ton and protracted war. Ny own opinion
inelines to the former, and that no danger
need be apprehended to the actual settler
on either branch of the Dee Moines, as
these are sufficiently strong for self.prsser-
va.ion, though they are not at the present
time able 10 protect the other and adjacent
settlements. Efforts were made 10 reach
Fort Smelling, come rs miles distant on the
81. Peters, but reports being rife thar the |
road was besei BY hostile Indians, foiled the |
attempt to seek for aid in that quarter.
About one hundred able bodied men well |
armed and provisioned, will leave this place |
on Tuesday morning, determined, If posi-.
bic, to bring the murderers to justice, but |, |
is 10 be feared, the only Office they will be |
called upon 10 perform, viii Dc 10 consign |
10 the grave the father, the mother and the |
child Of those, who, thus untimeiy fell, and !
while the gentle breath Of Spring shall |
quicken into life the blooming wild lowe. |
Ger their lonely graves, let us drop the
sympathetic tear, and in remembrance hold |
the tolls and saddened fate OF these early |
pioneers. JoHB GAAAsHfY,