Minnesota weekly times., 1857-04-18

Isdia. murdsss as-spiris Lake.
Ss
The accounts Of tie Indian depredations at
Spirit Lake are fully confirmed. Great erc;ta.
ment exists on the frontier in consequence az NAV
be supposed. The depredati0ns were committed
By about sixty Sioux, half Of whom are wsrriors.
They passed South last Spring on hunting ex-
oursion, and the murders were committed on
their return. The settlement massacred consist.
en- OF hve or six families, and numbering forty
hve persons, the families living from one-fourth
miles to three miles apart The latest reports are
brought by Orlando O. Howe, Cyrus Snyder and
Robert Wheelock, who visited the vicinity with
view to settlement. They discovered in the cabin
OF Joel Howe seven dead bodies thrown in hesp
in the middle of the floor, all of whom had been
murdered in the most barbarous manner. Anoth-
or informant saw the dead bodies Of o Mrs. Gardi-
ner and her four grown up daughters, az also the
remains OF Mrs. Harvey Lace and her two chill
aren, al OF whom VERIFYING outside Of their cab
en- by the wolves. Other cabins were visited-all
were empty OF the ivlug, but in some Of them
dead bodies were found. It is conjectured that
az least twenty persons were massacred, though
as no one who was present is known to have es-
capped, the number may be larger. The Indians
were in the vicinity on the 10th ult., and those
who then visited the place found it difficult to
slude discovery. At the last accounts, sufficient
military force was on the way, and severe chas-
follow GGIena Advertiser. 2 s@sf 80 aH
O. We learn from what we deem reliable
sources, that the above Indians, after commit
ting the murders narrated, travelled toward Man
kato, and for Twenty-Five miles on the route, MUIR
dered every settler, man, woman and child. On
their way they added to their numbers and be-
came infuriated and even intoxicated with their
bloody victory. When news reached us on Mon
day night, the hideous band was moving down up
on Mankato, and it was the fear Of the utter des-
truction of that town that caused the citizens to
send to st. Peter for aid. Messenger after mes
senger corroborated each other that the Indians
were within fourteen miles of Mankato. The
people Of st. Peter did not act in the premises
until they had met, chosen man to ascertain the
truth OF the report, who, on his return, confirmed
the news previously brought in. Then, immedi-
ate steps were taken to extend aid to those in
distress, and no time was lost in communicating
the news to this city. Our opinion is, that the
report of the approach Of the Indians on Manka-
to is correct, from the fact that company of
soldiers sent out from Fort Ridgely, and whose
course lay towards the Missouri river, could get
no traces of them, leaving but little doubt that
the savages eluded them by marching down upon
the whites, knowing full well that other troops
had or would be sent out from Iowa to intercept
them in that direction. 1t is quite possible that
the savages before reaching Mankato may have
turned off in westerly direction, but in SO doing
they would be sure Of meeting a large body of
men. By turning back, they would encounter
those in pursuit. By taking an easterly direction
they would eventually come in contact with the
Chippewas, with whom they are now on friendly
terms. Should they succeed in procuring the;,
corporation, (which we are far from believing)
then terrible warfare would be inevitable. We
rather incline to the opinion that the Chippewas,
instead of uniting with them, would commence a
warfare upon their old enemies, and that would
secure the whites from any further injury. As a
matter of course, we base our speculation on the
reliability of the information received. If thi.
is incorrect, then all speculation is at fault.
The origin of the murders arises from the fol.
lowing cause:-A body of Indians were passing a
white settlement near Spirit Lake, when dog be-
longing to the tribe bit white man. The mar
fred his gun at the dog and killed it, whereupon
the Indians became incensed. That night the
whites entered the tepees of the Indians, took
away their guns, and gave them q severe whip
ping. The Indians next morning rallied, came
down upon the whites with all their savage bru-
talty, and report says, murdered AZ persons, men
women and children. Not satisfied with the blood
they had split at Spirit Lake, they devastated the
country on their march, and added new victims
to their reeking and blood-stained weapons Of
war. But-we forbear, and await with anxious
solieitude for further news.