The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-20
THE CONDEMNED. INDIANS.
The Supposed Reasons which In
duced President Johnson to
Suspend their Exc
cution. t -z9

Inc Evidence upon which they
were COndemned---Palliat.
ing Circumstances &c.
To the Editor Of the Pioneer: .-.
What the influences were that procured
suspension of the execution of Shakopee and
Medicine Bottle we do not know. Perhaps it
was that it was thought their death would
operate injuriously upon the contamination of
the treaties which are now being attempted to
be effected with the hostile hibes Perhaps it
was that the testimony was not entirely con-
elusive
There is no witness who saw either Shake
pee or Medicine Bottle kill single person or
fire at the whites in battle or otherwise. There
is no evidence that Shakopee ever went to
battle, or carried away any plumber. Four
witnesses swear that Shakopee stated he had
killed white people on the first day Of the out
break on the west side of the Minnesota, oppo-
site the Agency. On such admissions, unsup.
ported by other Testimony, conviction can
not legally be had in the civil courts. Two of
these witnesses swear in effect that these adj
missions were made under the following cir
cumstances. The massacre commenced in the
morning-at night the warriors gathered in an
immense crowd around Little Crows house,
and Shakopee came up, and Little Crow said
"Shakopee where, have you been all day 2 Why
have you not been helping Us kill these people?'
To which Shakopee replied, II have been
over the river.
What have you been doing there ?"
killing white people," he replied.
Thirteen" in number one witness AYERS he
said, and another witness that he said " six -
thus contradicting one another. The third
witness says he spoke of the same thing the
same day, and gave the number as seven.
When we reflect upon the motive that exist
ed for Shakopee telling an untruth upon this
point, the strength of these statements as testi-
mony is not of the greatest 1t is well known
that one of the Indians who was hung at Man
kato upon evidence that he had made similar
statement was innocent. Agent Galbraith so
states in his official report.
Shakopee claims that he gave warning of the
massacre to Joseph Reynolds. who kept the
hotel near Redwood, which enabled I'm to es-
cape, and we have heard prisons say that Mr..
Reynolds frequently ascribel his escape to this
Indian.
As to Medicine Bottle, it appears he started
upon war parties, and on one occasion brought
back horse. These were probably the war
parties which attacked New Ulm, and fought
Sibley at Wood Lake, as Medicine Bottle ad-
mits that he went to these places, and stOutly
denies that he went elsewhere. President Lin
coin refused to hang those who were engaged
simply in battles, or in the taking of plumber,
and this may have been called to President
Johnsons attention.
There Is also evidence that Medicine Bottle
made statements at the beginning Of the massa-
ere that he fired into teams and houses near
New Ulm, and participated in the killing of
Prescott, the Indian farmer The witnesses
were what are called civilized Indians"
The prisoners are "wild Indians" "civil.
lied Indian Is one who had his hair cut short
dressed in the clothes of the whites-had a
house built for him-had plenty to eat-and
spent his time tor the most part in luxurious
idleness. A wild Indian is one who was la
borious enough to hunt and true enough to his
nature to remain an Indian. Between these
two classes OF course there was more or less
enmity.
Perhaps, again, President johnson thought
1t was unworthy of o grea people like this,
who are pardoning thousands of educated
rebels to drug and kidnap from the British
soil two ignorant savage, and hang them
up in sight of their OLD homes, when their
confinement at Davenport where Mr.. Lincoln
sent others just as bad. would subserve the
sole purpose which their execution would
the prevention of their appearing in arms
their execution would be - prevent others by
force of the example, from massacreing the
whites. Does any one believe that their death
would have that effect? Would it not rather
tend to incite some relative or friend to avenge
them?
The whites should remember too, how these
Indians have been defraui. d for years,-cheat
ed out of their annuti, - compelled TO wait
weeks for what was long iue Homecoming
for hundreds of miles q" receive them and
forced to pay what little Aey did get for cat
tie to eat which had be,n ,iriven them for the
purpose, when, had they been paid, they might
have been off on their hunts Not only forced
to do this, but some actually dyingr from star
walton. and Others driv, 20 eat their mecca
sins, and to dig up roots from the ground to
appease their hunger, and told when demand
ing food which was due them that they might
eat dirt.
These matters were just causes for war
causes to which the grievance of which the
rebels who are pardoned complain, wane into
insignifcance. These things do not excuse
what the Indians did, and had they been taken
in battle and no quarter shown them; or had
they been hung Immediately after the mas
sacre, it would have been right but now that
so long time has elapsed, and shakopee,
perhaps, saved white mans life. and that of
his family; and Medicine Bottle bears himself
70