The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-20
THE coNDEMnEo.INpIA
The Supposed Reasons which In
duced President johnson to
'5 Suspend their Exc a.s
5f8alsq out;on 9liasT 44slI Sgya

blow aul : ~,
The Evidence upon which they
we're COndemned---Palliat-
ing Circumstances &c.
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 consummation Of
the treaties which are now being attempted to
be effected with the hostile tribes. Perhaps it
was that the testimony was not entirely con-
elusive. - ie-* a91 sl
There Is no witness VINO saw either Shake
pee or Medicine Bottle kill a single person or
fire at the whites in battle or otherwise. There
is no evidence that Shakopee ever went to
battle, OF 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, a 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 Shakopes came up, and Little Grow said
I" Shakopee whereshave you been all day 2 Why
have you not been helping us kill these people?'
To which Shakopee replied. 81 have been
over the river."! d ~
' 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 " si1 p
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
massacre to Joseph Reynolds, who kept the
hotel near Redwood, which enabled LIN to es-
cape, and we have heard persons say that Mr..
Reynolds frequently ascribei his escape to this
Indian.
E 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 adj
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
Johnson's attention.
There ID 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
house built for him-had plenty to eat-and
spent his time tor the most part in luxurious
idleness. 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
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
against the whites. The only other object OF
their execution would be I, prevent others by
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 defraud d for years, cheat.
ed ont of their annuti, - compelled to wait
weeks for what was loDg Tue Homecoming
for hundreds of miles e, receive them and
forced to pay what little hey did get for cat
tie TO eat, which had bet 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 driver 10 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
insigriicance 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 bat now that
so long time has elapsed, and Shakopee,
perhaps, saved white mans life. and that of
his family; and Medicine Bottle bears himself
so calmly and bravely as to force the wonder