The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-08-18
IDAHO WORLD
SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS.
SMALLPOX DISTRIBUTED ALL OVER THE cosrNEN;


During the past year it has recently been de-
yel0ped, circumstances have transpired in the
Yellowstone country which will create indig.
nation and alarm throughout the whole Union
A crime has been committed which excels in
diabolism anything which the history of the
world has ever produced, and which places
such fends as Probst and his compeers in
crime in the light of moderate offenders A
few men, for the purpose of accumuating for
tunes, have attempted to scatter throughout
the United States robes which are known to
be infected with smallpox! This has been
premeditatedly aud knowingly, aud with full
knowledge that IN doing so they have been the
means of spreading loathsome disease from
one end of the country to the other, and sacri-
fcing human lives in unknown numbers! We
give the particulars OF this, the most terrible
crime of the nineteenth century, as fully as we
have been enabled to obtain them:
During last summer the steamboat Utah
piled, we believe, between Sioux City and Fort
Benton. During one Of her trips the small, pox
broke out among her passengers and crew. aud
one death occurred on the trip. The boat
landed short distance below Milk river. and
there the corpse was buried. The burial was
witnessed by a number of Indians of the Gros
Ventres tribe, and, as soon rs the boat resumed
its course, the body was disinterrcd. and the
clothing stripped from the remains and dis
tributed among the party who had perpetrated
the act of dissertation. The consequences
may be Imagined. In proper course OF time,
the dreadful contagion broke out in It's most
virulent form among the savages. The deyas-
tation was 30 terrible that, out OF 900 men,
beers of the tribe $50 died
The Utah arrived at Fort Benton. bringing
with it perhaps the most fearful cargo that
ever hoated on the waters OF the Missouri.
The people of that place, when they ascer-
tanned the danger that menaccd them. we're
indignant to IN extent never before known in
that country A public meeting was held,
which was attended by every man in the place,
and the most intense excitement prevailed |
There were many who proposed TO take the |
Captain of the boat and hang him to the near. |
est tree as punishment for having been the /
cause Of presidential danger among them. But /
wiser couasel prevailed, aud the master was
ordered. ut the peril oi his life. 10 convey the |
boat aud cargo TO the other side of the river
But. rs was afterwards Ascertainrd. another
and greater danger threatened them. The
disease among the Indians spread with the Sc
locity OF the wind. Having no remedies. no /
physicians. and no care. the childres of the /
forest died off like fock of infected sheep, /
until the tribe was diminished TO about bali is |
former numbers.
The Indian burial ceremony is not such a.
prevails among the civilized world. IL il n
custom, without deviation. 10 lay the dead
upon the ground in the robe which encasrd the
body while living. aud cover up the remains
with brush. There are spectators in the In.
dian country whose sole object il tu max. mo /
ney, without the slightest regard for the man.
ner 10 which they do IL. The robes which en-
closed the dead bodies were valuable. The
spectators aware of this, determined tn profit
by II. and with no compunctions III conscience
as To the consequences, not seeming On care in .
the least for the terrible suffering which the
act would entail upon they knew not how
many innocent victims. these men did not hcs,
tate To roam the country in quest of the in.
fected robes. and 10 convey them for storage
to warehouse in Fort Benton. BENJAMIN De
Roche. workman in the warehouse. was the
first victim, and it was but short time before
nearly every house in Fort Benton was small.
pox hospital. Many died. and the most aeon.
ling suffering prevailed. In the house of De
Roche. at one time, there were ten persons in
bed afflicted with the contsgion which pre-
vailed The business houses were closed, and
the city seemed Ia be doomed 10 desolation
and death. In the face Of this horrible vista.
ton, those who had engaged in the unholy traf. ,
ic did not desist. They asserted that the
place was alive with small pox. and that. "a it ,
could be no worse, the arrival and storage of
robes could make no difference And thus. in |
the very midst of death. desolation. and drs.
pair. these human yultares continued their |
pestilence breeding death-dealing occupation. Z
The one incident connected with this start j
ing horror places white victim in an attitude. =
which, though he may not have Known the full q
,xtent OF the consequences OF his act was q
certainly most iendish one, and which was /
he cause of a greater destruction of liz. than b
he circumstances which we have mentioned.
This man, when he was suffering with the dis.
use, obtained two yeast cans, and filed them ,
10th with scabs. As soon as he was able TO do ::
%, ne took an old shirt, rubbed it thoroughly !.
With the contents of the bVxes, and then placed !.
he infected garment on the trail Of the Pie.
ans. on Highwood creek, where the Indians {
would be sure to find il. They did so. and in q
short time afterward the most frightful of "
alanities was visited upon the tribe n =
pread with wonderful fapidity among the q
Bloods, and River Crows. until tho y
fhole country, within a radius Of one hundred 81
niles from Fort Benton, and extending along q
ne river much greater distance, was infected u
nth the disease, and deaths occurred by the !, |,
iousand. go sef. a.
From this awful source the Spectator reaped
rich harvest. Robes and blankets were gath
red IN by the thousand. and convened bvI