Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-09-28
SiVtATrA AND BIO TREE.

for some lime In our State Peniiontlary,
through the mercy Of our radical Govern.
or, arrived In our city on last Saturday
morning by the night train, aud soon af'
ter left for Fort Sill, escorted by q compa'
nv Of U. s. Cavalry, under the command
Of Mai. webb. They passed through our
s.reetsby tho Cruieh6sli House, In an
ambulance, aud some Of our more curious
citizens, oursclf not among the number,
got peep Al them on their winding way
II Is known to most Of our readers that
these Chiefs were caught soon after their
exploit of capturing the Government train
of onr friend Maj, Warren, almost under
the nose OF Lt..Gen. Sherman, who happen
ed to be out here inspecting the frontier
Besides killing several Of tho train, they
tied one poor WAGNER 10 his wagon wheel
aud made bonfire of him, no doubt to
their great savage delight. AS this hap
pened while the general was here, and as
he made very narrow escape himself,
something, for deccncy's sake, had to be
done, and these two "brayes' were arrest
cd at Fort Sill and sent back to Texas
where they were cried at Jacksboro for
murder and sentenced to be hung. At the
request of the General Government, their
punishment was oonmutcd by Gov. Davis,
and they were sent TO the Penitentiary
for life. Now, again, at the request of the
Grant government, the Governor has al
lowed them to be tax IN TO Fort Sill, nvow-
eddy to DO present Mt a grand consultation
with the hostile tribes
1t is said that the Kiowas and Conan
chts promise, if these noble scnlpers shall
be set free, that they will deliver up oil
their white captives, men, women ana
children, and remain at pcace with Texas
and "thc rest of mankind
We have no idea that these red warriors,
red in skin and led with the blood of our
people, will ever be conveyed back TO the
Penitentiary. Tho next step will be to
get Gov. Davis to extend to them full
pardon, and they will be set free. If this
would result in perfect peace and full
deliverancc of oil the captives, it would be
perhaps the best thing that could be done
now. They should have been promptly
hung as other murderers, but no good
would probably, acrue by keeping them
shut up in the Penitentiary.
As we have said, we did not get sight
of these Chiefs, but we give some further
notice of them obtained from gentlemen
of this city, Capt. Hawkins, U. 5. Com
missioner, who was admitted to thcii
presence while at the camp near the de-
pot. lie tells US Kat Big Tree is about
six fe:l in height and about twcniy-foui
| or FIVE years old. Santanta is something
less in height, and upwards of sixty. Boti
are we'll made and of rather distinguish
ed appearance. Both are Kiowas by birth
though Santanta is the head Chief of the
Comanches, We are told that these tribes
are essentially the same race of Indians
though going by different names. The
Chiefs can talk little English, and they
told our interviewer that they would de-
liver up all the captives, as Big Tree sup
posed, amounting now TO about fifty, as
they had twenty-five when he was cap
lured. Big Tree spoke contemporary
and with deep manifestation of disgust
of their employment while at the Peniten
tiary, which he designated "as pulling
sticks" We learn from our friend, Col
Dewey, one Of the lessons Of the Pcniten'
tiary, that their occupation was putting
bottoms to chairs out Of cane, and that
they went at this work Of their own nc
cord. We learn further from him, that
these "braves' have been kindly treated
and shown as much indulgence as the prls
on rules would admit. For awhile, at the
urgent solicitation of gentlemen, they
we're permitted to wear their savage cos
tunes, but the crowd of visitors soon
made it necessary to bring them within
the rules. When the ceremony Of chang
ing their dress and cutting off their hail
was performed, they exhibited much re-
pugnance and strong feeling. Santana,
the old Chief, submitted with grim look.
ing dignity, but Big Tree, at first, shove
signs Of resistance. A few muiered words
from the old one, however, brought him,
also, to submission, and they were both
shorn of their long locks and dressed in
the convict garb. They were evidently
under the impression that this change was
preparatory TO their execution, and as
they we're started back to their cell, Big
Tree commenced what was supposed to be
his death song, in low, moaning wall,
which broke out into an impassioned yell,
as they reached the door. 1t took some
persuasion from sartarta to make him
enter However, they soon become salts
fed that they were not to be burned at
the stake, or at wagon wheel, or be hung,
ard from thence forward they were of
very little trouble to their keepers. Col.
Dewey in forms us that it is great mis-
take, supposing them void of curiosity
as he says, they have as much as a wo man,
when there is not crowd around them,
watching their every movement. They
were taken out on enc occasion to exam
ine o railroad engine, and they rode some
hundreds of yards on the tender, and
seemed TO look at its working very close
ly. There is said TO be no doubt that San
tanta has more influence among all the
wild tribes in his section than any other
Chief, indeed, that he is the head scalper
Of them all.
MUsIc.-We have received from VIM. A.
Pond & Co, 357 Broadway, N. Y, through
the hands of Messrs. Pierce & Lyle, Book
Sellers of this city, the following fine
pieces of music: "The Days that are no
MORE" words by Tennyson and music by
nj am .rtk No.