Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-09
THE YUKA DEVIL.
rne story Of very Bad Indian.
Publisher and Proprietor

The story of a Very Bad Indian.
From the Overland Monthly.l pT
On the reservation there once lived an
Indian who was so thoroughly bad in
every respect that he was generally
known by the soubriquet of the Yuka
Devil. He committed all the seven
deadly sins and a good many more, if
not every day of his life, at least as often
as he could. *H8M
One day he wandered off consider
able way from the reserve, accompanied
by two Of his tribal brethren, and they
fell upon and wantonly murdered three
squaws, without any known provocation
whatever. They were pursued by q de.
tachment of the garrison, overtaken,
captured, carried back manacled hand
and foot, and consigned to the guard
house. In some inexplicable manner
the Devil contrived to break his letters
assunder and then he tied them on again
with twine, in such fashion that, when
the turnkey came along on tour of in
spection, he perceived nothing amiss.
Being taken out for some purpose or
other soon afterward, he seized the op-
portunity to wrench off his menacles
and escape. But he was speedily over
taken again and brought down with a
bullet, which wounded him slightly,
taken back to the guard-house, heavily
ironed. and cast into q dungeon. Here
he feigned death. For four days he
never swallowed q crum of nourish-
ment, tasted no water, breathed no
breath that could be discovered, and lay
with every muscle relaxed like corpse.
To all human perception he was dead,
e xcept that his body did not become
rigid or cold.
Al ,'sst vessel of water was placed on
a table hard by; information of that
fact was casually impaired to him in
his native speech; all the attendants
withdrew, the dungeon relapsed into
silence. and he was secretly watched.
After long time, when profound still
ness prevailed, and when the watchman
had begun to believe he was in a trance
at least, he cautiously lifted up his head,
gazed steadily all around him, scrutl-
nized every Granny and crevice of light
and softly crawled on all fours to the
table, taking care not to clank his
chain the while, took down the pitcher,
and drank deep and long. % llaa
They rushed in upon him, but upon
the instant-so fatuous was the obstina-
CIV of the savage-he dropped as if he
had been shot and again simulated
death. But he was now informed that
his play was quite too shallow for any
further purposes, and as soon as the gal
lows could be put in order, the execu-
TONERS entered and plainly told him
that the preparations were completed
for his taking of.
He made no sign. Then, half drag
ring, half carrying the miserable wretch,
they conducted him forth to the scaffold.
An limp and haccid, and nerveless as
be is, they lift him upon the platform
but still be makes not the least motion,
and exhibits no consciousness of all
these stern and grim preparations.
He is supported ia en- upright posi-
ton between two soldiers, hanging q
lifeIaEs burden on their shouldersj his
head is lifted up from his breast, where
il droops ia heavy helplessness; the
rope, cold and hard and
prickly, is coiled about his neck, and
the huge knot properly adjusted at the
side; tie merciful cap, which shuts OF
these heart-siekening preparations from
the eyes of the faint and shuddering
criminal, is dispensed With, and every
thing is in perfect readiness.
The solemn stiffness beftting the aw-
full spectacle about to be enacted falls
upon the few spectators; the fatal signal
Il given; the drop swiftly deseends; the
soldiers sink With it as if
about 10 vanish into the earth and hide
their eyes from the tragedy; with dead,
dull thud the lightning rope wrenches
the poor savage from their upbearing
shoulders into pitiless midairi and the
Yuka Devil, hanging there without a
twich or shiver, quickly passes from
simulated to unequivocai and unmistak-
able death.