Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-12-30
THE YUKA DEVIL.


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 Of
ten as he could. One day he wandered
off q considerable way from the reserve,
accompanied by two of his tribal breth-
rem, and they fell upon, and wantonly
murdered three squaws, without any
known provocation whatever. They
were pursued by detachment Of the
garrison, overtaken, captured, carried
back manacled hand and foot, and con-
signed to the guard house. In some in
explicable manner the devil contrived
to break his fetters asunder, and then
he tied them on again with twine in
such fashion that, when the turnkey
came along on tour of inspection, he
perceived nothing amiss.
Being taken out for some purpose or
other soon afterward, he seized the op-
portunity to wrench off his manacles and
escape. But he was speedily overtaken
again and brought down with bullet,
which wounded him slightly, taken back
to the guard house heavily ironed and
cast into a dungeon. Here he feigned
death. For four days he never swallow
ed crumb of nutriment, tasted no wa
ter, breathed no air that could be dis
covered, and lay with every muscle re-
laxed like a corpse. To all human per-
ception he was dead except that his body
did not become rigid or cold. At last
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 be
was secretly watched.
After a long time, when profound ST.
lence prevailed, and when the watchman
began to believe he was in a trance, at
least, he cautiously scrutinized every
Granny and crevice of light, then softly
crawled out ON all-fours to the table,
taking care not to clank his chains the
while, took down the pitcher and drank
deep and long. They rushed in upon
him, but upon the instant-so fatuous
was the obstinacy 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 gallows could be put in Or
der, the executioner entered and told
him plainly that the preparations were
fully completed for his taking off,
He made no sign. Then half drag
ging, half carrying the miserable wretch,
they conducted him forth to the scaffold.
All limp and faccid and nerveless, as
he is, they lift him upon the platform
but still he makes not the least motion,
and exhibits no consciousness of all these
grim preparations. He is supported in
an upright position by two soldiers,
hanging lifeless burden on their skoul-
ders his head is lifted up from his
breast, where it drags in heavy helpless
ness the new bought rope, cold, and
hard and prickly, is coiled about his
neck, and the huge knot properly adjust
ed at the side; the merciful cap, which
shuts off these heart-sickening prepara
tions from the eyes of the faint and
shuddering criminal is dispensed with,
and everything is in perfect readiness
The solemn stiffness beftting the aw
full spectacle about to be enacted falls
upon the few spectators ; the fatal sigma
is given; the drop swiftly descends.; ths
supporting soldiers sink with it, as i
about to vanish into the earth and hid,
their eyes from the tragedy with dul
dead thud the tightening rope wrenche
the poor savage from their up bearing
shoulders into pitiless mid air; and tn,
Yuka Devil hanging there without /;
twitch or shiver, quickly passes from
simulated to unequivocal and unmistak
able death.