The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-15
4 Great HanSiag-How Peace was Made
with the tndians. -.

Great AanSi4G-How Peace was Made
with the tndians. ~.
) A correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Commercial, writing from Minnesota.
revives a story which everybody has for
gotten, If, indeed, anybody as the South
knew of it at the time. Who remem-
bers that thirty EIGHT men were hung
from one soaffold on the same day?
The reason why this hanging has passed
out of the American mind so quickly, is
because the affair occurred while the war
with the Confede defaoy was raging, the
nation was engaged ina gigantic strug-
gle for exist0noe, and all eyes were
turned Southwark. Yet all this took
place in 1868, aB result OF tho Indian
war in Minnesota. In this var, the In
dams massRcred over 700 peoples The
sayag55 IeIs aaa!l7 defeated, and many
we're captured.
303 Of the captured Indians were tried
by frontier court martial and sentenced
10 death. The President, after looking
over; the record OF. the testimony, would
only sign the death warrants Of thirty
eight These were ordered to be hung
at Mankato. on tho 26th day of Februa.
~, 1868. On the Monday previous, the
condemned were separated from the
other prisoners. When the death war.
rant was read to them. it was thought
that the scene would be particularly
solemn and distressing to the doomed
sayages: But it was not 80. They re-
oeived this sentence very ooolly. At the
close OF the first paragraph, they gave
the usual grunt of approval; but as the
second was being Interpreted to them,
they evidently discovered the drift of the
matter, and grunted less hearty up.
proval. Some Of them smoked their
pipes composedly during the reading,
and one in particular was Observed,
who, when the time of execution was de-
slgnated, quietly knocked the ashes
from his pipe and filled it afresh. An.
other slowly rubbed pipe-ful OF the
cheerful weed in his hands, preparatory
to good smoke. The news that he was
to DO hung did not aeem to have q de-
pressing effect upon this gentle savage.
The few days that intervened before
their execution, they spent in singing
their derth songs and parting with their
relatives. On the Wednesday before the
fatal Friday. each Indian claimed for
execution was permitted to send for two
or three of his relatives or friends con-
fined in the same prison, for the purpose
OF bidding them last adieu, and to carry
messages to their absent relatives. Those
who wero present during these inter
views described them as being very sad
and affecting. Each Indian had some
word to send to his parents or family.
When speaking of their wives and chill
dren, every one was affected to tears.
ofr IN
tho hope Of the happy hunting ground
beyond cheering these savages in their
last moments.
Several Of the prisoners were COM
pletely overcome during the leave. taking,
and were compelled to abandon CONVEX
sation. Others affected to disregard the
dangers of their position, and laughed
and ioked, apparently as unoonoerned as
II they were sitting around q campfire
In perfect freedom. Late on Thursday
night, correspondent Of the press
visited the condemned for the last time.
They were all fastened to the floor by
chaina-two and two. Some were sitting
M. smoking and talking, while others
were reclining, covered with blankets,
and apparently asleep. The three half
breeds only were dressed in citizens
clothing. The rest wore the breech.
olout. .leggins aud blankets, and not
few were dressed with paint. The mnio.
rity of them were young men, though
several were quite old and gray-headed,
ranging towards seventy. One was a
youth. OF sixteen. A Catholic priest
spent the entire night With them, trying
to impress them with q serious view of
the subject. He met with some success,
and during the night several were bap.
tizsd and received into the church.
Next morning preparations were made
for the execution Their irons were
knocked OF, and, one by one, they were
tied by cords, their elbows being pinion-
ed behind aud the wrists in front but
about six inches apart. After all wore
properly fastened, they stood up in o
row around the room. and sang with loud
voices an exciting death song. They
then sat down, and ali commenced
smoking. The caps were shortly after.
wards fastened on their heads. They
were made of white muslin. They re-
ceived these evidences of their near ap.
proach to death with evident dislike.
When it had been adjusted on one or two
of them, they looked around on the
others who had not yet received it with
an appearance of shame. Chains and