The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-03-26

smoky Hill, Kansas. tn septemb her last
-hevoltfng Revelations Made by the
Two Captive sirls-Blood-Chiiifng Ac-
count or the Murder OF che Parents and
Brother.
Especial Dispatch 10 the Chicago Tribune.
WICHITA, Kan. March ll.-From a
courier direct from the Cheyenne Agency,
| get something like an accurate history
OF the massacre OF the Germaine family on
the smoky Hill. near Sheridan Station,
Kansas, Sept. IL, 1874. The names of
those massacrcd Were: John Germaine
AMI wife, Stephen W., James G., and Re-
becca Germaine.
The two captive young ladies'. Caroline
and Lizzie. aged respectively Is and 10
years, were brought to the agency last
week. and will leave there within a few
days 10 join their younger sisters, AIDE
laide and Lucy, who were recaptured by
the soldiers last January, and are now at
Fort Leavenworth. During their 81
months captivity they endured every
species of torment known To savage
devils, and now return from the hideous
embraces of the Indians forlorn and hag-
gard IN physical appearance, and mentally
on the verge Of insanity.
Caroline, the elder Of the two recently
released sisters, Is "A young lady of fine in
tellectual accomplishments, who still re-
tains the traces OF natural beauty. She Is
described by the courier as a medium
sized, slender young woman. of the
blonde type, with light hair and deep, ex.
pressive blue eyes. When he saw her
emerge from the ambulance, she was the
most forlorn and pitiable spectacle of in
tensifed mental and physical suffering
that ever human eyes gazed upon. Since
her body has been in the possession Of the
nnnGf larltnrAIa VanngtAFC ON norfh che. -
only a wreck Of her former self. She is
now enceinte, and may not be able to
leave Fort Leavenworth tor her home at
Blue Ridge, Ga, before her confinement.
All the terrible scenes of the revolving
captivity are wildly photographed in her
memory, and she declares her ability TO
identify, from among all the Indians she
met, the nineteen savages who so brutality
murdered her father, mother, and three
other memberso of the family.
I'll STORY OF THE MASSACRE,
as told by the little girls, differs some
what from the account given by this young
lady. She recollects that her father and
brother were instantly shot and killed
while attempting to get out Of the wagon,
but that her mother was murdered with an
AK after repeated violation of her person.
An elder sister, an invalid, was literally
ravished TO death by the demons, although
her corpse was mutilated after death.
-Four female members of the family were
carried away. The two children, Adelaide
and Lucy, Jared better than Caroline and
Lizzie. Duringthe captivity of the latter
they were traded from one band of Indians
TO another, the payment for exchange be-
ing made in ponies. At one period when
the band met a Mexican train, the elder
sister made an attempt to escape, but was
quickly recaptured. Subsequently the
Chief whose mistress she was tried 10 bar
ter her for "A number of ponies. The bar
gain was never consummated. bat a com
promise was Elected under which a Mexi-
can greaser was permitted to pass the
night with her. Language Is inadequate
to describe the revolving horrors of the
captivity !; suffice il to say that it was a
dasly and nightly succession of heart
rending trials, similar to those already de-
scribed.
Towards the closing weeks of their cap
tivity, Stone Calf, into whose possession
both ladies' were traded. grew more hui
name ia behavior toward them, and. with
a desire no doubt to soften the recital of
the ordeal through which they passed.
gave them forty buffalo robes and a num-
Der of ponies.
Immediately after the massacre in the
Smoky Hill, the Indians with their prison.
ers made rapid flight southwark. and
shortly Joined other bands in the region
of the Staked Plains. Through all the
dreary months of a rigorous winter. in a
bleak and desolate country, the unfortu-
nate women were exposed 10 hunger and
thirst. besides being compelled to undergo
forced marches by day and night. 1t is
only a miracle that they are alive and sane
to-day. There Is hardly a doubt that Medi-
cine Water, of the Cheyenne tribe, was the
Chief that commanded the massacriHg
and it is limited that rigorous efforts
viii be m 80 TO punish him and ali the
warriors "a The party.
Fragments of silk dresses. and other ar
Of clothing, indicate that the Ger
maine family was well to-de in the world.