The New York herald., 1875-03-19
AN INDIAN MASSACRE.
Surrender Of the Indians Who Murdered the
German Family.
INTERVIEWS WITH THE SURVIVORS


CHEYENNE AGENCY, INDIAN NATION,
Marcn IL, 1875.
This wild western country. uninhabited save by
big stroling bands OF Indians. with here and there
government post, has never known tragedy
that equals that committed in Central Kansas,
September IL, 1874. Its complete history mas never
yet been written.
THE SURRENDER.
General Thomas Neil is the commander OF the
post. and IN answer TO question by the HERALD
correspondent as to the manner OF the surrender
OF the Cheyennes ne satd:-
''Stone Call. the Chief OF the Cheyennes, came
into the post February 0. saying that the tribe
would surrender ] sent out an ambulance Tor
the two German girls Catherine and Sophia and
on the 25th tney were brought in. Tney were
IN terrible condition. All the garment
they wore was an army blanket, and
their faces and bodies were daubed with paint.
Mr.. John d. Miles, the United States Indian Agent,
took them Immediately TO his house, where they
were dressed and properly cared iOr."
Catherine, the eldest, is but seventeen years old
and is young lady OF neat figure and rather
handsome. From her manner 1t IS evident that
she has been well reared and that her family was
well-to-do in the world.
Sophia Jared better in her trials. She Is eleven
years OF age and like her sister has dark hair and
blue eyes, She is tall and well developed for one
OF her years. Both OF them were treated very
horribly while with the Indians, as their present
condition shows. Both were subjected to inde-
scrlbabe indigniries and beasty outrage by nearly
all the male Indians.
THE FAMILY
consisted Of John German, his vile, Lydia, and
seven children, as follows :-Rebecca, 81 Stephen.
10; johanna, Is; catherine, II; SOPHIA IL Julia,
7, and Nancy,5. Five years ago they left Morgan.
town, Fannn county, Ca, and removed to Howell
county, missouri. In May, 1872, they removed to
MerIyville, Stone county, NO., and In the follow
ing September they emgraied to Elgln, Howard
county. kan., rom which place they started to
Colorado. and on this journey they were all, with
the exception OF four, murdered. On arriving at
SMOKY Hill River, in the central part OF Kansas.
only about fourteen miles from the Kansas
Pacific Railroad and within thirty miles OF Fort
Wallace, they were attacked by the Indians.
CATHARINE's STORY.
Catharne in an interview with reporter OF the
HERALD said:-
'Just as the sun was rising, and while engaged
in driving the cattleup the river bank toward the
wagon, heard shots and yells, and, running
closer, saw my father fall, shot through the back
by an Indian. l was terribly frightened, but can
never forget the spectacle that there ensued.
MY BROTHER STEPHEN
was hall mile away hunting up some STOCK, and
he had gun with MIN. As poor father fell
mother rushed toward him only to.receive a shot
IRON another Indian who fired at ner head killing
her almost instantly. Ny father was not killed ~
once, Tor he moved MS arms about as lie was
scalped by one OF the party. Tney also scalped my
mother. An old squiw picked up our axe anu
stuck 1t In my father's mead, leaving 1t fixed
During the time this was gong on one party
rode alter stephen and shot aud scalped him.
NV sister, Rebecca, made a brave defence with an
40. .sne
would have killed him II she had not been toma.
hawed rom behind. Wniie hall insensioe and
scarcely awe, the Indans-hve or SIX OF them
despolled her person, and after tnat they scaped
her. Tney then carried her near the wagon tore
other things from the wagon, and while sne was
still alive set fire TO the pile and
BURNED HER UP"
Here the broken-hearted girl broke down, and
the reporter waited some time before she could
utterances sne continued as follows, occasionally
assisted by Sophla:-
"Ater all wele Killed but we nve sisters they
gathered around us to see which one should be put
out OIL the way, as they SAID they could only take
four along. one Indian, who seemed to be a
chief, came mp. and looking at johanna
and me suddenly drew up nls gun and shot
sisters head Off. | was SO frightened that
couo not STIR tor long time. AS soon as they
got everything they wanleu they set the wagon
GU fire aud killed the cattle; then made SOPHIA
and get on horses and tied us on. took our two
little sisters up IN ront and started OF as
last as the horses could go. We travelled all day,
oS ave eIs Re5eccas e out the Indian se ht With
the axe said he would have her scalp and SO she
was snot
.,Alter travelling two days we crossed railroad
track. The day alter we got over the railroad
MEDICINE MAN,
with a small party, lett. and were gone un-
til late in the afternoon. When they came
up TO US they had three fresh scalps and
snat must have belonged to a man. woman
and small child; also had a lot OF canned iruir
and Alter the US aeg vws
reached. stone Calf mad command, and when
they brought us IN all the tribe turned out anc
had great time. The same night they had pig
scalp dance over the scalps OF our FAMILY, and
made US ali look at 1t.
"TwO days alter the main BODY or INDIANS vas
reached. They took sisters
JULIA AND NANCY
away from the camp, and have never seen them
since. Sophie saw them once, about December,
Dut only tor lew minutes. All OF Us were one
day placed on horses, and, after the indian lasn.
ion MADE TO ride as last as horses could go. and
the Indian VINO caught US had to take care OF US
Tor good.
to get out OF the way OF the troops which, 1T was
reported, were close at hand: Stone Cali, win
Sophie, was lett behind with about one hundred
more. ana the iest under cnarge OF Gray Beard,
Eagle Head, Heaps OF Bro and Lean Bear, still
Kept on the north
lin about a week, while encamped Wolf
Creek, the soldiers again made the indians run.
dld not see them put heard toe gons' AN All o. th,s
time very slck; had TO ride all the time, and At
nigat was
OFTEN WHIPPED
and beaten because could not carry as mucn
wood and water as some OF the squaws An this
time was under charge of Long Back. At times
| was nearly frozen, having nothing but blanket
to Keep warm with at night. sometimes there
would be a loot OF snow on the ground. out they
made me work just as hard. THIS was about De.
cember l. Ny leet were frozen and the nails OF
my rignt foot all came OF. In January ! met sls.
ter Sophia lor a short time, and she told me we
were DeJser TO be Killed."
me reporter asked Catnarne if she thought
they would XIII her, and sne answered, "NO; al.
ways thought the soldiers would release us some
time and told sophia not to De AFRAID. IN tne lat
ter part OF January received letter from GEN.