Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-16
1hs Daily 4rsss and gatotaiaa.
YANk DAKOTA.
Thursday Evening, Ian. is, 1879
TERRIBLE TIMES on THE FRONTIER.
Forty indians Sent 10 ,hs Happy Hunting
Grounds by Federal Bullets.

Forty indians sent 10 this Happy Hunting
Ground by Federal Bullets.
Chicago %Inter.ocean.
The butchery a, Fort Robinson seems 4,
be fully confirmed snd the circum-
stances leading to It appear to be as at fret
narrated.
We again declare, therefore, that a more
shocking and cruel massacre has not taken
place 10 the history of this government.
The $50 Indians confined at Fort Robin
son had been so lily treated on their Teser-
va,lon that they escaped tberefrOn. They
were half.starved and withou, clothing, aud
IN this condition, were captured ty the
troops and taken TO Fort r. ,biuson, the in
'ent,on being To return them to their rcser
walton. The Indians refused to 20 back,
declaring they would die first. A week avn
last Sunday an attempt WAS made to force
them into submission by Starving and freez.
,ns them. For three days they were KEEP,
in the lodge used as a prison, without fire
or food, and practically without clolhiug.
This was inhuman and disgraceinl, but au
act Of treacbery aud perfidy followed thai
far exceeded it. Under the pre!euss oi
holding u council. the two chiefs were en-
liced away from their followers, and when
separated were set upon, struck down, and
placed in irons. A war 10 sung by one
II the chiefs daughters, w.s heard tv The
Indians confined 10 the lodge who OWNED
the meaning and proceeded TO prepare for y
tctense against further acts of this character.
They were IN ,he dark as TO the fate ofthcir
chiefs but no doubt supposed they had been
OF were to be murdered. Cold, hungry.
naked, they yet preferred escape into The
Wilds. or death III a fair fight, to the fate
which had over taken their leaders. They
therefore broke from the doors, ovcrpuwer.
ed the sentineIs. aud fed. They were in
stahtly pursued by tic soldiers, and men.
women aud children shot down withnu,
mercy. Out OF twenty killed At The frs,
onset eight only were warriors, and proba-
oily out OF the whole forty reported dead,
and as many more wounded TO be old men,
women aud children. The latest reports uu
10 the time we write, show ON fifty O,
sixty not yet captured or billed, but in
'lenched Il little Ways from the fort
Though almost entirely unarmed. a 12
pound howl'zsr hes been sent to lombard
them from their retreat, thetroops hesiiat-
ing to attack them openly.
ln another place we publish an Interview
with General Crook upt,n the SUBJECT VIZ
are amazed to find that he knew of the
staiVtpB oul o'ceess, II Dht OF tHe rest O
the Programme, ard absolutely approved o
it. Bread was offered TO the children, b,
says, but The Indians refused it, declaring
that they would all die together. And ,hi
lnhuman plan was put in operation by mel
protesting to &c chE:s,ianized and civil.
lied!
We submit that the entire history Of GU
dealings with the Indians does not show
more cruel or %treacherous performance
IL is a stain upon the honor of The arm.
and 8 blot upon the fair name of the who!
people.
We do not know who is responsible, bu
whoever he may be, whether bigh or low
he should be held TO account FOR this shame
full and bloody tragedy.